# Bridging the Glycome and Proteome with Chemical Biology

> **NIH NIH R35** · SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE · 2023 · $86,454

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
During pregnancy, the proper development of the placenta is essential to maintain the health of the fetus and
mother; however, we still do not have a clear understanding of how certain components of the placenta normally
form. We are interested in how the synctitiotrophoblast barrier is formed through cellular fusion, and to
understand this process, we will focus on the proteins presented on the outside of the barrier called cell surface
proteins (CSPs). CSPs are regulators of cell-cell interactions and help cells respond to their environment, making
them biologically important and relevant drug targets. However, CSPs are challenging to study, because they
are in low abundance and are covered with sugar molecules called glycans. These glycans are highly
variable structures that cannot be predicted, requiring experimental evidence to ascertain their composition. One
of the most important functions of these glycans is to interact with glycan-binding proteins (GBPs). GBPs bind to
glycans on the cell surface, resulting in downstream changes to cell behavior. GBPs, like galectin-3, have been
shown to be necessary for normal fetal development and placental cell fusion, but discovering their mechanism
of action is challenging, as the weak and dynamic interactions between glycans and GBPs are not easy to
capture. To overcome these limitations, we have developed two new techniques that allow us to label and identify
CSPs and galectin-3 interactors in live cells. We will apply these methods to a model of placental cell fusion to
understand the factors that lead to successful barrier formation. Once critical CSPs and galectin-3 interactors are
uncovered, we will perform genetic and biochemical experiments to determine their functions in detail. We will
map the signaling pathways within the cell that allow for fusion, as well as the composition of glycans that allow
for GBP interactions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10798880
- **Project number:** 3R35GM142462-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE
- **Principal Investigator:** Mia L Huang
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $86,454
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-06-01 → 2026-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10798880

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10798880, Bridging the Glycome and Proteome with Chemical Biology (3R35GM142462-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10798880. Licensed CC0.

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