Personal profile
Research overview
I am interested in the structure and function of eukaryotic carbohydrate processing enzymes. Obtaining a greater appreciation of how these enzymes assimilate or degrade carbohydrates is important in understanding the biological roles that carbohydrates play in cellular processes, and also how these processes malfunction in a number of diseases, such as cancer, lysosomal storage disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases.
I am currently investigating the enzymes responsible for the degradation of heparan sulphate, a component of the extracellular matrix. Using a combination of approaches, including molecular biology, protein production, X-ray crystallography, enzyme kinetics and cell culture, I aim to gain a greater understanding of these enzymes from a mechanistic and structural perspective. Hopefully this will lead to the development of tools, such as enzyme inhibitors, that can be used to probe the biological functions of the enzymes, and possibly also for therapeutic applications in the longer term.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production -
SDG 14 Life Below Water
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- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Structure and mechanism of the broad spectrum CRISPR-associated ring nuclease Crn4
Chi, H., Hoikkala, V., McMahon, S., Graham, S., Gloster, T. & White, M., 23 Jan 2026, In: Nature Communications. 17, p. 1-10 10 p., 889.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
A viral SAVED protein with ring nuclease activity degrades the CRISPR second messenger cA4
Orzechowski, M. G., Hoikkala, V., Chi, H., McMahon, S., Gloster, T. & White, M., Nov 2025, In: Biochemical Journal. 482, 22, p. 1-13 13 p., BCJ20253271.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Microbial exopolysaccharide production by polyextremophiles in the adaptation to multiple extremes
Gloster, T. M. & Toksoy Öner, E., 1 Dec 2025, In: FEBS Letters. 599, 23, p. 3417-3443Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
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Reply to: Natively expressed AcrIII-1 does not function as an anti-CRISPR protein
Athukoralage, J. S., McMahon, S. A., Zhang, C., Grüschow, S., Graham, S., Krupovic, M., Whitaker, R. J., Gloster, T. M. & White, M. F., 17 Apr 2025, In: Nature. 640, 8059, p. E15-E17 3 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review
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SAM-AMP lyases in type III CRISPR defence
Chi, H., McMahon, S., Daniel-Pedersen, L., Graham, S., Gloster, T. M. & White, M. F., 22 Jul 2025, In: Nucleic Acids Research. 53, 13, p. 1-11 11 p., gkaf655.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile
Datasets
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Data underpinning Di Zhu's thesis
Zhu, D. (Creator) & Gloster, T. (Supervisor), University of St Andrews, 3 Oct 2030
DOI: 10.17630/9cf6486c-0c2f-443c-b1be-22e84c709a14
Dataset: Thesis dataset
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Dissecting the mechanism of (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase by kinetic isotope effects, protein crystallography, and computational chemistry (dataset)
Guerreiro Machado, T. F. (Creator), McMahon, S. (Creator), Read, B. (Creator), Gloster, T. (Creator) & Guimaraes da Silva, R. (Creator), Figshare, 2020
Dataset
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Revealing the mechanism for covalent inhibition of glycoside hydrolases by carbasugars at an atomic level (dataset)
Ren, W. (Creator), Pengelly, R. J. (Creator), Farren-Dai, M. (Creator), Abadi, S. S. K. (Creator), Oehler, V. (Creator), Akintola, O. (Creator), Meanwell, M. (Creator), Draper, J. (Creator), Chakladar, S. (Creator), Swiderek, K. (Creator), Moliner, V. (Creator), Britton, R. (Creator), Gloster, T. M. (Data Collector) & Bennet, A. (Creator), Protein Data Bank (PDB), 2018
http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/results/results.do?tabtoshow=Unreleased&qrid=414113D5 and 4 more links, http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/results/results.do?tabtoshow=Unreleased&qrid=88B7402C, http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/results/results.do?tabtoshow=Unreleased&qrid=4FC31885, http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/results/results.do?tabtoshow=Unreleased&qrid=B847E00C, http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/results/results.do?tabtoshow=Unreleased&qrid=1F7DAB4E (show fewer)
Dataset
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Tetramerisation of the CRISPR ring nuclease Crn3/Csx3 facilitates cyclic oligoadenylate cleavage (dataset)
Athukoralage, J. S. (Creator) & Gloster, T. (Creator), Protein Data Bank (PDB), 2020
https://www.rcsb.org/structure/6YUD
Dataset
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Structure of a Type III CRISPR defence DNA nuclease activated by cyclic oligoadenylate
White, M. (Creator) & Gloster, T. (Creator), Protein Data Bank (PDB), 19 Feb 2020
DOI: 10.2210/pdb6SCE/pdb
Dataset
Projects
- 22 Finished
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Leverhulme Trust SRF 2022 - Tracey Glost: Expanding the structural biology toolkit: learning cryo-electron microscopy
Gloster, T. (PI)
1/10/22 → 30/09/23
Project: Standard
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Understanding the human metabolic enzyme: Understanding the structure and function of an important human metabolic enzyme
Gloster, T. (PI)
1/12/20 → 31/03/21
Project: Standard
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Advanced integrative mass spectrometer: An advanced integrative mass spectrometer - the essential tool for in-depth analysis of diverse biological research.
Shirran, S. (PI), Evans, D. (CoI), Gloster, T. (CoI), Guimaraes da Silva, R. (CoI), Melo Czekster, C. (CoI), Powis, S. (CoI), Sleeman, J. (CoI), Smith, T. K. (CoI), Stewart, A. J. (CoI), Westwood, N. (CoI) & White, M. (CoI)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
1/07/20 → 30/06/21
Project: Standard
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Tracey Gloster ISSF3 round 5: Tracey Gloster/Sascha Hooker
Gloster, T. (PI)
1/04/20 → 31/07/20
Project: Standard
Activities
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Scottish Structural Biology
Schwarz-Linek, U. (Organiser) & Gloster, T. (Organiser)
12 Sept 2019Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in or organising a workshop, seminar, course
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First Chances S5 Summer School
Somorjai, I. M. L. (Participant) & Gloster, T. M. (Participant)
12 Jun 2018Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in or organising a workshop, seminar, course
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Rebekka Uhl
Gloster, T. (Host)
31 May 2018 → Jun 2018Activity: Hosting a visitor types › Hosting an academic visitor
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External PhD examiner, University of York
Gloster, T. (External examiner)
May 2018Activity: Examination types › External examination
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Aishvi Jain
Gloster, T. (Host)
May 2018 → Jul 2018Activity: Hosting a visitor types › Hosting an academic visitor
Prizes
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Biochemical Society Early Career Research Award 2012
Gloster, T. (Recipient), 2012
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Election to the Young Academy of Scotland
Gloster, T. (Recipient), May 2016
Prize: Election to learned society
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L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women In Science Fellowship
Gloster, T. (Recipient), 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)