Advances in Fragmentation Techniques for Glycomics and Glycoproteomics.

Journal: Mass spectrometry reviews
Published Date: Oct 26, 2025

Abstract

Glycosylation, the enzymatic addition of carbohydrate moieties to proteins, is essential for immune recognition, protein folding, and disease progression. The structural complexity of glycans and the heterogeneity of glycosylation sites present significant challenges towards accurate identification and quantification, necessitating advanced methodologies for comprehensive characterization. Tandem MS (MS/MS) has emerged as the primary analytical platform for glycomics and glycoproteomics. This review highlights the recent developments in fragmentation techniques, ranging from well-established techniques such as CID/HCD and ETD, to newer and more advanced techniques such as electron-based methods (EThcD), photodissociation strategies (UVPD, IRMPD), and hybrid approaches (sceHCD, EThcD-sceHCD, HCD-pd-ETD), each providing distinct advantages towards glycan structure elucidation and glycosite mapping. This review also discusses emerging computational strategies, especially deep learning for automated interpretation of complex glycomics and glycoproteomics data.

Authors

  • Vishal Sandilya
    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
  • Sarah Sahioun
    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
  • Tanjina Akter Suma
    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
  • Abiodun Adewolu
    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
  • Abderrahman Koraich
    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
  • Shafia Shafiq Nishe
    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
  • Esther Oji
    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
  • Cristian D Gutierrez Reyes
    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
  • Yehia Mechref
    Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States.

Keywords

No keywords available for this article.

External Resources

Popular Topics
Recent Journals