Carbohydrate-protein interactions play a major-role in recognition of cells by
external macromolecules. Single saccharide ligands, however, bind only weakly to their
protein receptors. Sufficient affinity is achieved by appropriate mutual orientation of the
saccharide epitopes and their protein receptors, which allows multiple simultaneous
interactions. In other words, high affinity binding is achieved through multivalency,
where the high number of simultaneous binding events compensates the lack of strength
of an individual interaction. Solid-supported methods allowing synthesis of
multiantennary glycoconjugates have, hence, been under active development. The
present paper is a review of the solid-phase protocols useful for preparation of
glycoconjugates.
Keywords: Solid-support, synthesis, conjugation, 1, 3-dipolar cycloaddition,
oximation, peptide, oligonucleotide, cluster effect, monosaccharide, protecting
group, linker, glycoconjugate, glycocluster, sugar, carbohydrate.
