Non-Viral RNA Delivery During Pregnancy: Opportunities and Challenges

During pregnancy, the risk of maternal and fetal adversities increases due to physiological changes, genetic predispositions, environmental factors, and infections. Unfortunately, treatment options are severely limited because many essential interventions are unsafe, inaccessible, or lacking in sufficient scientific data to support their use. One potential solution to this challenge may lie in emerging RNA therapeutics for gene therapy, protein replacement, maternal vaccination, fetal gene editing, and other prenatal treatment applications. In this review, the current landscape of RNA platforms and non-viral RNA delivery technologies that are under active development for administration during pregnancy is explored. Advancements of pregnancy-specific RNA drugs against SARS-CoV-2, Zika, influenza, preeclampsia, and for in-utero gene editing are discussed. Finally, this study highlights bottlenecks that are impeding translation efforts of RNA therapies, including the lack of accurate cell-based and animal models of human pregnancy and concerns related to toxicity and immunogenicity during pregnancy. Overcoming these challenges will facilitate the rapid development of this new class of pregnancy-safe drugs.

Dual-Action Protein-siRNA Conjugates for Targeted Disruption of CD47-Signal Regulatory Protein α Axis in Cancer Therapy

A series of successes in RNA interference (RNAi) therapies for liver diseases using lipid nanoparticles and N-acetylgalactosamine have heralded a current era of RNA therapeutics. However, alternative delivery strategies are required to take RNAi out of the comfort zone of hepatocytes. Here we report SIRPα IgV/anti-CD47 siRNA (vS-siCD47) conjugates that selectively and persistently disrupt the antiphagocytic CD47/SIRPα axis in solid tumors. Conjugation of the SIRPα IgV domain protein to siRNAs enables tumor dash through CD47-mediated erythrocyte piggyback, primarily blocking the physical interaction between CD47 on cancer cells and SIRPα on phagocytes. After internalization of the vS-siCD47 conjugates within cancer cells, the detached free-standing anti-CD47 siRNAs subsequently attack CD47 through the RNAi mechanism. The dual-action approach of the vS-siCD47 conjugate effectively overcomes the "don't eat me" barrier and stimulates phagocyte-mediated tumor destruction, demonstrating a highly selective and potent CD47-blocking immunotherapy. This delivery strategy, employing IgV domain protein-siRNA conjugates with a dual mode of target suppression, holds promise for expanding RNAi applications beyond hepatocytes and advancing RNAi-based cancer immunotherapies for solid tumors.

Molecular Recognition of Glycan-Bearing Glycomacromolecules Presented at Membrane Surfaces by Lectins: An NMR View

Lectin-glycan interactions are at the heart of a multitude of biological events. Glycans are usually presented in a multivalent manner on the cell surface as part of the so-called glycocalyx, where they interact with other entities. This multivalent presentation allows us to overcome the typical low affinities found for individual glycan-lectin interactions. Indeed, the presentation of glycans may drastically impact their binding by lectins, highly affecting the corresponding binding affinity and even selectivity. In this context, we herein present the study of the interaction of a variety of homo- and heteromultivalent lactose-functionalized glycomacromolecules and their lipid conjugates with two human galectins. We have employed as ligands the glycomacromolecules, as well as liposomes decorated with those structures, to evaluate their interactions in a cell-mimicking environment. Key details of the interaction have been unravelled by NMR experiments, both from the ligand and receptor perspectives, complemented by cryo-electron microscopy methods and molecular dynamics simulations.

Glycan-Presenting Coacervates Derived from Charged Poly(active esters): Preparation, Phase Behavior, and Lectin Capture

This study presents the preparation and phase behavior of glycan-functionalized polyelectrolytes for capturing carbohydrate-binding proteins and bacteria in liquid condensate droplets. The droplets are formed by complex coacervation of poly(active ester)-derived polyanions and polycations. This approach allows for a straightforward modular introduction of charged motifs and specifically interacting units; mannose and galactose oligomers are used here as first examples. The introduction of carbohydrates has a notable effect on the phase separation and the critical salt concentration, potentially by reducing the charge density. Two mannose binding species, concanavalin A (ConA) and Escherichia coli, are shown to not only specifically bind to mannose-functionalized coacervates but also to some degree to unfunctionalized, carbohydrate-free coacervates. This suggests non-carbohydrate-specific charge-charge interactions between the protein/bacteria and the droplets. However, when mannose interactions are inhibited or when non-binding galactose-functionalized polymers are used, interactions are significantly weakened. This confirms specific mannose-mediated binding functionalization and suggests that introducing carbohydrates reduces non-specific charge-charge interactions by a so far unidentified mechanism. Overall, the presented route toward glycan-presenting polyelectrolytes enables new functional liquid condensate droplets with specific biomolecular interactions.

