Understanding the enzyme that removes sugar tags from proteins (O-GlcNAcase)
Official title: Structural insights into the functional regulation of O-GlcNAcase
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-11470306 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research will look at how the O-GlcNAcase enzyme removes sugar tags from proteins and how that affects conditions like cancer and neurodegeneration.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $87,825 |
| NIH project number | 3R01GM152998-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11470306 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cancers or neurodegenerative disorders linked to abnormal O-GlcNAc protein modifications would be most relevant for future therapies or sample-donation efforts.
✕Less likely to help
People with conditions unrelated to O-GlcNAc pathway changes or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic lab research.
What this research studies
Researchers will determine the enzyme's full 3D structure and test how different parts of O-GlcNAcase help it bind and process many protein targets. The team will use high-resolution structural imaging, biochemical binding experiments, and targeted mutations to map substrate recognition and non-catalytic functions. They will study how OGA activity is regulated in cells under different nutrient and stress conditions. The results will provide a detailed blueprint to guide development of drugs that more precisely change OGA activity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could enable development of more precise and safer drugs that target OGA for cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Structural studies of related enzymes have supported drug development, but a complete human OGA structure and detailed substrate-recognition model remain relatively novel and early-stage.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jiang, Jiaoyang — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Jiang, Jiaoyang
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.