Sequence Alignment Algorithms: Applications to Glycans and Trees and Tree-Like Structures

Glycans, which are also known as carbohydrate sugar chains, are important biomolecules. In particular, they are quite vital for the development and functioning of multicellular organisms, and they are generally found on the exterior surface of cells. Some glycans play an important role in cell-cell interactions. For example, tumor cells make some abnormal glycans, which are recognized by some receptors on natural killer cells. Some glycans also play an important role in protein folding cooperating with chaperone proteins.