Preparation and characterization of antibodies against 6-O-alpha-D-xylopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranose (beta-isoprimeverose), the disaccharide unit of xyloglucan in plant cell-walls

Improved synthesis of an aldobiouronic acid related to hardwood xylans, and preparation of a derivative thereof suitable for linking to proteins

Treatment of 1,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-alpha-D-xylopyranose with methyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-l-chloro-l-deoxy-4-O-methyl-alpha, beta-D-glucopyranuronate in the presence of silver trifluoromethanesulfonate was highly stereoselective to give the alpha-linked aldobiouronic acid derivative (4) in 86% yield, after hydrogenolysis of the crude product of the coupling and chromatography. Compound 4 was acetylated and the fully protected substance was converted to the corresponding glycosyl chloride. Reaction of the latter with p-nitrophenol under phase-transfer catalysis afforded, after deacetylation, p-nitrophenyl 2-O-(methyl 4-O-methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyluronate)-beta-D-xylopyranoside.

The use of antibodies to study the architecture and developmental regulation of plant cell walls

This review covers the generation and use of antibodies to defined components of plant and algal cell walls and how these have contributed to our understanding of the spatial and developmental regulation of cell walls. Particular emphasis is placed upon the generation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to matrix polysaccharides, extensins, and arabinogalactan-proteins of higher plants, and algal polysaccharides and glycoproteins. Immunolocalization studies are discussed in relation to the identification of molecular domains within cell walls, cell adhesion, cell differentiation, and the establishment of plant interactions with other organisms.