Interaction between lectins and neoglycoproteins containing new sialylatedglycosynthons

Neoglycoconjugates are useful tools to study carbohydrate/protein interacti ons. In order to discover new lectins, to define their fine specificity or to study their intracellular trafficking, there is a need for neoglycoconju gates containing complex oligosaccharides. We recently set up a simple way to transform native oligosaccharides into glycosynthons. The present paper describes i) the synthesis of such glycosynthons starting with sialylated o ligosides, ii) the preparation of sialylated neoglycoproteins and iii) thei r binding to sialic acid-specific lectins assessed by surface plasmon reson ance experiments.