Engineering Cell Surface Glycans with Carbohydrate Enantiomers to Alter Bacterial Binding and Adhesion

Chirality of carbohydrate has critical functions in many biological processes. Changes in the configuration of even one sugar molecules may cause abnormal behavior or even inhibit specific processes. Herein, we have shown bioorthogonal conjugation of mannose enantiomers on HeLa cell surfaces induced a different rate of bacterial binding and cell adhesion. Bacterial binding affinity was studied on glass surface and engineered HeLa cell surface with enantiomers of mannose to inhibit the bacterial adhesion. Based on the observations we proposed mannose specific FimH receptors on E.coli showed specific binding to D‐enantiomer of mannose and induce adhesion.