The reversible attachment of an activated form of N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) acts as a molecular switch between the growth and arrest of cells, establishing a new role for cell surface glycans.

The POSTECH team uncovered this mechanism by investigating the byssus of hairy mussels, where proteins containing EGF/EGF-like domains bind strongly to N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc)-based biopolymers.

Hyaluronan is a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan with repeating disaccharide subunits of N-acetylglucosamine and glucuronic acid that forms a gel-like matrix with water in the SC space.