How OGT and adaptor proteins control which proteins get sugar tags
Official title: Understanding the mechanism of adaptor protein engagement by OGT and its functional effects on glycosylation
Funded at St. Olaf College · NIH-11290687 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how the enzyme OGT and its partner adaptor proteins decide which proteins receive a sugar modification, with relevance for conditions like cancer and neurodegeneration.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Olaf College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Northfield, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $315,554 |
| NIH project number | 2R15GM147888-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11290687 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project does not enroll patients, but its findings are most relevant to people with cancer or neurodegenerative diseases who might benefit from future targeted therapies.
✕Less likely to help
People with medical issues unrelated to protein glycosylation or proteostasis are unlikely to see direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are focusing on the OGT enzyme that adds O-GlcNAc sugar tags to many proteins and the TPR region that helps choose targets. They will study whether OGT binds targets directly or is guided by intermediary adaptor proteins by mapping binding surfaces and testing protein interactions. Experiments will use biochemical binding assays, protein mutagenesis, and cell-based approaches to see how adaptor engagement changes OGT activity. The team aims to reveal molecular rules that could guide more selective ways to change protein glycosylation linked to disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable therapies that selectively change sugar modifications on disease-related proteins, potentially benefiting people with cancer or neurodegenerative disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have shown O-GlcNAc changes are linked to disease and mapped many OGT targets, but using adaptor-driven selectivity to direct OGT activity is a relatively new and not yet proven approach.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Olaf College
Northfield, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Joiner, Cassandra Marie — St. Olaf College
- Study coordinator: Joiner, Cassandra Marie
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.