Glycopeptides as versatile tools for glycobiology

Epimerisation in Peptide Synthesis

Epimerisation is basically a chemical conversion that includes the transformation of an epimer into another epimer or its chiral partner. Epimerisation of amino acid is a side reaction that sometimes happens during peptide synthesis. It became the most avoided reaction because the process affects the overall conformation of the molecule, eventually even altering the bioactivity of the peptide. Epimerised products have a high similarity of physical characteristics, thus making it difficult for them to be purified. In regards to amino acids, epimerisation is very important in keeping the chirality of the assembled amino acids unchanged during the peptide synthesis and obtaining the desirable product without any problematic purification. In this review, we report several factors that induce epimerisation during peptide synthesis, including how to characterise and affect the bioactivities. To avoid undesirable epimerisation, we also describe several methods of suppressing the process.

Integrated Chemoenzymatic Approach to Streamline the Assembly of Complex Glycopeptides in the Liquid Phase

Glycosylation of proteins is a complicated post-translational modification. Despite the significant progress in glycoproteomics, accurate functions of glycoproteins are still ambiguous owing to the difficulty in obtaining homogeneous glycopeptides or glycoproteins. Here, we describe a streamlined chemoenzymatic method to prepare complex glycopeptides by integrating hydrophobic tag-supported chemical synthesis and enzymatic glycosylations. The hydrophobic tag is utilized to facilitate peptide chain elongation in the liquid phase and expeditious product separation. After removal of the tag, a series of glycans are installed on the peptides via efficient glycosyltransferase-catalyzed reactions. The general applicability and robustness of this approach are exemplified by efficient preparation of 16 well-defined SARS-CoV-2 O-glycopeptides, 4 complex MUC1 glycopeptides, and a 31-mer glycosylated glucagon-like peptide-1. Our developed approach will open up a new range of easy access to various complex glycopeptides of biological importance.

Beyond GalNAc! Drug delivery systems comprising complex oligosaccharides for targeted use of nucleic acid therapeutics

Nucleic Acid Therapeutics (NATs) are establishing a leading role for the management and treatment of genetic diseases following FDA approval of nusinersen, patisiran, and givosiran in the last 5 years, the breakthrough of milasen, with more approvals undoubtedly on the way. Givosiran takes advantage of the known interaction between the hepatocyte specific asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) and N-acetyl galactosamine (GalNAc) ligands to deliver a therapeutic effect, underscoring the value of targeting moieties. In this review, we explore the history of GalNAc as a ligand, and the paradigm it has set for the delivery of NATs through precise targeting to the liver, overcoming common hindrances faced with this type of therapy. We describe various complex oligosaccharides (OSs) and ask what others could be used to target receptors for NAT delivery and the opportunities awaiting exploration of this chemical space.

Tapping the glycome space for targeted delivery. We explore GalNAc for targeting oligonucleotides to the liver and ask what other oligosaccharides could expand targeting options for other tissues.

Shotgun scanning glycomutagenesis: A simple and efficient strategy for constructing and characterizing neoglycoproteins

Asparagine-linked (N-linked) protein glycosylation—the covalent attachment of complex sugars to the nitrogen atom in asparagine side chains—is the most widespread posttranslational modification to proteins and also the most complex. N-glycosylation affects a significant number of cellular proteins and can have profound effects on their most important attributes such as biological activity, chemical solubility, folding and stability, immunogenicity, and serum half-life. Accordingly, the strategic installation of glycans at naïve sites has become an attractive means for endowing proteins with advantageous biological and/or biophysical properties. Here, we describe a glycoprotein engineering strategy that enables systematic investigation of the structural and functional consequences of glycan installation at every position along a protein backbone and provides a new route to bespoke glycoproteins.

