Functions of Cell Surface Glycans

Glycans, as one of the major components of cells, play an important role in many physiological processes. In pathological states, glycans on the cell surface undergo structural or expression changes and thus serve as an important marker for disease diagnosis. In addition, the control of glycan expression can be used to direct cell behavior. In particular, introducing unnatural functions (e.g. fluorophores) into cell surface glycans has significant implications for the imaging and labeling of cell surface glycans.

Fig.1 Labeling of cell surface glycans. (Nischan & Kohler, 2016)

Fluorophore-based Cell Surface Chemical Conjugation Glycoengineering Service at CD BioGlyco

CD BioGlyco has a specialized Glycoengineering Platform to conduct research in the field of glycobiology. We have systematic Cell Surface Glycoengineering Techniques to provide specific fluorophore-based cell surface chemical conjugation glycoengineering services.

• Introduction of fluorescent groups
  We offer a wide range of services for labeling different fragments with fluorescent moieties.
  • Sialic acid analogs or N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc) analogs: Labeling cell surface sialic acid residues.
  • Tetrazine and dibenzyl cyclooctene: Labeling of methylcyclopropene and azide-modified salivary acids in glycans, which also set the stage for cellular tandem labeling.
  • Tetrazine reagent: Labeling the terminal olefinic structure of cell surface glycans.

  We utilize a non-genetically encoded labeling strategy as well as receptor-ligand binding to anchor fluorescent donors to specific proteins and install fluorescent acceptors onto membrane surface glycans via a glycometabolic/biological orthogonal reaction. At the same time, the labeled ligand on the target glycoprotein can be flexibly competed for by other unlabeled compounds, thus effectively erasing the donor fluorescence signal.

• Imaging of glycans
  Based on the introduction of fluorescent moieties, we also offer imaging cell surface glycans services. We have a variety of imaging methods, e.g:
  • Sequential imaging of glycans on different proteins on the membrane surface using FRET-induced fluorescence imaging and competition from unlabeled compounds leading to fluorescence erasure.
  • In vivo imaging of glycans by comparing resolution and signal-to-noise using fluorescent tetrazine labeling reagent labeling.
  • Glycans on specific proteins were specifically imaged by labeling fluorescent receptor groups on cell surface glycans separately, using the principle of fluorescence resonance energy transfer.

In addition, we perform in situ, multicomponent analysis of cell-surface glycans after fluorescent moiety introduction by specific binding of lectins to glycans using nucleic acid labeling, amplification techniques, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Fig.2 Fluorophore-based cell surface chemical conjugation glycoengineering service. (CD BioGlyco)

Applications

• Fluorophore-based cell surface chemical conjugation glycoengineering can be used for research on imaging glycans on specific proteins in living cells.
• Fluorophore-based cell surface chemical conjugation glycoengineering can be used for a wide range of research in molecular diagnostics and cell-targeted therapy.
• Fluorophore-based cell surface chemical conjugation glycoengineering can be used for the development of cell tandem and in vivo labeling as well as for research on specific groups of glycoconjugates.

Advantages

• We have a highly efficient glycoengineering expression system that contains a comprehensive range of services in the field of cell surface glycoengineering.
• We research all cell surface glycans and our services are comprehensive.
• We offer the introduction of a wide range of fluorescent moieties to ensure that the programs we develop are satisfactory to our clients.

CD BioGlyco is constantly updating its knowledge in the field of glycobiology, keeping up with the trend of scientific and technological development, and constructing a comprehensive glycoengineering platform. Our experienced service team custom experimental protocols according to our client's research needs. Each of our experimental processes is quality tested. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.