Synthesis of Homo- and Heteromultivalent Fucosylated and Sialylated Oligosaccharide Conjugates via Preactivated N-Methyloxyamine Precision Macromolecules and Their Binding to Polyomavirus Capsid Proteins

Glycoconjugates are a versatile class of bioactive molecules that have found application as vaccines and antivirals and in cancer therapy. Their synthesis typically involves elaborate functionalization and use of protecting groups on the carbohydrate component in order to ensure efficient and selective conjugation. Alternatively, non-functionalized, non-protected carbohydrates isolated from biological sources or derived through biotechnological methods can be directly conjugated via N-methyloxyamine groups. In this study, we introduce such N-methyloxyamine groups into a variety of multivalent scaffolds─from small to oligomeric to polymeric scaffolds─making use of solid-phase polymer synthesis to assemble monodisperse sequence-defined macromolecules. These scaffolds are then successfully functionalized with different types of human milk oligosaccharides deriving a library of homo- and heteromultivalent glycoconjugates. Glycomacromolecules presenting oligosaccharide side chains with either α2,3- or α2,6-linked terminal sialic acid are used in a binding study with two types of polyomavirus capsid proteins showing that the multivalent presentation through the N-methyloxyamine-derived scaffolds increases the number of contacts with the protein. Overall, a straightforward route to derive glycoconjugates from complex oligosaccharides with high variability yet control in the multivalent scaffold is presented, and applicability of the derived structures is demonstrated.

Glycosaminoglycan Mimetic Precision Glycomacromolecules with Sequence-Defined Sulfation and Rigidity Patterns

Sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAGs) such as heparan sulfate (HS) are structurally diverse linear polysaccharides that are involved in many biological processes and have gained interest as antiviral compounds. Their recognition is driven by a complex orchestra of structural parameters that are still under intense investigation. One distinct characteristic is the incorporation of sulfation patterns including highly sulfated and non-sulfated sequences that provide variations in flexibility and conformation, which in turn impact the biological function of sGAGs. However, these distinct features have not yet been fully realized in the synthetic preparation of sGAG mimetics. Here, we present the synthesis of three groups of sulfated glycomacromolecules as sGAG mimetics: (i) globally sulfated glycooligomers, (ii) glycooligomers with sequence-defined sulfation patterns, and (iii) a globally sulfated glycooligomer-oligo-L-proline hybrid structure. The complete synthesis, including chemical sulfation, was conducted on solid support, enabled by the introduction of a commercially available photocleavable linker allowing for the preservation of sensitive sulfates during cleavage of the products. Structures were obtained in good purity and with high degrees of sulfation demonstrating the wide applicability of this methodology to prepare tailor-made sulfated glycomacromolecules and similar sGAG mimetics. Structures were tested for their anticoagulant properties showing activity similar to their natural HS counterpart and significantly lower than HP.

Take your Positions and Shine: Effects of Positioning Aggregation-Induced Emission Luminophores within Sequence-Defined Macromolecules

A luminophore with aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) is employed for the conjugation onto supramolecular ligands to allow for detection of ligand binding. Supramolecular ligands are based on the combination of sequence‐defined oligo(amidoamine) scaffolds and guanidiniocarbonyl‐pyrrole (GCP) as binding motif. We hypothesize that AIE properties are strongly affected by positioning of the luminophore within the ligand scaffold. Therefore, we systematically investigate the effects placing the AIE luminophore at different positions within the overall construct, for example, in the main or side chain of the olig(amidoamine). Indeed, we can show that the position within the ligand structure strongly affects AIE, both for the ligand itself as well as when applying the ligand for the detection of different biological and synthetic polyanions.