As a common protein modification, asparagine-linked (N-linked) glycosylation has the capacity to greatly influence the biological and biophysical properties of proteins. However, the routine use of glycosylation as a strategy for engineering proteins with advantageous properties is limited by our inability to construct and screen large collections of glycoproteins for cataloguing the consequences of glycan installation. To address this challenge, we describe a combinatorial strategy termed shotgun scanning glycomutagenesis in which DNA libraries encoding all possible glycosylation site variants of a given protein are constructed and subsequently expressed in glycosylation-competent bacteria, thereby enabling rapid determination of glycosylatable sites in the protein. The resulting neoglycoproteins can be readily subjected to available high-throughput assays, making it possible to systematically investigate the structural and functional consequences of glycan conjugation along a protein backbone. The utility of this approach was demonstrated with three different acceptor proteins, namely bacterial immunity protein Im7, bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A, and human anti-HER2 single-chain Fv antibody, all of which were found to tolerate N-glycan attachment at a large number of positions and with relatively high efficiency. The stability and activity of many glycovariants was measurably altered by N-linked glycans in a manner that critically depended on the precise location of the modification. Structural models suggested that affinity was improved by creating novel interfacial contacts with a glycan at the periphery of a protein–protein interface. Importantly, we anticipate that our glycomutagenesis workflow should provide access to unexplored regions of glycoprotein structural space and to custom-made neoglycoproteins with desirable properties.

Facile access to C-glycosyl amino acids and peptides via Ni-catalyzed reductive hydroglycosylation of alkynes

C-Glycosyl peptides/proteins are metabolically stable mimics of the native glycopeptides/proteins bearing O/N-glycosidic linkages, and are thus of great therapeutical potential. Herein, we disclose a protocol for the syntheses of vinyl C-glycosyl amino acids and peptides, employing a nickel-catalyzed reductive hydroglycosylation reaction of alkyne derivatives of amino acids and peptides with common glycosyl bromides. It accommodates a wide scope of the coupling partners, including complex oligosaccharide and peptide substrates. The resultant vinyl C-glycosyl amino acids and peptides, which bear common O/N-protecting groups, are amenable to further transformations, including elongation of the peptide and saccharide chains.

C-Glycosyl peptides/proteins are metabolically stable mimics of the native glycopeptides/proteins of great therapeutic potential, but their chemical synthesis is challenging. Here, the authors report a protocol for the synthesis of vinyl C-glycosyl amino acids and peptides, via a Ni-catalyzed reductive hydroglycosylation reaction of alkyne derivatives of amino acids and peptides with glycosyl bromides.

Selective recognition of tumor cells by molecularly imprinted polymers

Molecularly imprinted polymers, developed 50 years ago, have garnered enormous attention as receptor-like materials. Lately, molecularly imprinted polymers have been employed as a specific target tool in favor of cancer diagnosis and therapy by the selective recognition of tumor cells. Although the molecular imprinting technology has been well-innovated recently, the cell still remains the most challenging target for imprinting. In this review, we summarize the advances in the synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers suitable for the selective recognition of tumor cells. Through a sustained effort, three strategies have been developed including peptide-imprinting, polysaccharide-imprinting, and whole-cell imprinting, which have resulted in inspiring applications in effective cancer diagnosis and therapy. The major challenges and perspectives on the further directions related to the synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers were also outlined.

Multivalent Elastin-Like Glycopolypeptides: Subtle Chemical Structure Modifications with High Impact on Lectin Binding Affinity

A library of synthetic elastin-like glycopolypeptides were synthesized and screened by microscale thermophoresis to identify key structural parameters affecting lectin binding efficacy. While polypeptide backbone size and glycovalency were found to have little influence, the presence of a linker at the anomeric position of galactose and the absence of positive charge on the polypeptide residue holding the sugar unit were found to be critical for the binding to RCA120.

Pentose metabolism and conversion to biofuels and high-value chemicals in yeasts

Pentose sugars are widespread in nature and two of them, D-xylose and L-arabinose belong to the most abundant sugars being the second and third by abundance sugars in dry plant biomass (lignocellulose) and in general on planet. Therefore, it is not surprising that metabolism and bioconversion of these pentoses attract much attention. Several different pathways of D-xylose and L-arabinose catabolism in bacteria and yeasts are known. There are even more common and really ubiquitous though not so abundant pentoses, D-ribose and 2-deoxy-D-ribose, the constituents of all living cells. Thus, ribose metabolism is example of endogenous metabolism whereas metabolism of other pentoses, including xylose and L-arabinose, represents examples of the metabolism of foreign exogenous compounds which normally are not constituents of yeast cells. As a rule, pentose degradation by the wild-type strains of microorganisms does not lead to accumulation of high amounts of valuable substances; however, productive strains have been obtained by random selection and metabolic engineering. There are numerous reviews on xylose and (less) L-arabinose metabolism and conversion to high value substances; however, they mostly are devoted to bacteria or the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This review is devoted to reviewing pentose metabolism and bioconversion mostly in non-conventional yeasts, which naturally metabolize xylose. Pentose metabolism in the recombinant strains of S. cerevisiae is also considered for comparison. The available data on ribose, xylose, L-arabinose transport, metabolism, regulation of these processes, interaction with glucose catabolism and construction of the productive strains of high-value chemicals or pentose (ribose) itself are described. In addition, genome studies of the natural xylose metabolizing yeasts and available tools for their molecular research are reviewed. Metabolism of other pentoses (2-deoxyribose, D-arabinose, lyxose) is briefly reviewed.

