Carbohydrate bioengineering is a rapidly expanding field with many applications in medicine and industry. Presenting state-of-the-art research, Carbohydrate Bioengineering: Interdisciplinary Approaches brings together international experts on many different aspects of this burgeoning topic. Coverage includes: the engineering of glycosidases for constructive purposes; structure-function studies and protein engineering of carbohydrate-active enzymes; chemo-enzymatic carbohydrate synthesis; and trends emerging from comprehensive work on genomes and glycomes. This timely publication will be welcomed by all those needing access to the latest research in the field, including practitioners in the medicinal, chemical, food and pharmaceutical areas.

The Carbohydrate Bioengineering Meeting held in Elsinore, Denmark, April 23-26, 1995, gathered 230 scientists, mostly from Europe, with interest in carbohydrate analysis and structure; carbohydrates in medicine and glycopathology; structure, function, application, and protein engineering of carbohydrate active enzymes; oligo- and polysaccharides of industrial interest; and production of carbohydrate containing new materials.

The first chapters address glycoconjugates as modulatory and recognition molecules, structure determination using NMR and mass spectrometry, and microdialysis-chip enzyme-based sensors. Active site mutations coupled with crystal structures and synthetic substrate analogue interactions as well as new three-dimensional structures and binding domains for biotechnological applications are included in the chapters. Carbohydrate active enzymes turned out to be a predominant topic.

The rapid development in glycobiology and glycotechnology has resulted in an enormous increase in our knowledge on the structure conversion, and application of carbohydrates in industry and medicine.