Metal-Ligand Interface and Internal Structure of Ultrasmall Silver Nanoparticles (2 nm)

Ultrasmall silver nanoparticles were prepared by reduction with NaBH₄ and surface-terminated with glutathione (GSH). The particles had a solid core diameter of 2 nm as shown by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). NMR-DOSY gave a hydrodynamic diameter of 2 to 2.8 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that silver is bound to the thiol group of the central cysteine in glutathione under partial oxidation to silver(+I). In turn, the thiol group is deprotonated to thiolate. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) together with Rietveld refinement confirmed a twinned (polycrystalline) fcc structure of ultrasmall silver nanoparticles with a lattice compression of about 0.9% compared to bulk silver metal. By NMR spectroscopy, the interaction between the glutathione ligand and the silver surface was analyzed, also with ¹³C-labeled glutathione. The adsorbed glutathione is fully intact and binds to the silver surface via cysteine. In situ ¹H NMR spectroscopy up to 85 °C in dispersion showed that the glutathione ligand did not detach from the surface of the silver nanoparticle, i.e. the silver-sulfur bond is remarkably strong. The ultrasmall nanoparticles had a higher cytotoxicity than bigger particles in in vitro cell culture with HeLa cells with a cytotoxic concentration of about 1 μg mL^-1 after 24 h incubation. The overall stoichiometry of the nanoparticles was about Ag_∼250GSH_∼155.

Exploring Cyclic Sulfamidate Building Blocks for the Synthesis of Sequence-Defined Macromolecules

The preparation of sequence-defined macromolecules using cyclic sulfamidates on solid-phase is outlined. The challenges surrounding an AB+CD approach are described with focus on understanding the formation of ring-opened side products when using amide coupling reagents. To avoid undesired side product formation, a strategy of iterative ring-openings of cyclic sulfamidates on solid-phase is explored. Ring-opening on primary and secondary amines is successfully reported, generating both linear and branched chain growth. However, attempts to selectively cleave N-sulfate bearing sp³ -hybridized groups cannot be demonstrated, limiting the overall building block scope for this methodology. Consequently, the active ring-opening of cyclic sulfamidates on amine-functionalized oligo(amidoamine) backbones is successfully applied to produce sequence-defined, N-sulfated macromolecules.

Controlling the Surface Functionalization of Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles by Sequence-Defined Macromolecules

Ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (diameter about 2 nm) were surface-functionalized with cysteine-carrying precision macromolecules. These consisted of sequence-defined oligo(amidoamine)s (OAAs) with either two or six cysteine molecules for binding to the gold surface and either with or without a PEG chain (3400 Da). They were characterized by 1 H NMR spectroscopy, 1 H NMR diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The number of precision macromolecules per nanoparticle was determined after fluorescent labeling by UV spectroscopy and also by quantitative 1 H NMR spectroscopy. Each nanoparticle carried between 40 and 100 OAA ligands, depending on the number of cysteine units per OAA. The footprint of each ligand was about 0.074 nm2 per cysteine molecule. OAAs are well suited to stabilize ultrasmall gold nanoparticles by selective surface conjugation and can be used to selectively cover their surface. The presence of the PEG chain considerably increased the hydrodynamic diameter of both dissolved macromolecules and macromolecule-conjugated gold nanoparticles.

Biodegradable Plastics: Standards, Policies, and Impacts

Plastics are ubiquitous in our society. They are in our phones, clothes, bottles, and cars. Yet having improved our lives considerably, they now threaten our environment and our health. The associated carbon emissions and persistency of plastics challenge the fragile balance of many ecosystems. One solution is using biodegradable plastics. Ideally, such plastics are easily assimilated by microorganisms and disappear from our environment. This can help reduce the problems of climate change, microplastics, and littering. However, biodegradable plastics are still only a tiny portion of the global plastics market and require further efforts in research and commercialization. Here, a critical overview of the state of the art of biodegradable plastics is given. Using a material flow analysis, the challenges of the plastic market are highlighted, and with it the large market potential of biodegradable plastics. The environmental and socio-economic impact of plastics, government policies, standards and certifications, physico-chemical properties, and analytical techniques are covered. The Review concludes with a personal outlook on the future of bioplastics, based on our own experience with their development and commercialization.