An antibody-drug conjugate targeting a GSTA glycosite-signature epitope of MUC1 expressed by non-small cell lung cancer

Antibodies targeting aberrantly glycosylated proteins are ineffective in treating cancer. Antibody‐drug conjugates have emerged as effective alternatives, facilitating tumor‐specific drug delivery. Previous studies have assessed the aberrantly glycosylated tandem repeat region of MUC1 glycoprotein as three site‐specific glycosylated neoantigen peptide motifs (PDTR, GSTA, and GVTS) for binding with a monoclonal antibody. This study aimed to develop an antibody‐drug conjugate for cancer treatment based on monoclonal antibodies against the aforementioned three neoantigen peptide motifs. Internalization of monoclonal antibodies was assessed via immunofluorescence staining and colocalization with lysosomal markers in live cells. Antibody positivity in tumor and peritumoral tissue samples was assessed via immunohistochemistry. The efficacy of anti‐MUC1 ADCs was evaluated using various cancer cell lines and a mouse tumor xenograft model. An anti‐MUC1 ADC was synthesized by conjugating GSTA neoantigen‐specific 16A with monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), which displayed potent antitumoral efficacy with an IC₅₀ ranging 0.2–49.4 nM toward various cancer cells. In vivo, 16A‐MMAE inhibited tumor growth in a dose‐dependent manner in a mouse xenograft model established using the NCI‐H838 NSCLC cell line, at a minimum effective dose of 1 mg/kg. At 3 mg/kg, 16A‐MMAE did not cause significant toxicity in a transgenic mouse expressing human MUC1. The high antitumoral efficacy of 16A‐MMAE suggests that aberrant glycosylated MUC1 neoantigen is a potential target for the development of ADCs for treating various cancers. Personalized therapy may be achieved through such glycosite‐specific ADCs.

Parallel Glyco-SPOT Synthesis of Glycopeptide Libraries

Glycan recognition is typically studied using free glycans, but glycopeptide presentations represent more physiological conditions for glycoproteins. To facilitate studies of glycopeptide recognition, we developed Glyco-SPOT synthesis, which enables the parallel production of diverse glycopeptide libraries at microgram scales. The method uses a closed system for prolonged reactions required for coupling Fmoc-protected glycoamino acids, including O-, N-, and S-linked glycosides, and release conditions to prevent side reactions. To optimize reaction conditions and sample reaction progress, we devised a biopsy testing method. We demonstrate the efficient utilization of such microscale glycopeptide libraries to determine the specificity of glycan-recognizing antibodies (e.g., CTD110.6) using microarrays, enzyme specificity on-array and in-solution (e.g., ST6GalNAc1, GCNT1, and T-synthase), and binding kinetics using fluorescence polarization. We demonstrated that the glycosylation on these peptides can be expanded using glycosyltransferases both in-solution and on-array. This technology will promote the discovery of biological functions of peptide modifications by glycans.

Glycopeptide drugs: A pharmacological dimension between "Small Molecules" and "Biologics"

Peptides are an important class of molecules with diverse biological activities. Many endogenous peptides, especially neuropeptides and peptide hormones, play critical roles in development and regulating homeostasis. Furthermore, as drug candidates their high receptor selectivity and potent binding leads to reduced off-target interactions and potential negative side effects. However, the therapeutic potential of peptides is severely hampered by their poor stability in vivo and low permeability across biological membranes. Several strategies have been successfully employed over the decades to address these concerns, and one of the most promising strategies is glycosylation. It has been demonstrated in numerous cases that glycosylation is an effective synthetic approach to improve the pharmacokinetic profiles and membrane permeability of peptides. The effects of glycosylation on peptide stability and peptide-membrane interactions in the context of blood-brain barrier penetration will be explored. Numerous examples of glycosylated analogues of endogenous peptides targeting class A and B G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) with an emphasis on O-linked glycopeptides will be reviewed. Notable examples of N-, S-, and C-linked glycopeptides will also be discussed. A small section is devoted to synthetic methods for the preparation of glycopeptides and requisite amino acid glycoside building blocks.

