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By: Richard D. Cummings Among the 900-1,400 genes on the human X chromosome (1, 2) [1], there are many genes important in the metabolism of glycomolecules, including glycosyltransferases, glycohydrolases, transporters, and chaperones. Mutations in several of these X-linked genes, either heritable or...

By: Richard D. Cummings The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of many types of cells contain members of a family of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs). These enzymes utilize uridine diphosphate glucuronic acid (UDP-GlcA) as a donor and add GlcA to a tremendous variety of aglycone hydrophobic compounds...

By: Richard D. Cummings The major urinary glycoprotein is the Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP), also named uromodulin (Umod), and encoded by UMOD (1-4). Its concentration in urine can be as high as 1-2 mg/mL. It was discovered in 1950 by Tamm and Horsfall in their studies on compounds in urine that could...

By: Richard D. Cummings We usually think of polysaccharides as being relatively inert. However, dust explosions in grain elevators and in areas of high density of corn starch or polysaccharide powders occur frequently, as corn starch powder/dust is highly flammable (1). Such dust has tremendous...