Preparation and isolation of neoglycoconjugates using biotin-streptavidin complexes

Glycoproteins commercially available in multi-gram quantities, were used to prepare milligram amounts of neoglycoproteins. The glycoproteins bromelain and bovine gamma-globulin were proteolyzed to obtain glycopeptides or converted to a mixture of glycans through hydrazinolysis. The glycan mixture was structurally simplified by carbohydrate remodeling using exoglycosidases. Glycopeptides were biotinylated using N-hydroxysuccinimide activated-long chain biotin while glycoprotein-derived glycans were first reductively aminated with ammonium bicarbonate and then biotinylated. The resulting biotinylated carbohydrates were structurally characterized and then bound to streptavidin to afford neoglycoproteins. The peptidoglycan component of raw, unbleached heparin (an intermediate in the manufacture of heparin) was similarly biotinylated and bound to streptavidin to obtain milligram amounts of a heparin neoproteoglycan. The neoglycoconjugates prepared contain well defined glycan chains at specific locations on the streptavidin core and should be useful for the study of protein-carbohydrate interactions and affinity separations.