A new strategy for the chemoenzymatic synthesis of glycopeptides by De-O-acetylation with an esterase and glycosylations with glycosyltransferases

Glycopeptides are fragments of glycoproteins and are important in evaluating the biological roles of carbohydrates in glycoproteins. Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis using acetyl-protected glycosylated amino acids is a common strategy for the preparation of glycopeptides, but this approach normally requires chemical de-O-acetylation with a base that β-eliminates sugar residues and epimerizes the peptide backbone. Here we demonstrate a facile new chemoenzymatic synthetic strategy for glycopeptides, using an esterase for the de-O-acetylation of sugar residues and glycosyltransferases for successive sugar elongations at neutral pH.

Protecting-Group-Controlled Enzymatic Glycosylation of Oligo-N-Acetyllactosamine Derivatives

We describe a chemoenzymatic strategy that can give a library of differentially fucosylated and sialylated oligosaccharides starting from a single chemically synthesized tri-N-acetyllactosamine derivative. The common precursor could easily be converted into 6 different hexasaccharides in which the glucosamine moieties are either acetylated (GlcNAc) or modified as a free amine (GlcNH₂ ) or Boc (GlcNHBoc). Fucosylation of the resulting compounds by a recombinant fucosyl transferase resulted in only modification of the natural GlcNAc moieties, providing access to 6 selectively mono- and bis-fucosylated oligosaccharides. Conversion of the GlcNH₂ or GlcNHBoc moieties into the natural GlcNAc, followed by sialylation by sialyl transferases gave 12 differently fucosylated and sialylated compounds. The oligosaccharides were printed as a microarray that was probed by several glycan-binding proteins, demonstrating that complex patterns of fucosylation can modulate glycan recognition.

Chemoenzymatic Methods for the Synthesis of Glycoproteins

Glycosylation is one of the most prevalent posttranslational modifications that profoundly affects the structure and functions of proteins in a wide variety of biological recognition events. However, the structural complexity and heterogeneity of glycoproteins, usually resulting from the variations of glycan components and/or the sites of glycosylation, often complicates detailed structure-function relationship studies and hampers the therapeutic applications of glycoproteins. To address these challenges, various chemical and biological strategies have been developed for producing glycan-defined homogeneous glycoproteins. This review highlights recent advances in the development of chemoenzymatic methods for synthesizing homogeneous glycoproteins, including the generation of various glycosynthases for synthetic purposes, endoglycosidase-catalyzed glycoprotein synthesis and glycan remodeling, and direct enzymatic glycosylation of polypeptides and proteins. The scope, limitation, and future directions of each method are discussed.

Inteins: Localized Distribution, Gene Regulation, and Protein Engineering for Biological Applications

Inteins are self-splicing polypeptides with an ability to excise themselves from flanking host protein regions with remarkable precision; in the process, they ligate flanked host protein fragments. Inteins are distributed sporadically across all three domains of life (bacteria, archaea, and unicellular eukaryotes). However, their apparent localized distribution in DNA replication, repair, and recombination proteins (the 3Rs), particularly in bacteria and archaea, is enigmatic. Our understanding of the localized distribution of inteins in the 3Rs, and their possible regulatory role in such distribution, is still only partial. Nevertheless, understanding the chemistry of post-translational self-splicing of inteins has opened up opportunities for protein chemists to modify, manipulate, and bioengineer proteins. Protein-splicing technology is adapted to a wide range of applications, starting with untagged protein purification, site-specific protein labeling, protein biotinylation, isotope incorporation, peptide cyclization, as an antimicrobial target, and so on. This review is focused on the chemistry of splicing; the localized distribution of inteins, particularly in the 3Rs and their possible role in regulating host protein function; and finally, the use of protein-splicing technology in various protein engineering applications.

Chemically Precise Glycoengineering Improves Human Insulin

Diabetes is a leading cause of death worldwide and results in over 3 million annual deaths. While insulin manages the disease well, many patients fail to comply with injection schedules, and despite significant investment, a more convenient oral formulation of insulin is still unavailable. Studies suggest that glycosylation may stabilize peptides for oral delivery, but the demanding production of homogeneously glycosylated peptides has hampered transition into the clinic. We report here the first total synthesis of homogeneously glycosylated insulin. After characterizing a series of insulin glycoforms with systematically varied O-glycosylation sites and structures, we demonstrate that O-mannosylation of insulin B-chain Thr27 reduces the peptide's susceptibility to proteases and self-association, both critical properties for oral dosing, while maintaining full activity. This work illustrates the promise of glycosylation as a general mechanism for regulating peptide activity and expanding its therapeutic use.

