key points: * glycans are a common carbohydrate found on cell surfaces that are known to modify lipids and proteins in a process called glycosylation. * previ

key points: * glycans are a common carbohydrate found on cell surfaces that are known to modify lipids and proteins in a process called glycosylation. * previously, it was assumed glycans only bind to lipids and proteins. the research team discovered glycans can also bind to RNA, discovering a new class of biomolecule called glycoRNA. * subsequent experiments revealed this biomolecule is found in many different cell types, including animal, plant and microbial cells. * glycans and RNA are traditionally distinct fields, but the lead author, ryan flynn, leveraged his RNA background to explore a question that glycan experts had considered unlikely to bear fruit. * the immune system of people suffering from lupus, an autoimmune disease, targets several of the RNAs comprising glycoRNA. this suggests glycoRNA merits further research, as it may represent a link in pathogenesis and could offer scientists new therapeutic avenues if so.