Next-Generation Glycan Materials Bridging Organic and Inorganic Chemistry

The central roles that glycans play in cell communication, adhesion, signal transduction, and pathogen recognition have driven growing interest in understanding glycan-mediated protein recognition events. Because protein-glycan binding is governed by three-dimensional carbohydrate presentation, precise structural control over synthetic glycan assemblies is essential for understanding fundamental principles underlying the recognition of both natural and artificial glycans. Most conventional glycomimetics, however, often lack the precise structural organization characteristic of native glycans, which limits detailed understanding of the architectural parameters that dictate their function. Molecular inorganic glycan assemblies provide an emerging platform that provides control over glycan valency, spacing, and topology to achieve programmable recognition behavior. This Viewpoint highlights the development of metal-templated glycan complexes that afford well-defined architectures with tunable recognition behavior and biological function and also discusses developing opportunities at the interface of inorganic and organic chemistry, glycobiology, and biomolecular design.