Modeling Glyco-Collagen Conjugates Using a Host-Guest Strategy To Alter Phenotypic Cell Migration and in Vivo Wound Healing

The constructs and study of combinatorial libraries of structurally defined homologous extracellular matrix (ECM) glycopeptides can significantly accelerate the identification of cell surface markers involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Herein, we present a simple and reliable host-guest approach to design a high-throughput glyco-collagen library to modulate the primary and secondary cell line migration process. 4-Amidoadamantyl-substituted collagen peptides and β-cyclodextrin appended with mono- or disaccharides were used to construct self-assembled glyco-collagen conjugates (GCCs), which were found to be thermally stable, with triple-helix structures and nanoneedles-like morphologies that altered cell migration processes. We also investigated the glycopeptide's mechanisms of action, which included interactions with integrins and cell signaling kinases. Finally, we report murine wound models to demonstrate the real-time application of GCCs. As a result of our observations, we claim that the host-guest model of ECM glycopeptides offers an effective tool to expedite identification of specific glycopeptides to manipulate cell morphogenesis, cell differentiation metastatic processes, and their biomedical applications.

Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of a glycosylated peptide containing a complex N-glycan based on unprotected oligosaccharides by using DMT-MM and Endo-M

For chemo-enzymatic synthesis of a glycosylated peptide, 4-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-4-methylmorpholinium chloride (DMT-MM) was used for the synthesis of a N-acetylglucosaminyl peptide and a pseudoglycopeptide by solid-phase peptide synthesis without the requirement of protecting groups on the carbohydrate. We also performed transglycosylation of an N-glycan to the N-acetylglucosaminyl peptide using endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase from Mucor hiemalis (Endo-M) to synthesize a glycopeptide containing a complex N-glycan.

Introduction: General Aspects of the Chemical Biology of Glycoproteins

This chapter is meant to serve as an introduction to the remainder of the book by providing general background on the chemical biology of glycoproteins as well as a brief review of the chapters that follow. The purpose here is to introduce some basic concepts common to many forms of glycosylation for those readers who may be unfamiliar with the field. We begin with a discussion of the strategies and methods used to study protein glycosylation. During the overview, an effort is made to highlight a few relevant aspects of chemical glycobiology, including glycoprotein biosynthesis and a brief description of the synthesis and function of glycoproteins. Finally, we have a summary of the contributions from chemical biology over the years. It is our hope that, after reading this introductory chapter, the reader will have a broad view of the chemical glycobiology field as it currently stands and a deeper appreciation for some of the unique ideas that chemical biology brings to the field.

Nano-carbohydrates: Synthesis and application in genetics, biotechnology, and medicine

Combining nanoparticles with carbohydrate has triggered an exponential growth of research activities for the design of novel functional bionanomaterials, nano-carbohydrates. Recent advances in versatile synthesis of glycosylated nanoparticles have paved the way towards diverse biomedical applications. The accessibility of a wide variety of these structured nanosystems, in terms of shape, size, and organization around stable nanoparticles, has readily contributed to their development and application in nanomedicine. Glycosylated gold nanoparticles, glycosylated quantum dots, fullerenes, single-wall nanotubes, and self-assembled glyconanoparticles using amphiphilic glycopolymers or glycodendrimers have received considerable attention for their application in powerful imaging, therapeutic, and biodiagnostic devices. Recently, nano-carbohydrates were used for different types of microarrays to detect proteins and nucleic acids.

Conversion of glycals into vicinal-1,2-diazides and 1,2-(or 2,1)-azidoacetates using hypervalent iodine reagents and Me3SiN3. Application in the synthesis of N-glycopeptides, pseudo-trisaccharides and an iminosugar

Glycals react with PIFA (or PIDA)–TMSN₃in presence of TMSOTf to form sugar derived 1,2-diazides and vicinal azidoacetates. Synthesis of 2-azido-N-glycopeptides, pseudotrisaccharides, and a piperidine triol derivative is reported.

