Oligosaccharide Structure Techniques
Techniques to Determine Structure of Oligosaccharides
The determination of the structure of oligosaccharides can be a challenging task due to the structural complexity and diversity of these molecules. However, there are several analytical techniques that can be used to elucidate the structure of oligosaccharides. Here are some commonly used techniques:
Mass spectrometry: Mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful technique for the structural analysis of oligosaccharides. In MS, the oligosaccharide is ionized and then the mass-to-charge ratio of the resulting ions is measured. The fragmentation pattern of the ions can provide information on the sequence, branching, and linkage positions of the sugar residues.
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is another powerful technique for the structural analysis of oligosaccharides. In NMR, the oligosaccharide is subjected to a strong magnetic field and the resulting energy absorption and emission can be used to determine the chemical environment of the sugar residues, including their connectivity and stereochemistry.
High-performance liquid chromatography: High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is a separation technique that can be used to separate and analyze oligosaccharides based on their size, charge, and hydrophobicity. This technique is often coupled with other analytical techniques, such as mass spectrometry or NMR, for structural analysis.
Glycosidase digestion: Glycosidase digestion involves the use of enzymes that cleave specific glycosidic linkages in the oligosaccharide. The resulting fragments can then be analyzed using mass spectrometry or NMR to determine the structure of the oligosaccharide.
Glycan microarrays: Glycan microarrays are a high-throughput screening technique that can be used to analyze the binding specificity of different glycan-binding proteins or antibodies. This technique can provide information on the structure of oligosaccharides based on their binding profiles.
These are just a few of the many techniques that can be used to determine the structure of oligosaccharides. In practice, a combination of these techniques is often used to obtain a more complete picture of the structure of a given oligosaccharide.
HMBC NMR for oligosaccharides. (request articles in comment)