CMPsiaalihappodonorilta

CMPsiaalihappodonorilta is a term that appears in scientific literature, specifically in the field of glycobiology and biochemistry. It refers to a chemical donor molecule used in enzymatic reactions. The "CMP" part of the name likely stands for cytidine monophosphate, a nucleotide. "Sialic acid" is a general term for a family of acidic monosaccharides, with N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) being the most common. "Donor" indicates that this molecule provides the sialic acid moiety to another molecule during a biochemical process.

The full term, CMPsiaalihappodonorilta, thus describes cytidine monophosphate-activated sialic acid, which acts as a substrate in glycosyltransferase-catalyzed reactions. These enzymes are responsible for synthesizing glycoconjugates, which are molecules where a carbohydrate is attached to another type of molecule, such as a protein or lipid. In this specific context, CMP-sialic acid serves as the activated form of sialic acid that can be transferred.

The synthesis of CMP-sialic acid is a crucial step in the cellular metabolism of sialic acids. It is catalyzed by the enzyme CMP-sialic acid synthetase. This activated form is then recognized by sialyltransferases, which attach the sialic acid residue to acceptor molecules, forming various biologically important glycans. These glycans play roles in cell-cell recognition, immune responses, and pathogen binding. Therefore, CMPsiaalihappodonorilta is a key intermediate in the biological pathways involving sialic acid modification.