Glycosylation, chemical synthesis

Marcaurelle LA, Mizoue LS, Wilken J, et al. Chemical synthesis of lymphotactin a glycosylated chemokine with a C-terminal mucin-like domain. Chemistry 2001 7 1129-32. 

The biological significance of glycoporphyrins, their limited natural occurrence, and their widespread applications have made the availability of such compounds a scientific challenge for several research groups. Synthetic approaches have consisted in the direct glycosylation of prefunctionalized porphyrins or chemical synthesis from suitable glycoconjugates precursors. 

The high specificity and stereoselectivity of enzymes, as well as the mild conditions under which they react, make enzyme-catalyzed reactions versatile tools in the synthesis of glycoconjugates. In some instances, an enzymic one-step transformation affords higher yields then the conventional and more-complex chemical synthesis. The application of enzymes in glycopeptide synthesis is under active development for selective deprotection and glycosylation purposes. 

The only general approach to the chemical synthesis of glycosyl esters of nucleoside pyrophosphates thus far found useful involves... 

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