Glycan Signalling in Environmental Stress Perception and Response

Glycans are structurally diverse carbohydrates that exist as characteristic components of the cell surface and extracellular matrices and thus are now emerging as competent modulators in the perception and response to environmental stresses. Glycans are acknowledged for their more active role in signalling pathways regulating cellular responses to biotic and abiotic stress. In both plants and animals, glycan patterns are being remodelled in response to diverse stimuli such as invasion by pathogens, drought and salinity. These modulations are recognised via specific glycan-binding proteins like lectins and pattern-recognition receptors, which trigger complex intracellular signalling cascades to regulate gene expression, immune responses, and stress adaptation mechanisms. This elaborate glycan-mediated communication network connects the external environment with the internal cellular apparatus, ensuring an instantaneous stress response alongside a well-suited contextual environment. The latest developments in glycomics and systems biology have added substantial depth in the area of glycan signalling networks, leading to profound discoveries of new therapeutic targets. The changes in glycan are closely associated with inflammatory diseases, cancer, and other infectious diseases in the field of medical science. New types of therapies, such as glycan-based vaccines, anti-inflammatory agents, and cancer immunotherapies, are being developed by targeting glycan-protein interactions or modifying glycosylation patterns. Glycan signalling pathways can also be used in agriculture to enhance crop environmental resilience. This explains the signalling mechanisms underlying these processes and the emerging therapeutic applications of this knowledge. Understanding glycan signalling significantly expands our knowledge of cellular communication and holds potential for advancing biomedical and environmental resilience strategies.