Bioorthogonal human milk oligosaccharide probes for antimicrobial target identification within Streptococcus agalactiae

Abstract

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a structurally diverse class of carbohydrates that possess strong antibacterial activity against Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Strep, GBS). This work highlights the design, synthesis, and retained biological activity of several HMO bioorthogonal probes within GBS, a first in class advance. The use of such probes will assist in identifying HMO-protein interactions within GBS and may be broadly applicable in researching HMO cellular targets within a variety of biological systems. Finally, this strategy is highly amenable to other oligosaccharide scaffolds, requiring minimal synthetic transformations and chemical perturbation.