A new way to collect carbohydrates can pave the way for biomedical medical progress

Carbohydrates are familiar, but they are not only present in foods. Small carbohydrates, but they are structurally complicated as elements of cell walls and are important in interactions between cells. Scientists can make many vital molecules quickly and reliably, from DNA to proteins, using automatic tools. So it may be a surprise that for decades, scientists have faced great difficulty in small carbohydrates.

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, the Max Planck Institute, and the facades (MPIKG) discovered a way to create links that selectively link single sugars to short chain carbohydrates, which are called Oligosaccharides.

The new technology provides accurate control of stereoscopic chemistry, or its delivery, from connection links between sugar molecules. The team successfully used this method to build sugar chains on an automatic tool.

they resultsPublished in Nature’s creationIt will provide biologists and biochemistry access to the lack of sugars that was previously difficult to build. This, in turn, can open new methods of biomedical research in these multi -use molecules.

“The holy cup in the chemistry of carbohydrates is an artificial method that suits everyone. This is what we are approaching.”

Simple molecules in a deceptive way

The lack of sugars are carbohydrates that consist of three to 10 molecules (monochid) linked together. They are not structural carbohydrates, such as cellulose or chitin. They do not store energy, like starch. It is often found on the surface of the cells, where they play critical roles in communication between cells, signs, viral and bacterial infections, immune system modification and growth processes.

Despite its relatively small size, Oligosaccharide structures are only a simple thing, with differences between their components, delivery sites and delivery links.

Scientists estimate that there can be more than 100 million types of five sugars. This is what makes their synthesis very difficult: getting accurate control over the spatial orientation of these links despite the structural complexity.

The chemical reaction is likely to produce a left bond like a bond. “Therefore, when these sugar sugar bonds are made, you often get a mixture of configurations/gift,” Zhang explained.

On the other hand, the various building blocks that include proteins and nucleic acids are connected only in one way, without a distinct delivery. Participated author Peter Siberger, a scientist in MPIKG.

Since every sugar sugar bond can take one of two spatial trends, the exchange in the lack of sarrid grows dramatically with its size. There are more than 2000 possibilities for the sugar molecule itself. “It makes optional chemistry, useless,” said Zhang.

How to get what you want

Unfortunately, it is not possible to isolate many sugars from nature as well. Zhang explained that scientists break them, get a complex mixture of similar molecules that are practically impossible to isolate.

So if scientists want one, they must synthesize it. Enzymes are completely effective to produce specific molecules, but they are generally limited to the specific reactors. Enzymes also take some time and money to develop, so it is not ideal for the early stages of research.

One of the main challenges is the chemical synthesis in the product separation simply from all side products and secondary products. This could require many solvents and candidate materials, which contributes to the work concerned, produced waste and the cost of production. For this reason, the authors have chosen the development of a suitable chemistry to synthesize the solid stage, where the operation is performed with a single -tip that is connected to support the polymer.

In this way, they can build a piece of scrying a piece, knowing that the desired product only will adhere to the support structure when they wash the device between the steps.

The development of the solid phase of the peptide has obtained its inventor for the 1984 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and since then it has become a routine in the synthesis of Algonoklotide, too. Seeberger has been a pioneer in the process of creating carbohydrates in 2001 and improved over the past 25 years.

The respondents and go to chemical groups

The behavior of the molecule not only depends on the composition, but also depends on the shape. Thus, the molecular formulas itself can contain many different arrangements, or isomers. Scientists can reliably build a specific direction when one of the simple sugar is associated with another. But controlling trends through a wide range of bonding scenarios with one unified approach is still very difficult, and yet, far -fetch.

To face the challenge, the ZHANG laboratory used a reaction called replacement of the molecular nucleus (S._N2). This is a process of one step where the new sugar reaches the increasing lack of sicard at the same time as the departure component is separated.

As a result, the new sugar can only approach in one direction: while facing the departure component away. This s_N2 The process allows chemists to reliably control the direction of interconnection in a widely applicable manner.

But getting the coming and will occur simultaneously, is very difficult in the context of the structural complexity of the lack of skid. For this reason, the team added a guidance molecule to the departure group. This reaction provides Aoun’s hand by strengthening the attack by the sugar incoming before the group leaves early.

This is the mentor_N2 A approach that works with many types of sugar sugar contacts that Zhang Lab has examined so far, reactions in the solution as well as solid stage chemistry. It can be made under non -acidic or essential conditions in particular. Moreover, the creation of the automatic solid stage does not require a technician to have a great deal of specialized training.

Bring sugars to the masses

This achievement is a long time coming. “A selective glycosille has been developed since the early twentieth century,” said Serger. Zhang team started for the first time their work in the mission in 2018.

The non -chemical machine sliced will be created. Currently, if the biologist wants a certain lack of sugars, they will have to employ a contractor to handle the compound manually, which may take months and be expensive.

“The idea is that you can do this repetitive process, using a device, and this device can automatically assemble it,” said Zhang. Seeberger founded a company that provides both the service and the device that runs it, providing a direct path to the application.

Given the cost of this technology, the authors expect that it will find more used in biomedical research. “Among these applications is the diagnostic tests of autoimmune diseases and vaccines to prevent bacterial and fungal infections gained from the hospital,” said Seburger.

This methodology is ideal for early experiences, as scientists may need only small amounts of material to explore its potential. Once researchers find the lack of promising sugars, they can invest in enzymatic or chemical methods to synthesize more efficiently.

Go an additional mile

Glycosille technology in Zhang is already with a wide range of sugars and can produce a wide range of different structures. However, he plans to test it on unfamiliar sugars. He explained that the sugars that are made by the male realities are just a small part of those produced by bacteria, and many of these matters are important in biological and medical research.

There is also a certain bond, the so -called “Beta Mannosidic”, which is still unleashed. “You will try to break this walnut,” said Seburger.

Solution of challenges such as the creation of the lack of automatic sicard is essential to creating more applied breaches. Erotic developments such as new cancer medications, wide spectrum vaccines and the most effective antibiotics are not possible without developments in basic methodologies.

“By developing this chemistry, we open many possibilities,” said Zhang.