The importance of carbohydrates in a variety of biological functions is the
reason that interest has recently increased in these compounds as possible
components of therapeutic agents. Thus, the need for a technique allowing
the easy synthesis of carbohydrates and glucoconjugates is an emerging chal
lenge for chemists and biologists involved in this field. At present, enzym
atic synthesis has resulted in the most promising approach for the producti
on of complex oligosaccharides. In this respect, the enzymological characte
ristics of the catalysts, in term of regioselectivity, substrate specificit
y, and operational stability. are of fundamental importance to improve the
yields of the process and to widen the repertoire of the available products
. Here, two methods of oligosaccharide synthesis performed by a glycosyntha
se and by an alpha -xylosidase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolob
us solfataricus are briefly reviewed. The approaches used and the biodivers
ity of the catalysts together are key features for their possible utilizati
on in the synthesis of oligosaccharides.