N-Glycan Structures

N-Glycan Biosynthesis

N-Linked Glycans are oligosaccharides that are covalently bound to proteins at asparagine residues through an N-glycosidic bond. N-Glycans are initially formed in the endoplasmic reticulum and undergo further synthesis in the Golgi. In the Golgi, a series of glycosyltransferases can act on the glycan to initiate various branching and the addition of sugar residues such as fucose, sialic acid, galactose and N-acetylglucosamine. This results in the formation of a variety of mature and complex structures.