A carbohydrate-binding affinity ligand for the specific enrichment of glycoproteins

• The ligand is capable of binding glycoproteins under physiological conditions.
• The ligand displays affinity to glucose oxidase and interacts with the glycoprotein through its glycan moiety.
• Benzoboroxole plays an important role in sugar binding.
• The ligand has a preference for sugar alcohols and the furanose form of the monosaccharides tested.
• The ligand processes the potential to resolve sialylated and neutral glycoforms.

One challenge facing the production of glycoprotein therapeutics is the lack of stable and selective affinity ligands for their enrichment. Synthetic affinity ligands based on the solid phase multi-component Ugi reaction represent a desirable option, particularly those incorporating benzoboroxole and its derivatives, which have been shown to enrich glycoproteins under physiological conditions. Thus, an Ugi ligand, A21C11I8, comprising 5-amino-2-hydroxymethylphenylboronic acid was synthesised on aldehyde-functionalised Sepharose™. Immobilised A21C11I8 displayed affinity for the glycosylated protein, glucose oxidase (GOx), which bound primarily through its glycan moiety. The ligand had a preference for sugar alcohols and the furanose form of the monosaccharides tested. Compared with immobilised 3-aminophenylboronic acid and Concanavalin A, the Ugi ligand was able to purify GOx from spiked Escherichia coli supernatants with retention of its maximum enzymatic activity and protein recovery. Glycan profiles of human immunoglobulin G tested on A21C11I8 columns suggested that the adsorbent possesses the potential to resolve sialylated and neutral glycoforms. The benzoboroxole-functionalised Ugi ligand may find application in selective glycoform separation.