Effect of PEGylation on Receptor Anchoring and Steric Shielding at Interfaces: An Adhesion and Surface Plasmon Resonance Study with Precision Polymers

This study aims at quantifying the steric shielding effect of multivalent glycoconjugates targeting pathogens by blocking their carbohydrate binding sites. Specifically, PEGylated and non-PEGylated glycoconjugates are studied as inhibitors of lectins and bacterial adhesins evaluating the steric repulsion effect of the nonbinding PEG chains. We use the soft colloidal probe (SCP) adhesion assay to monitor the change in the adhesion energy of mannose (Man)-decorated hydrogel particles on a layer of concanavalin A (ConA) in the presence of sequence-defined multivalent glycoconjugate inhibitors over time. The results show that PEGylated glycoconjugates achieve a stronger adhesion inhibition when compared to non-PEGylated glycoconjugates although the dissociation constants (K_D) of the PEGgylated compounds to ConA were larger. These results appear in line with Escherichia coli adhesion inhibition assays showing a small increase of bacteria detachment by PEGgylated glycoconjugates compared to non-PEGylated compounds. This suggests that an increase of sterical shielding via PEGylation may help reduce the invasiveness of pathogens even after they have adhered. Adhesion studies based on electrostatic interactions using amine-linked PEG of varying molecular weight confirm that such sterical shielding effect is not limited to carbohydrate-mediated adhesion.

Sequence-Defined Heteromultivalent Precision Glycomacromolecules Bearing Sulfonated/Sulfated Nonglycosidic Moieties Preferentially Bind Galectin-3 and Delay Wound Healing of a Galectin-3 Positive Tumor Cell Line in an In Vitro Wound Scratch Assay

Within this work, a new class of sequence-defined heteromultivalent glycomacromolecules bearing lactose residues and nonglycosidic motifs for probing glycoconjugate recognition in carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) of galectin-3 is presented. Galectins, a family of β-galactoside-binding proteins, are known to play crucial roles in different signaling pathways involved in tumor biology. Thus, research has focused on the design and synthesis of galectin-targeting ligands for use as diagnostic markers or potential therapeutics. Heteromultivalent precision glycomacromolecules have the potential to serve as ligands for galectins. In this work, multivalency and the introduction of nonglycosidic motifs bearing either neutral, amine, or sulfonated/sulfated groups are used to better understand binding in the galectin-3 CRD. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and surface plasmon resonance studies are performed, revealing a positive impact of the sulfonated/sulfated nonglycosidic motifs on galectin-3 binding but not on galectin-1 binding. Selected compounds are then tested with galectin-3 positive MCF 7 breast cancer cells using an in vitro would scratch assay. Preliminary results demonstrate a differential biological effect on MCF 7 cells with high galectin-3 expression in comparison to an HEK 293 control with low galectin-3 expression, indicating the potential for sulfonated/sulfated heteromultivalent glycomacromolecules to serve as preferential ligands for galectin-3 targeting.

Asymmetrically Branched Precision Glycooligomers Targeting Langerin

Asymmetrically branched precision glycooligomers are synthesized by solid-phase polymer synthesis for studying multivalent carbohydrate-protein interactions. Through the stepwise assembly of Fmoc-protected oligo(amidoamine) building blocks and Fmoc/Dde-protected lysine, straightforward variation of structural parameters such as the number and length of arms, as well as the number and position of carbohydrate ligands, is achieved. Binding of 1-arm and 3-arm glycooligomers toward lectin receptors langerin and concanavalin A (ConA) was evaluated where the smallest 3-arm glycooligomer shows the highest binding toward langerin, and stepwise elongation of one, two, or all three arms leads to decreased binding. When directly comparing binding toward langerin and ConA, we find that structural variation of the scaffold affects glycomimetic ligand binding differently for the different targets, indicating the potential to tune such ligands not only for their avidity but also for their selectivity toward different lectins.

Effects of linker and liposome anchoring on lactose-functionalized glycomacromolecules as multivalent ligands for binding galectin-3

In this work, we present a bottom-up approach for the synthesis of lactose-functionalized glycomacromolecules and glycofunctionalized liposomes and apply these compounds to investigate their effects of multivalent presentation on binding to galectin-3. Step-wise assembly of tailor-made building blocks on solid supports was used to synthesize a series of oligo(amidoamine) scaffolds that were further conjugated to lactose via copper catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. Binding studies with galectin-3 revealed affinities in the micromolar range that increased with increasing carbohydrate valency, and decreased with increasing size and linker flexibility. To further explore their multivalency, selected glycomacromolecules were conjugated to lipids and used in liposomal formulations. Binding studies show a further increase in binding in nanomolar ranges in dependence of both ligand structure and liposomal presentation, demonstrating the power of combining the two approaches.

