Chemoselective ligation reactions with proteins, oligosaccharides and cells

摘要

Traditionsl chemical synthesis does not lend itself to the easy, rapid construction of even moderately sized bioolecules, because it requires elaborate protection schemes. Furthermore, many biological studies would be aided by the ability to assemble biomolecules under physiological conditions. These challenges have motivated the development of chemoselective ligation, the selective covalent coupling of mutually and uniquely reactive functional groups under mild, aqueous conditions. This tech- nique has attracted significant attention recently for the synthesis of biological macromolecules of defined homogeneous composition, the design of self-assembling drugs and the chemical remodeling of cell surfaces.