Controlled density glycodendron microarrays for studying carbohydrate-lectin interactions

Glycodendron microarrays with defined valency have been constructed by on-chip synthesis on hydrophobic indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass slides and employed in lectin-carbohydrate binding studies with several plant and human lectins. Glycodendrons presenting sugar epitopes at different valencies were prepared by spotwise strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) between immobilised cyclooctyne dendrons and azide functionalised glycans. The non-covalent immobilisation of dendrons on the ITO surface by hydrophobic interaction allowed us to study dendron surface density and SPAAC conversion rate by in situ MALDI-TOF MS analysis. By diluting the dendron surface density we could study how the carbohydrate-lectin interactions became exclusively dependant on the valency of the immobilised glycodendron.

Automated summary

In this study, glycodendron microarrays with defined valency were constructed on hydrophobic indium tin oxide coated glass slides using spotwise strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC). The immobilization of dendrons on the ITO surface allowed for the analysis of dendron surface density and SPAAC conversion rate. By manipulating dendron surface density, the study showed that carbohydrate-lectin interactions were exclusively dependent on the valency of the immobilized glycodendron.