Synthesis of [beta]-1,4-Linked Galactan Side-Chains of RhamnogalacturonanI

The synthesis of linear- and (1[arrow right]6)-branched [beta]-(1[arrow right]4)-d-galactans, side-chains of the pectic polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan I is described. The strategy relies on iterative couplings of n-pentenyl disaccharides followed by a late stage glycosylation of a common hexasaccharide core. Reaction with a covalent linker and immobilization on N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS)-modified glass surfaces allows the generation of carbohydrate microarrays. The glycan arrays enable the study of protein-carbohydrate interactions in a high-throughput fashion, demonstrated herein with binding studies of mAbs and a CBM.