N-Linked Glycosyl Auxiliary-Mediated Native Chemical Ligation on Aspartic Acid: Application towards N-Glycopeptide Synthesis

A practical approach towards N-glycopeptide synthesis using an auxiliary-mediated dual native chemical ligation (NCL) has been developed. The first NCL connects an N-linked glycosyl auxiliary to the thioester side chain of an N-terminal aspartate oligopeptide. This intermediate undergoes a second NCL with a C-terminal thioester oligopeptide. Mild cleavage provides the desired N-glycopeptide.

Synthesis of Glycosyl Amides Using Selenocarboxylates as Traceless Reagents for Amide Bond Formation

Carbohydrate-derived amides were successfully prepared in good yields from a broad range of substrates, including furanosyl and pyranosyl derivatives. The methodology successfully relied on the in situ generation of lithium selenocarboxylates from Se/LiEt3BH and acyl chlorides or carboxylic acids and their reaction with sugar azides. A key aspect of the present protocol is that we start from elemental selenium; isolation and handling of all reactive and sensitive selenium-containing intermediates is avoided, therefore providing the selenocarboxylate the status of a traceless reagent.

Enfuvirtide-PEG conjugate: A potent HIV fusion inhibitor with improved pharmacokinetic properties

Enfuvirtide (ENF) is a clinically used peptide drug for the treatment of HIV infections, but its poor pharmacokinetic profile (T1/2 = 1.5 h in rats) and low aqueous solubility make the therapy expensive and inconvenience. In this study, we present a simple and practical strategy to address these problems by conjugating ENF with polyethylene glycol (PEG). Site-specific attachment of a 2 kDa PEG at the N-terminus of ENF resulted in an ENF-PEG (EP) conjugate with high solubility (≥3 mg/mL) and long half-life in rats (T1/2 = 16.1 h). This conjugate showed similar antiviral activity to ENF against various primary HIV-1 isolates (EC50 = 6-91 nM). Mechanistic studies suggested the sources of the antiviral potency. The conjugate bound to a functional domain of the HIV gp41 protein in a helical conformation with high affinity (Kd = 307 nM), thereby inhibiting the gp41-mediated fusion of viral and host-cell membranes. As PEG conjugation has advanced many bioactive proteins and peptides into clinical applications, the EP conjugate described here represents a potential new treatment for HIV infections that may address the unmet medical needs associated with the current ENF therapy.

Glycosylation, an effective synthetic strategy to improve the bioavailability of therapeutic peptides

Glycosylation of peptides is a promising strategy for modulating the physicochemical properties of peptide drugs and for improving their absorption through biological membranes. This review highlights various methods for the synthesis of glycoconjugates and recent progress in the development of glycosylated peptide therapeutics. Furthermore, the impacts of glycosylation in overcoming the existing barriers that restrict oral and brain delivery of peptides are described herein.

Endo-F3 Glycosynthase Mutants Enable Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Core-fucosylated Triantennary Complex Type Glycopeptides and Glycoproteins

Chemoenzymatic synthesis is emerging as a promising approach to the synthesis of homogeneous glycopeptides and glycoproteins highly demanded for functional glycomics studies, but its generality relies on the availability of a range of enzymes with high catalytic efficiency and well defined substrate specificity. We describe in this paper the discovery of glycosynthase mutants derived from Elizabethkingia meningoseptica endoglycosidase F3 (Endo-F3) of the GH18 family, which are devoid of the inherent hydrolytic activity but are able to take glycan oxazolines for transglycosylation. Notably, the Endo-F3 D165A and D165Q mutants demonstrated high acceptorsubstrate specificity toward α1,6-fucosyl-GlcNAc-Asn or α1,6-fucosyl-GlcNAc-polypeptide in transglycosylation, enabling a highly convergent synthesis of core-fucosylated, complex CD52 glycopeptide antigen. The Endo-F3 mutants were able to use both bi- and triantennary glycan oxazolines as substrates for transglycosylation, in contrast to previously reported endoglycosidases derived from Endo-S, Endo-M, Endo-D, and Endo-A mutants that could not recognize triantennary N-glycans. Using rituximab as a model system, we have further demonstrated that the Endo-F3 mutants are highly efficient for glycosylation remodeling of monoclonal antibodies to produce homogeneous intact antibody glycoforms. Interestingly, the new triantennary glycan glycoform of antibody showed much higher affinity for galectin-3 than that of the commercial antibody. The Endo-F3 mutants represent the first endoglycosidase-based glycosynthases capable of transferring triantennary complex N-glycans, which would be very useful for glycoprotein synthesis and glycosylation remodeling of antibodies.

