Background

There are considerable differences between bacterial and mammalian glycans. In contrast to the most eukaryote, bacterial glycans are usually composed of a large number of repeating units. The bacteria cell wall is based on peptidoglycan network macromolecular structure, that is, a polypeptide chain, in which polysaccharide chains are cross-linked with short peptide chains. Gram-negative bacteria have an outer wall composed of lipopolysaccharide-protein complexes. Lipopolysaccharide contains lipid A, the phosphorylated GlcN-GlcN disaccharide, and N- and O-acylated with fatty acids that anchor the molecule in the leaflet of the outer membrane.

Since these repeating units are usually displayed on the cell surface, they can interact with the environment. These carbohydrates also contain antigenic determinants, can elicit an immunogenic response in the host, and can provide identification elements for pathogens such as phages. We provide services on bacterial surface carbohydrates to help expand the general knowledge and understanding of the complexity of glycans in biological systems, which will provide a basis to design high-throughput vaccines, develop diagnostics and immunostimulants.

Key Technologies

• Employing high-performance and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC/UHPLC), complex mixtures of peptidoglycan and lipopolysaccharide are resolved with exceptional precision, effectively segregating target molecular species from contaminating elements. This facilitates the fractionation of structurally analogous glycoforms, a prerequisite for subsequent structural interrogation.
• Mass spectrometric approaches—incorporating both matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) and electrospray ionization tandem MS (ESI-MS/MS)—elucidate fine architectural details including glycosidic linkages, post-biosynthetic modifications, and molecular mass with near-atomic accuracy, permitting differentiation of strain-specific carbohydrate signatures.
• Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, particularly 1H and 13C modalities, affords atomic-resolution insight into glycosidic connectivity and ancillary chemical modifications, serving as a definitive tool for structural validation or de novo characterization.
• Immunoaffinity chromatography exploits antibody-antigen specificity to capture target glycans from intricate lysates, proving indispensable for scarce analytes or high-purity demands.
• Lastly, microfluidic purification platforms achieve scalable processing with minimal volume requirements, mitigating sample loss and enhancing throughput across basic and translational applications.

Unlocking the Power of Microbial Carbohydrates for Advanced Research

At CD BioGlyco, our advanced platform for microbial carbohydrates is designed to deliver high-purity, well-characterized peptidoglycan and LPS, enabling precise and reproducible results for a wide range of research and development applications. Our expertise in sophisticated purification and analysis techniques ensures that you receive the highest quality materials, free from contaminating proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.

• Sample Consultation & Preparation

Our team collaborates with clients to assess sample type (e.g., bacterial cultures, environmental isolates, or bioprocess supernatants), quantity, and project goals. We provide guidelines for sample collection, preservation (e.g., frozen storage or lyophilization), and shipment to ensure sample integrity. For problematic samples (e.g., high-contaminant loads), we offer pre-processing services like centrifugation or filtration to optimize downstream steps.

• Target Isolation

Based on the carbohydrate type and purity requirements, we select the optimal isolation method. Immunoaffinity or HPLC fractionation is integrated here for samples needing ultra-pure material.

• Purification Optimization

Using HPLC/UHPLC or microfluidic systems, we refine the isolation process to remove impurities (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids, or non-target glycans). Each purification run is validated with in-process checks (e.g., UV spectroscopy) to ensure target yield and purity meet client specifications.

• Structural Analysis

Purified carbohydrates undergo multi-omics characterization using MS, NMR, and, if requested, glycan microarrays. Our analysts generate detailed reports including molecular weight, glycosidic linkages, modifications, and comparative data (e.g., against reference strains).

• Data Delivery & Follow-Up

Clients receive a comprehensive final report with raw data, analyzed results, and interpretive insights. Our team offers a post-delivery consultation to review findings, address questions, and recommend next steps—such as scaling up purification or additional structural validation.

Workflow

Publication Data

Advantages

• The integration of multiple analytical platforms provides orthogonal validation of structural assignments, ensuring data reliability.
• Our proprietary database of microbial carbohydrate structures enables rapid comparative analysis and identification of novel structural features.
• We have demonstrated particular expertise in analyzing complex carbohydrate modifications that elude standard analytical approaches.

Application

• Our services characterize the specific epitopes responsible for immunogenicity, supporting rational vaccine design against bacterial pathogens.
• Our analytical services help characterize these microbial carbohydrate utilization patterns, providing insights into host-microbe interactions and supporting the development of targeted prebiotic strategies.
• Our structural analysis identifies specific carbohydrate structures involved in these interactions, enabling the development of anti-adhesion therapies and diagnostic tools based on carbohydrate recognition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Associated Services

Our microbial carbohydrates purification and analysis services provide foundational insights into the structural characteristics of polysaccharides, essential for understanding their functional properties. To transform these meticulously analyzed carbohydrates into advanced biomedical tools, we offer One-stop Solutions for Polysaccharide Conjugation, integrating:

CD BioGlyco uses kinds of technology platforms and methods, under the operation of well-trained researchers, to provide customers with the highest quality and most reliable bacterial carbohydrates analysis services. We hope to start the exploration of glycobiology with you.

Customers can contact our employees directly and we will respond promptly. If you are interested in our services, please contact us for more detailed information.

Reference

1. Grumov, D.; et al. A simple and rapid microscale method for isolating bacterial lipopolysaccharides. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024, 25(12): 6345. (Open Access)