N-linked glycosylation, is the attachment of a glycan consisting of several sugar molecules to a nitrogen atom (the amide nitrogen of an asparagine (Asn) residue of a protein). This type of linkage is important for both the structure and function of many eukaryotic proteins. The N-linked glycosylation process occurs in eukaryotes and widely in archaea, but very rarely in bacteria. The nature of N-linked glycans attached to a glycoprotein is determined by the protein and the cell in which it is expressed. It also varies across species. Different species synthesize different types of N-linked glycans. The major fractions consisted of "high-mannose type" oligosaccharides containing four to nine mannose residues.

This 3D model was generated using SGI (Silicon Graphics) Octane IRIX workstation in 2002.