Tunable biomaterials from synthetic, sequence-controlled polymers

Polymeric biomaterials have many applications including therapeutic delivery vehicles, medical implants and devices, and tissue engineering scaffolds. Both naturally-derived and synthetic materials have successfully been used for these applications in the clinic. However, the increasing complexity of these applications requires materials with advanced properties, especially customizable or tunable materials with bioactivity. To address this issue, there have been recent efforts to better recapitulate the properties of natural materials using synthetic biomaterials composed of sequence-controlled polymers. Sequence control mimics the primary structure found in biopolymers, and in many cases, provides an extra handle for functionality in synthetic polymers. Here, we first review the advances in synthetic methods that have enabled sequence-controlled biomaterials on a relevant scale, and discuss strategies for choosing functional sequences from a biomaterials engineering context. Then, we highlight several recent studies that show strong impact of sequence control on biomaterial properties, including in vitro and in vivo behavior, in the areas of hydrogels, therapeutic materials, and novel applications such as molecular barcodes for medical devices. The role of sequence control in biomaterials properties is an emerging research area, and there remain many opportunities for investigation. Further study of this topic may significantly advance our understanding of bioactive or smart materials, as well as contribute design rules to guide the development of synthetic biomaterials for future applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Divalent Sialylated Precision Glycooligomers Binding to Polyomaviruses and the Effect of Different Linkers

Divalent precision glycooligomers terminating in N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) or 3'-sialyllactose (3'-SL) with varying linkers between scaffold and the glycan portions are synthesized via solid phase synthesis for co-crystallization studies with the sialic acid-binding major capsid protein VP1 of human Trichodysplasia spinulosa-associated Polyomavirus. High-resolution crystal structures of complexes demonstrate that the compounds bind to VP1 depending on the favorable combination of carbohydrate ligand and linker. It is found that artificial linkers can replace portions of natural carbohydrate linkers as long as they meet certain requirements such as size or flexibility to optimize contact area between ligand and receptor binding sites. The obtained results will influence the design of future high affinity ligands based on the structures presented here, and they can serve as a blueprint to develop multivalent glycooligomers as inhibitors of viral adhesion.

Enabling Directional Sequence-Control via Step-Growth Polymerization of Heterofunctionalized Precision Macromonomers

The synthesis of periodic copolymers with a regularly recurring sequence in one direction along the polymeric backbone is presented, applying a step-growth polymerization of heterofunctionalized precision macromonomers derived from solid phase synthesis (SPS) via photoinduced thiol-ene coupling (TEC). Heterofunctional macromonomers with monomer sequence-control of the AB type present a terminal alkene and a terminal thiol group carrying a photolabile protecting group to avoid uncontrolled polymerization by self-initiation. As protecting group, 3,4-methylenebisoxy-6-nitrobenzyl is attached onto the thiol via its bromide derivative directly on solid support. The protected heterofunctionalized macromonomer is polymerized in a two-step procedure, first cleaving the photolabile group and subsequent polymerization of the macromonomer via TEC, giving a high molecular weight polymer with M ¯ n of 23.8 kDa corresponding to a X ¯ n of 10 with one directional sequence-control due to their consistent head-to-tail linkage.

Recent Developments in Solid-Phase Strategies towards Synthetic, Sequence-Defined Macromolecules

Sequence-control in synthetic polymers is an important contemporary research area because it provides the opportunity to create completely novel materials for structure-function studies. This is especially relevant for biomimetic polymers, bioactive and information security materials. The level of control is strongly dependent and inherent upon the polymerization technique utilized. Today, the most established method yielding monodispersity and monomer sequence-definition is solid-phase synthesis. This Focus Review highlights recent advances in solid-phase strategies to access synthetic, sequence-defined macromolecules. Alternatives strategies towards sequence-defined macromolecules are also briefly summarized.

Sequence-definition from controlled polymerization: the next generation of materials

An overview is given on the state-of-the-art in synthesis of sequence-controlled and sequence-defined oligomers and polymers.

Synthesis of highly controlled carbohydrate–polymer based hybrid structures by combining heparin fragments and sialic acid derivatives, and solid phase polymer synthesis

Heparin fragments have been used in solid phase polymer synthesis to derive biomimetic model compounds.

