Lectin and anti-carbohydrate antibody assays using chemically modified ligands

Abstract

Microtiter plate assays and 'lectinoblotting' with the use of biotinylated lectins are sensitive and easy to perform methods that can be combined with simple procedures of chemical modifications of glycoproteins immobilized on ELISA plates or blots (desialylation by mild acid hydrolysis, Smith degradation, β-elimination). These modifications are helpful in the determination of lectin and anti-carbohydrate antibody specificities, or in the characterization of glycoconjugates by means of lectins and antibodies.