Synthesis of Mannosylated Lipopeptides with Receptor Targeting Properties

Present on the surface of antigen presenting cells (APCs), the mannose receptor (MR) has long been recognized as a front-line receptor in pathogen recognition. During the past decade many attempts have been made to target this receptor for applications including vaccine and drug development. In the present study, a library of vaccine constructs comprising fluorescently labeled mannosylated lipid-dendrimers that contained the ovalbumin CD4(+) epitope, OVA(323-339), as the model peptide antigen were synthesized using fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). The vaccine constructs were designed with an alanine spacer between the O-linked mannose moieties to investigate the impact of distance between the mannose units on receptor-mediated uptake and/or binding in APCs. Uptake studies performed on F4/80(+) and CD11c(+) cells showed significant uptake and/or binding for lipopeptides containing mannose, and also the lipopeptide without mannose when compared to the control peptides (peptide with no lipid and peptide with no mannose and no lipid). Furthermore, mannan inhibition assays demonstrated that uptake of the mannosylated and lipidated peptides was receptor mediated. To address the specificity of receptor uptake, surface plasmon resonance studies were performed using biacore technology and confirmed high affinity of the mannosylated and lipidated vaccine constructs toward the MR. These studies confirm that both mannose and lipid moieties play significant roles in receptor-mediated uptake on APCs, potentially facilitating vaccine development.

The Raman optical activity of β-D-xylose: where experiment and computation meet

Besides its applications in bioenergy and biosynthesis, β-d-xylose is a very simple monosaccharide that exhibits relatively high rigidity. As such, it provides the best basis to study the impact of different solvation shell radii on the computation of its Raman optical activity (ROA) spectrum. Indeed, this chiroptical spectroscopic technique provides exquisite sensitivity to stereochemistry, and benefits much from theoretical support for interpretation. Our simulation approach combines density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) in order to efficiently account for the crucial hydration effects in the simulation of carbohydrates and their spectroscopic response predictions. Excellent agreement between the simulated spectrum and the experiment was obtained with a solvation radius of 10 Å. Vibrational bands have been resolved from the computed ROA data, and compared with previous results on different monosaccharides in order to identify specific structure-spectrum relationships and to investigate the effect of the solvation environment on the conformational dynamics of small sugars. From the comparison with ROA analytical results, a shortcoming of the classical force field used for the MD simulations has been identified and overcome, again highlighting the complementary role of experiment and theory in the structural characterisation of complex biomolecules. Indeed, due to unphysical puckering, a spurious ring conformation initially led to erroneous conformer ratios, which are used as weights for the averaging of the spectral average, and only by removing this contribution was near perfect comparison between theory and experiment achieved.

Cell and Tissue Imaging with Molecularly Imprinted Polymers as Plastic Antibody Mimics

Molecularly imprinted polymers can be used as "plastic antibodies" for cell and tissue imaging, as demonstrated using hyaluronan on cell surfaces as a model target. Fluorescent nanoparticles binding a hyaluronan substructure, glucuronic acid, are used to image fixated and living cells and tissues. Plastic antibodies can be tailored to specific targets and easily labeled, and are physically and chemically stable.

Self-assembled glycopeptide nanofibers as modulators of galectin-1 bioactivity

Galectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that act as extracellular signaling molecules in various normal and pathological processes. Galectin bioactivity is mediated by specific non-covalent interactions with cell-surface and extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoproteins, which can enhance or inhibit signaling events that influence various cellular behaviors, including adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Here, we developed a materials approach to modulate galectin bioactivity by mimicking natural galectin-glycoprotein interactions. Specifically, we created a variant of a peptide that self-assembles into β-sheet nanofibers under aqueous conditions, QQKFQFQFEQQ (Q11), which has an asparagine residue modified with the monosaccharide N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) at its N-terminus (GlcNAc-Q11). GlcNAc-Q11 self-assembled into β-sheet nanofibers under similar conditions as Q11. Nanofibrillar GlcNAc moieties were efficiently converted to the galectin-binding disaccharide N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) via the enzyme β-1,4-galactosyltransferase and the sugar donor UDP-galactose, while retaining β-sheet structure and nanofiber morphology. LacNAc-Q11 nanofibers bound galectin-1 and -3 in a LacNAc concentration-dependent manner, although nanofibers bound galectin-1 with higher affinity than galectin-3. In contrast, galectin-1 bound weakly to GlcNAc-Q11 nanofibers, while no galectin-3 binding to these nanofibers was observed. Galectin-1 binding to LacNAc-Q11 nanofibers was specific because it could be inhibited by excess soluble β-lactose, a galectin-binding carbohydrate. LacNAc-Q11 nanofibers inhibited galectin-1-mediated apoptosis of Jurkat T cells in a LacNAc concentration-dependent manner, but were unable to inhibit galectin-3 activity, consistent with galectin-binding affinity of the nanofibers. We envision that glycopeptide nanofibers capable of modulating galectin-1 bioactivity will be broadly useful as biomaterials for various medical applications, including cancer therapeutics, immunotherapy, tissue regeneration, and viral prophylaxis.

