A brief account of evolution of assays to study carbohydrate-protein interaction

Molecular recognition remains one of the most desirable means of cellular communication. Each cell offers a unique surface pattern of biomolecules that makes it very specific about the nature of molecules that interact with the cell. Protein-glycan interaction has been one of the most common forms of cell signaling. Glycans expressed on the cell surface interact with an exogenous protein, and in many cases lead to a physiological response. These carbohydrate-binding proteins, commonly known as lectins, are very specific to the glycan they bind to. An exogenous lectin interacting with an animal cell surface glycan is generally studied using the classical hemagglutination assay. However, this method presents certain challenges that make it imperative to design and develop novel methods that are more specific and efficient in their interaction. In the last decade, a few methods have been developed to analyze more diverse reactions and use a lesser amount of sample. In some cases, the processing of the sample is also reduced. This review discusses how the methods have evolved over the decades and how they have reduced error while becoming more efficient.