Interference with lectin binding and bacterial adhesion by multivalent carbohydrates and peptidic carbohydrate mimics

Considering the importance of protein-carbohydrate interactions in biological processes, effective interference with these interactions may prove to be a powerful way towards novel therapeutics. Multivalency is an important principle that characterizes these interactions and is likely a required design principle for the synthesis of molecules with the goal to interfere effectively. Glycodendrimer synthesis is described here along with interference with animal, plant and bacterial lectins. Large affinity enhancements due to multivalency were observed in selected cases. Initial studies with peptide sequences as interfering moieties in protein carbohydrate interactions are also described which yield ligands in the milimolar range.