There is an urgent need of bioinformatic tools for mining glycan array data in order to accurately and statistically study the interactions between cell-surface glycans and glycan-binding proteins. We propose here to develop a software and hardware integrated system for the interpretation of glycan array data. The problem with existing glycan array data mining tools is that they give binding information only for simplistic substructures of glycans and not complex binding determinants, and also that they are not automated. To solve this problem, Z Biotech, LLC (a glycan array provider) will team with Dr. Brian Haab?s lab in Van Andel Research Institute (a software provider) to develop and improve a robust glycan array data mining tool; MotifFinder. Z Biotech has invented a robust glycan array platform having the advantage to display glycans on solid surfaces in a multivalent form. The glycan arrays Z Biotech provides have superior performance with the criteria for a high-quality microarray, which is suitable for generation of glycan array data for evaluation of a bioinformatic tool like MotifFinder. In addition, The Haab research group has been leading developments in glycan-array bioinformatics. They were the first to publish an algorithm for the analysis of glycan-array data in 2010, and subsequently have contributed many innovations. The proposed research strategy has been supported by a preliminary experimental investigation under collaboration between the two glycoscience groups. In Phase I, the specific aims are (1) development of a catch-all 212 Glycan Array as a primary array for software testing, (2) manufacture individual glycan array subarrays and run assays used for testing software, and (3) optimize and validate software for the automated interpretation of glycan-array data. These are realistic goals within the SBIR program scope, and the resultant glycan array packages with hardware and software will have a broad impact on glycobiology research, glycan-related biomarker characterization, and new drug development targeting glycans.
Glycan array is a vital tool for studying carbohydrate-protein interactions, biomarker discovery, and potentially drug screening and there is need for a bioinformatics tool for interpretation of glycan array data. The goal of this SBIR project is to develop a robust bioinformatics tool for the analysis of glycan array data. The resulting bioinformatic tools will also deepen our understanding of how glycans contribute to diseases, such as cancers and infectious diseases.
