The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 (red cell) is covered in spike proteins (blue), which are glycoproteins that allow the virus to gain access to human cells.
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Glycoproteins are abundant molecules with diverse biological functions, ranging from mediating viral infection to enabling tumor progression in certain cancer types. In this article, learn about the many types of glycoproteins, forms of glycosylation, and glycoprotein functions in health and disease.
Glycoproteins are a large and diverse group of proteins to which one or more sugar molecules, known as oligosaccharides, have been attached through covalent bonding. These diverse proteins have a wide range of functions, including roles in immune response activation, cell signaling, and disease processes. More than 50 percent of proteins in eukaryotes are known to be glycoproteins, with some predictions being as high as 70 percent.1,2
The many varieties ...
