This project aims to find out how energy-rich storage polysaccharides control the cycling and sequestration of glycan carbon. It investigates the hypothesis that bacteria are preoccupied with consuming energy-rich glucose glycans, allowing more complex, relatively low-energy glycans to escape degradation and sequester carbon. We will test this hierarchical glycan utilisation by conducting experiments with different glycan types and suitable bacterial models. A1 FUEL will focus on in vitro reactions with molecular resolution to unravel how the energy content of glycans regulates the bacterial carbon cycle in situ.