Interaction between lectins and neoglycoproteins containing new sialylated glycosynthons

Neoglycoconjugates are useful tools to study carbohydrate/protein interactions. In order to discover new lectins, to define their fine specificity or to study their intracellular trafficking, there is a need for neoglycoconjugates containing complex oligosaccharides. We recently set up a simple way to transform native oligosaccharides into glycosynthons. The present paper describes i) the synthesis of such glycosynthons starting with sialylated oligosides, ii) the preparation of sialylated neoglycoproteins and iii) their binding to sialic acid-specific lectins assessed by surface plasmon resonance experiments.