Synthesis of a derivative of α-D-Glcp(1->2)-D-Galf suitable for further glycosylation and of α-D-Glcp(1->2)-D-Gal, a disaccharide fragment obtained from varianose

• Carla Marino,
• Carlos Lima,
• Karina Mariño and
• Rosa M. de Lederkremer

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2012, 8, 2142–2148, doi:10.3762/bjoc.8.241

• -Galf-containing glycoconjugates, the mechanisms by which α-D-Galf units are incorporated remain unclear. Penicillium varians is a non-pathogenic fungus that produces varianose, a polysaccharide containing both α- and β-D-Galf units, which can be used as a model for biosynthetic studies on α-D-Galf

• ; glucosylgalactofuranose; glycosylaldonolactone; Penicillium varians; varianose; Introduction Carbohydrates are involved in a wide range of biological processes; they play important roles in host–pathogen interactions and in the immune response, where protein–glycan interactions mediate a variety of biological processes

• , establishing the connection between the glycan structure and its biological function, a discipline called functional glycomics, is one of the most challenging areas nowadays and requires a broad interdisciplinary approach. Penicillium varians elaborates an unusual polysaccharide called varianose [3] that