Chemical approaches to perturb,profile,andperceive glycans

Abstract

Chemical tools for perturbing, profiling, and perceiving glycans should reduce the barriers that have previously impeded progress in this field. Their implementation has already produced a body of knowledge that was formerly limited to the domain of proteins and nucleic acids. For example, a developing glycomic database has begun to facilitate bioinformatics studies on glycans. 78 As mentioned above, profiles of glycans from tissues and bodily fluids have produced new biomarker candidates. Many regents for perturbing glycans, including inhibitors and primers, are now commercially available. Similarly, azidosugars and both phosphine- and alkynebased labeling reagents can now be obtained from commercial suppliers. The future is bright for use of these tools in analyzing the dynamic glycomes of normal and diseased tissues. © 2009 American Chemical Society.