Polysaccharide biotechnology—a Cinderella subject

The study of carbohydrates is a Cinderella subject, pursued by a relatively few dedicated individuals fascinated by their diversity of structure and function, and prepared to tolerate the difficulties of working with substances of great complexity. Many biotechnologists are now striving to recognize the heroine by using a 'glass slipper' - 'recognition' and 'glass' being particularly appropriate words for a consideration of carbohydrate function, as could be seen at a recent meeting organized by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Carbohydrates in the glassy state are important in providing useful and attractive properties such as the stabilization of dried proteins and the crunch of biscuits. Carbohydrates on the surfaces of proteins and attached to lipids in membranes allow biological materials to recognize one another, and so modification of carbohydrates can have beneficial, or harmful effects.