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Cited by 4Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and ApplicationsGlycosylation and Glycoproteins ResearchPolysaccharides and Plant Cell Walls

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CryoSeek identification of glycofibrils with diverse compositions and structural assemblies

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Li, Zhangqiang, Wang, Tongtong, Sun, Yitong, Xu, Kui, Huang, Wenze, Zhang, Qiangfeng Cliff, Yan, Chuangye, Hu, Mingxu, Yan, Nieng·2026·Cell Chemical Biology
DOI 10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.03.008

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Abstract

CryoSeek is a research strategy that employs cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to discover bio-entities from accessible sources, supplemented with AI-facilitated data processing and bioinformatic analyses. Here we report CryoSeek-based characterization of more glycofibrils isolated from the Tsinghua Lotus Pond (TLP), named TLP-0/2/3/4b/IPT, with resolutions ranging from 3.0-3.5 Å. These glycofibrils, all covered with dense glycoshells, have various mass percentiles of the central protein components. TLP-0 has no protein at all, TLP-2 and TLP-4b each only have a linear chain of di- or tetra-peptide repeats, respectively; the central stem of TLP-3 is a trimer of linear tripeptide repeats, and IPT (immunoglobulin-like, plexins, and transcription factors) refers to the tandem domain that constitutes the central stem of TLP-IPT. Glycan-mediated interactions determine the structural assembly of the glycofibrils that lack folded protein component. Our previous and current studies reveal the diversity of the structural folds of glycans, advance our understanding of glycan architecture, and further demonstrate CryoSeek as a structure-first paradigm for discovery.

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Metadata

Authors
Li, Z., Wang, T., Sun, Y., Xu, K., Huang, W., Zhang, Q. C., Yan, C., Hu, M., & Yan, N.
Affiliations
  • Center for Life Sciences (CN)
  • Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (CN)
  • Shenzhen Bay Laboratory (CN)
Corresponding author
  • Li, Zhangqiang
  • Wang, Tongtong
  • Yan, Nieng
ORCID
Venue
Cell Chemical Biology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2026-05
Volume
33
Issue
5
Pages
699-710.e2
ISSN
  • 2451-9448 (ISSN-L)
  • 2451-9456
DOI
10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.03.008
OpenAlex
W4414765436
Cited by
4
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 4
FWCI
7.87
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Cell chemical biology (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (92478205)
  • Key Technologies Research and Development Program (2022YFA1206400)
  • National Key Research and Development Program of China
  • Tsinghua University
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Structural Biology › Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Glycosylation and Glycoproteins Research
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Polysaccharides and Plant Cell Walls
Keywords
glycans, plexins, transcription factors
MeSH terms
Models, Molecular, Polysaccharides, Cryoelectron Microscopy

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