In this project we investigate the hypothesis that chemical glycan modifications contribute to carbon sequestration by modulating the enzymatic degradation. B1 KEY builds on recent findings that algal glycans are remarkably stable during algal blooms. We will not only study model systems of enzymes and glycans but also continue to discover new enzymes involved in the degradation of algal glycans. The project’s focus on how chemical modifications protect glycans from enzymatic cascades highlights a potential mechanism for their role in long-term carbon storage.