Why did we initiate the UniCarb-DB Glycomic MS Database and Repository?

In the endeavour to make glycomics a part of mainstream life science research, we believe that it is important to assemble glycan structure databases together with the experimental attributes this data has generated. Mass spectrometry has become the key technology for characterising the complex glycome. The association of known glycan structures with individual MS fragmentation data provides reference points for the entire community and beyond. This allows the current version of UniCarb-DB to grow while an increasing research community contributes to its expansion. Eventually, this database will allow us to help deciphering the human glycome and understand how it relates and interacts with other molecules of life. This was the inspiration of a small number of dedicated researchers who launched this UniCarb-DB initiative and have gradually drawn more groups into their wake.

If you think that this is a useful resource, have ideas of how it can be improved or want to contribute with data, please contact the people listed on the contact page. We are always looking for constructive partners that can help this initiative and support its longevity.

References

Rojas Macias MA, Mariethoz J, Andersson P, Jin C, Horlacher O, Aoki NP, Shinmachi D, Levander F, Packer NH, Aoki-Kinoshita K, Lisacek F, Karlsson NG. An E-workflow for implementing reporting guidelines in glycomics mass spectrometry. 2018, doi: 10.1101/401141

Lisacek F, Mariethoz J, Alocci D, Rudd PM, Abrahams JL, Campbell MP, Packer NH, Ståhle J, Widmalm G, Mullen E, Adamczyk B, Rojas-Macias MA, Jin C, Karlsson NG. Databases and Associated Tools for Glycomics and Glycoproteomics. Methods Mol Biol. 2017;1503:235-264. PubMed PMID: 27743371

Campbell MP, Nguyen-Khuong T, Hayes CA, Flowers SA, Alagesan K, Kolarich D,Packer NH, Karlsson NG. Validation of the curation pipeline of UniCarb-DB: building a global glycan reference MS/MS repository. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2014;1844(1 Pt A):108-16. doi: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2013.04.018, PubMed PMID: 23624262

Ali L, Kenny DT, Hayes CA, Karlsson NG. Structural Identification of O-Linked Oligosaccharides Using Exoglycosidases and MSn Together with UniCarb-DB Fragment Spectra Comparison. Metabolites. 2012 Oct 8;2(4):648-66. doi: 10.3390/metabo2040648, PubMed PMID: 24957756, PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3901228

Hayes CA, Karlsson NG, Struwe WB, Lisacek F, Rudd PM, Packer NH, Campbell MP. UniCarb-DB: a database resource for glycomic discovery. Bioinformatics. 2011 May 1;27(9):1343-4. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btr137, Epub 2011 Mar 12, PubMed PMID: 21398669