Presenting Precision Glycomacromolecules on Gold Nanoparticles for Increased Lectin Binding

Glyco-functionalized gold nanoparticles have great potential as biosensors and as inhibitors due to their increased binding to carbohydrate-recognizing receptors such as the lectins. Here we apply previously developed solid phase polymer synthesis to obtain a series of precision glycomacromolecules that allows for straightforward variation of their chemical structure as well as functionalization of gold nanoparticles by ligand exchange. A novel building block is introduced allowing for the change of spacer building blocks within the macromolecular scaffold going from an ethylene glycol unit to an aliphatic spacer. Furthermore, the valency and overall length of the glycomacromolecule is varied. All glyco-functionalized gold nanoparticles show high degree of functionalization along with high stability in buffer solution. Therefore, a series of measurements applying UV-Vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) were performed studying the aggregation behavior of the glyco-functionalized gold nanoparticles in presence of model lectin Concanavalin A. While the multivalent presentation of glycomacromolecules on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) showed a strong increase in binding compared to the free ligands, we also observed an influence of the chemical structure of the ligand such as its valency or hydrophobicity on the resulting lectin interactions. The straightforward variation of the chemical structure of the precision glycomacromolecule thus gives access to tailor-made glyco-gold nanoparticles (glyco-AuNPs) and fine-tuning of their lectin binding properties.

Click and Click-Inspired Chemistry for the Design of Sequence-Controlled Polymers

During the previous decade, many popular chemical reactions used in the area of "click" chemistry and similarly efficient "click-inspired" reactions have been applied for the design of sequence-defined and, more generally, sequence-controlled structures. This combination of topics has already made quite a significant impact on scientific research to date and has enabled the synthesis of highly functionalized and complex oligomeric and polymeric structures, which offer the prospect of many exciting further developments and applications in the near future. This minireview highlights the fruitful combination of these two topics for the preparation of sequence-controlled oligomeric and macromolecular structures and showcases the vast number of publications in this field within a relatively short span of time. It is divided into three sections according to the click-(inspired) reaction that has been applied: copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition, thiol-X, and related thiolactone-based reactions, and finally Diels-Alder-chemistry-based routes are outlined, respectively.

Cu Elimination from Cu-Coordinating Macromolecules

We demonstrate a simple, fast, and efficient process for the elimination of Cu impurities from water-soluble Cu-coordinating macromolecules that are difficult to purify via standard polymer purification techniques. The process is based on the complexation and precipitation of Cu by sodium diethyldithiocarbamate and was investigated for two different compound classes known to coordinate to Cu in aqueous solution. More than 99.9% of the Cu impurity was eliminated, with a remaining level below the detection limit (0.0005 wt %). Further analysis by ¹H NMR, MALDI, ATR-IR, and SEC showed no degradation or side reactions of the polymers induced by the treatment. This process thus compliments the growing toolbox of Cu-catalyzed conjugation techniques as a mild, effective, and scalable tool for the removal of Cu from water-soluble and Cu-coordinating polymers.

Sequence-Controlled Glycopolymers via Step-Growth Polymerization of Precision Glycomacromolecules for Lectin Receptor Clustering

A versatile approach for the synthesis of sequence-controlled multiblock copolymers, using a combination of solid phase synthesis and step-growth polymerization by photoinduced thiol-ene coupling (TEC) is presented. Following this strategy, a series of sequence-controlled glycopolymers is derived from the polymerization of a hydrophilic spacer macromonomer and different glycomacromonomers bearing between one to five α-d-Mannose (Man) ligands. Through the solid phase assembly of the macromonomers, the number and positioning of spacer and sugar moieties is controlled and translates into the sequence-control of the final polymer. A maximum M̅_n of 16 kDa, corresponding to a X̅_n of 10, for the applied macromonomers is accessible with optimized polymerization conditions. The binding behavior of the resulting multiblock glycopolymers toward the model lectin Concanavalin A (ConA) is studied via turbidity assays and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurements, comparing the ability of precision glycomacromolecules and glycopolymers to bind to and cross-link ConA in dependence of the number of sugar moieties and overall molecular weight. The results show that there is a clear correlation between number of Man ligands and Con A binding and clustering, whereas the length of the glycooligomer- or polymer backbone seems to have no effect.