GlyGen

GlyGen is an open-access glycoinformatics resource that integrates glycan structure data with gene, protein, and disease-related information to support glycobiology research. The platform brings together structural details of glycans, including monosaccharide composition and linkage information, with functional annotations of glycosylation enzymes, glycoproteins, and related biosynthetic pathways. By linking these data, GlyGen aims to facilitate the exploration of how glycans influence protein function, cellular processes, and disease.

Content and data model

GlyGen collects glycan structural data and maps it to associated genes, proteins, and enzymatic activities involved in glycosylation. It also incorporates contextual information such as localization, tissue expression, experimentally observed glycoforms, and literature references. Data sources typically include public protein and gene resources, literature databases, and glycan-focused datasets, with ongoing curation to improve quality and coverage. The resource supports connections between glycans and biological contexts such as disease states, pathways, and cellular processes.

Access and tools

GlyGen provides a web portal for searching and browsing glycans, glycoproteins, and related entities, along with visualization tools for viewing glycan structures and their protein connections. Users can perform queries by glycan composition, mass, structure, or by gene/protein identifiers and disease terms. The platform also offers data downloads and programmatic access to support bulk analyses and integration into other workflows.

Scope and impact

As a collaborative knowledgebase, GlyGen serves as a centralized resource for the glycobiology community, aiding data discovery, cross-resource integration, and comparative analyses. It supports researchers in hypothesis generation, data interpretation, and the dissemination of glycoscience knowledge.