Perfect Glycan Microarray Analysis: Experience the Precision

Glycan microarrays are powerful tools for researching the functions and roles of glycans in organisms. Previously, CD BioGlyco has established a powerful Glycobiology Microarray Platform to provide clients with different kinds of comprehensive microarray analysis services. At present, CD BioGlyco has further constructed a Glycan Display Platform on top of this platform to provide clients with a full range of glycan microarray assay services.

• Construction of glycan microarrays
  CD BioGlyco provides glycan microarray constructs that include but are not limited to, the following.
  • Covalently linked mono- (di-) glycan microarrays
    Glycan microarrays are formed by immobilizing mono- (di-) glycans by covalent linkage on a glass sheet carrier encapsulated with a monolayer of activating groups. We usually use fluorescent dyes to label and detect the binding specificity of the mono- (di-) glycan probes.
  • Non-covalently adsorbed polysaccharide microarrays
    Polysaccharides or glycoproteins are immobilized by non-covalent adsorption on a surface hydrophobic carrier. The carriers we offer contain nitrocellulose membranes and polystyrene membranes.
  • Oligosaccharide microarrays
    First, we immobilize long-chain aliphatic alkyne on the surface of solid-phase carriers by noncovalent adsorption. Second, the oligosaccharides are immobilized using cyclization-addition reactions to construct oligosaccharide microarrays.

Fig.1 Workflow of glycan microarray assays. (CD BioGlyco)

• Based on the multiple glycan microarrays constructed, we provide detection services that include but are not limited to:

Workflow

• Sample processing and labeling

Glycan microarray assays are suitable for many types of samples (glycan-binding proteins, antibodies, cells, tissues, viruses, etc.). Depending on the type of sample, we perform initial processing, followed by fluorescent or other labeling of the biomolecules to be detected.

• Microarray hybridization and washing

The labeled samples are incubated with the glycan microarrays to allow specific binding of the molecules to be detected to the glycans. The temperature, incubation time, and buffer conditions are strictly controlled to ensure optimal binding. At the end of hybridization, unbound samples and non-specifically bound material are removed.

• Data analysis

A high-resolution microarray scanner is used to scan the chip after hybridization to obtain signal intensity data. Afterwards, we use professional bioinformatics software to process and analyze the raw data, including quantification, differential binding analysis, and cluster analysis.

Applications

• Glycan microarrays can be used to rapidly analyze the glycan binding properties of proteins, including plant and animal lectins, antibodies, and growth factors.
• Glycan microarrays can be used to probe the binding properties of pathogen glycans.
• Glycan microarrays can be used to determine the affinity glycans of quantitatively bound proteins.

Advantages

• We have a professional R&D team with in-depth research and rich experience in the construction and application of glycan microarray.
• We provide custom glycan microarray assay services according to the client's requirements. Including the construction method of glycan microarray, the type of solid phase carrier, and so on.
• Every solution we provide has gone through strict quality testing to ensure client satisfaction.

Case Study

Background

Glycans act as essential recognition molecules on cell surfaces, mediating a vast array of biological processes, including viral infection, immune responses, and cellular signaling. Characterizing the specific binding profiles of glycan-binding proteins (GBPs), antibodies, or whole cells is critical for drug discovery and biomarker development. However, because glycan-protein interactions are often highly complex and conformation-dependent, traditional single-ligand assays lack the throughput and carbohydrate diversity required to efficiently map comprehensive binding specificities.

Our Solution

CD BioGlyco addressed this challenge by deploying our glycan array 300, a high-density, high-throughput screening system engineered for deep structural interrogation.

• Comprehensive Epitope Library: The array features a comprehensive and diverse library of 300 well-defined synthetic and natural carbohydrate structures, including a broad spectrum of general glycans (100), complex N-glycans (30), glycolipid-derived glycans (70), human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs, 50), and multi-valent tandem epitopes (50).
• Versatile Sample Compatibility: It was optimized to accommodate a wide variety of biological samples, ranging from purified recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies to serum samples and intact microbial cells, allowing for the seamless detection of specific binding events under native conditions.
• Multi-Channel Signal Detection: Bound analytes were detected using high-affinity fluorescently labeled secondary reagents, capturing real-time binding signals across multiple dimensions.

Results

Upon completion of the assay, the client was provided with a comprehensive, publication-ready data package consisting of two core deliverables:

• Scan Image: Ultra-high-resolution fluorescent scan images mapping the precise physical locations of every positive interaction event across the array matrix.

Fig.3 Scan image of sample 1.

• Scan Data: A fully digitized, quantified data sheet providing normalized fluorescence intensity values, enabling accurate affinity comparison and binding motif ranking.

This integrated microarray workflow successfully deciphered the exact carbohydrate-binding footprint of the target protein. By mapping hundreds of potential interactions simultaneously, our analysis eliminated months of trial-and-error experimentation, significantly accelerating the client's therapeutic antibody characterization and functional glycomics research pipelines.

Publication Data

Frequently Asked Questions

CD BioGlyco has several years of experience in analyzing glycan microarrays. Now, we have established an advanced glycan display platform, which provides every client with high-quality glycan microarray assay service. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.

Associated Services