The Functional Implications of O-GlcNAc Glycosylation for Gene Expression and Cell Survival

O-GlcNAc glycosylation is a carbohydrate modification found to play a role in the regulation of intracellular processes, such as proteasomal degradation, cytoskeletal dynamics and protein expression. Our interests in elucidating the role of glycosylation in cell signaling and mechanisms that control gene expression directed us to the examination of CREB as a possible O-GlcNAc glycosylated protein. To understand the possible role of CREB O-GlcNAc glycosylation, I will provide a survey of O-GlcNAc glycosylation, its targets and its effects on transcription.