Glycan Arrays: From Basic Biochemical Research to Bioanalytical and Biomedical Applications

Abstract

A major branch of glycobiology and glycan-focused biomedicine studies the interaction between carbohydrates and other biopolymers, most importantly, glycan-binding proteins. Today, this research into glycan-biopolymer interaction is unthinkable without glycan arrays, tools that enable high-throughput analysis of carbohydrate interaction partners. Glycan arrays offer many applications in basic biochemical research, for example, defining the specificity of glycosyltransferases and lectins such as immune receptors. Biomedical applications include the characterization and surveillance of influenza strains, identification of biomarkers for cancer and infection, and profiling of immune responses to vaccines. Here, we review major applications of glycan arrays both in basic and applied research. Given the dynamic nature of this rapidly developing field, we focus on recent findings.

Multivalent glycan arrays

“…In contrast, multivalency is essential for GBPs, because of the naturally weak (K D $ mm) protein-glycan affinity, compensated by multiple binding sites. 188 Since the advent of glycan microarrays, the main focus has been on the analysis of glycans on surfaces, with less interest in the control of molecular density and spacing. Yet, a dened way of presenting glycans on microarrays is the key step to strong GBP binding.…”

Microbe-focused glycan array screening platform

“…To date, however, microbial glycan arrays have been created mainly from isolated carbohydrates that were derivatized for immobilization purposes (23). Depending on the experimental objective, a few (24)(25)(26)(27), dozens (28,29), about 150 (30,31), and even up to 300 (32) of such isolated and characterized carbohydrate preparations have been immobilized.…”

Parasite Carbohydrate Vaccines

“…Their heterogeneity means that access to pure, defined carbohydrates remains a challenge (Liu et al, 2006; Adibekian et al, 2011; Geissner and Seeberger, 2016). Microbial cell culture can be a readily available biological source of carbohydrate antigens, however carbohydrate isolation can be complex and even tedious (Geissner and Seeberger, 2016). Furthermore, isolation is not so straightforward for carbohydrates of low abundance or when microbial culture is not possible.…”