Scalable synthesis of Fmoc-protected GalNAc-threonine amino acid and T(N) antigen via nickel catalysis

The highly α-selective and scalable synthesis of the Fmoc-protected GalNAc-threonine amino acid and TN antigen in gram scale (0.5-1 g) is described. The challenging 1,2-cis-2-amino glycosidic bond is addressed through a coupling of threonine residues with C(2)-N-ortho-(trifluoromethyl)benzylidenamino trihaloacetimidate donors mediated by Ni(4-F-PhCN)4(OTf)2. The desired 1,2-cis-2-amino glycoside was obtained in 66% yield (3.77 g) with α-only selectivity and subsequently transformed into the Fmoc-protected GalNAc-threonine and TN antigen. This operationally simple procedure no longer requires utilization of the commonly used C(2)-azido donors and overcomes many of the limitations associated with the synthesis of 1,2-cis linkage.

Applications of Chemical Ligation in Peptide Synthesis via Acyl Transfer

The utility of native chemical ligation (NCL) in the solution or solid phase synthesis of peptides, cyclic peptides, glycopeptides, and neoglycoconjugates is reviewed. In addition, the mechanistic details of inter- or intra-molecular NCLs are discussed from experimental and computational points of view.

Chemical and chemoenzymatic synthesis of glycoproteins for deciphering functions

Glycoproteins are an important class of biomolecules involved in a number of biological recognition processes. However, natural and recombinant glycoproteins are usually produced as mixtures of glycoforms that differ in the structures of the pendent glycans, which are difficult to separate in pure glycoforms. As a result, synthetic homogeneous glycopeptides and glycoproteins have become indispensable probes for detailed structural and functional studies. A number of elegant chemical and biological strategies have been developed for synthetic construction of tailor-made, full-size glycoproteins to address specific biological problems. In this review, we highlight recent advances in chemical and chemoenzymatic synthesis of homogeneous glycoproteins. Selected examples are given to demonstrate the applications of tailor-made, glycan-defined glycoproteins for deciphering glycosylation functions.

Emerging bioinspired polymers: glycopolypeptides

This article highlights the very recent advances in glycopolypeptide synthesis via NCA polymerization and first studies on stimuli-responsive solution behavior and self-assembling structures. Yet glycopolypeptides are almost exclusively considered as smart biofunctional materials for use in biomedical applications, for instance in targeted drug delivery, but also have high potential for usage as structural materials to fabricate bioinspired hierarchical structures.

Glycopeptide synthesis on an ionic liquid support

An ionic liquid-supported synthetic method for the construction of glycopeptides in high yields is reported. This method avoids the use of large excesses of reagents and chromatographic purification and, therefore, represents a useful addition to existing approaches for the ionic liquid-supported synthesis of oligosaccharides and peptides.

Chemical synthesis of asparagine-linked archaeal N-glycan from Methanothermus fervidus

Several N-linked glycoproteins have been identified in archaea and there is growing evidence that the N-glycan is involved in survival and functioning of archaea in extreme conditions. Chemical synthesis of the archaeal N-glycans represents a crucial step towards understanding the putative function of protein glycosylation in archaea. Herein the first total synthesis of the archaeal L-asparagine linked hexasaccharide from Methanothermus fervidus is reported using a highly convergent [3+3] glycosylation approach in high overall yields. The synthesis relies on efficient preparation of regioselectively protected thioglycoside building blocks for orthogonal glycosylations and late stage N-aspartylation.