What is sugar nucleotide?

Sugar nucleotides are molecules that serve as building blocks for the production of glycoconjugates such as glycoproteins, glycolipids, and proteoglycans. These molecules are comprised of a sugar molecule, a base, and one or more phosphates. They are synthesized by enzymes known as glycosyltransferases, which use activated sugar nucleotides as donor molecules in the attachment of monosaccharides to proteins or lipids. Some examples of sugar nucleotides include UDP-galactose, UDP-glucose, GDP-mannose, and CMP-sialic acid, among others. These molecules play important roles in various biological processes, such as cell adhesion, signaling, and recognition. Defects in sugar nucleotide metabolism have been linked to various diseases, including cancer, congenital disorders of glycosylation, and inflammatory bowel disease.