The glycans displayed on mammalian cells can differ markedly from those on microbes. Such differences could, in principle, be read by carbohydrate-binding proteins, or lectins. We used glycan microarrays to show that human intelectin-1 (hIntL-1) does not bind known human glycan epitopes but interacts with multiple glycan epitopes found exclusively on microbes: β-linked d-galactofuranose (β-Galf), d-phospho-glycerol-modified glycans, heptoses, d-glycero-d-talo-oct-2-ulosonic acid (KO) and 3-deoxy-d-manno-oct–2-ulosonic acid (KDO). The 1.6 Å resolution crystal structure of hIntL-1 bound to β-Galf revealed that hIntL-1 uses a bound calcium ion to coordinate terminal exocyclic 1,2-diols. N-Acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), a sialic acid widespread in human glycans, possesses an exocyclic 1,2-diol but does not bind hInt-1, likely due to unfavorable steric and electronic effects. Human IntL-1 marks only Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes that display surface glycans with terminal 1,2-diol groups. This ligand selectivity suggests hIntL-1 functions in microbial surveillance.

Highly potent bryostatin analogues which contain the complete bryostatin core structure have been synthesized using a pyran annulation approach as a key strategic element. The A ring pyran was assembled using a pyran annulation reaction between a C1-C8 hydroxy allylsilane and an aldehyde comprising C9-C13. This pyran was transformed to a new hydroxy allylsilane and then coupled with a preformed C ring aldehyde subunit in a second pyran annulation, with concomitant formation of the B ring. This tricyclic intermediate was elaborated to bryostatin analogues which displayed nanomolar to subnanomolar affinity for PKC, but displayed properties indistinguishable from a phorbol ester in a proliferation/attachment assay.