Nonenzymatic Glycosylation of Proteins: Structure and Function Changes

Abstract

The importance of carbohydrate and protein structure on the nonenzymatic glycosylation of proteins is discussed on the basis of limited model compound studies. Rates of giycosyiation presumably depend on the proportion of sugar present in the carbonyl form, on the amine basicity, and on its steric accessibility. The thermodynamic stability of the resulting glycosylamino moieties, which presumably depend in part on the protein structure may, however, be the most important factor in determining the extent of their reaction.