The derivatization of sialic acid is of great significance to improve the detection sensitivity or chromatographic resolution. After decades of development, CD BioGlyco has gradually established a variety of derivatization methods to meet the diverse needs of customers. We are delighted to be your scientific assistant in glycobiology.

Introduction

Sialic acids are derivatives of neuraminic acid, which is a nine-carbon-containing-monosaccharide. Sialic acids are generally found at the terminal of various glycoconjugates. The evidence accumulated so far demonstrates that sialic acids actually play crucial roles in biological processes widely by affecting the chemical and biological characteristics of glycolipids and glycoproteins. In order to deeply understand the biological function of sialic acids, researchers in the field of glycomics have established a variety of characterization and analysis strategies after decades of effort.

Analytical methods based on chromatography and/or mass spectrometry are the most important and widely used methods in the analysis of sialic acids. However, it often has problems such as low detection sensitivity, easy destruction of the structure, and poor chromatographic separation during the analysis of natural sialic acids by chromatography and mass spectrometry. Therefore, sialic acid derivatization is necessary for the process of sample pretreatment, which has advantages of improving detection sensitivity, stabilizing sialic acid structure, enhancing chromatographic separation efficiency, changing fragmentation mode, and strengthening structural characteristics.

Fig.1 Diversity in oligo/polymerized sialic acids present in glycoproteins and glycolipids. (Chihiro, 2019)

Derivation Strategies

CD BioGlyco has developed a variety of derivatization methods for the analysis of sialic acids by chromatography and/or mass spectrometry at diverse levels in the past few decades. The strategies we provide include but are not limited to:

• Sialic acid derivatization at monosaccharide level. O-phenylenediamine reagents, aniline reagents represented by 2-aminoacridone (AMAC), methylation reagents, and alkylamine reagents are usually used for sialic acid derivatization.
• Derivatization at free sialic acid level. It is an effective analytical strategy to separate free sialic acid from the sample followed by derivation. In addition, free sialic acid can also be directly analyzed by mass spectrometry in negative ion mode.
• Sialic acid derivatization at N/O-glycan level. Alcohol reagents, amine reagents (methylamine, dimethylamine, isopropylamine), and hydrazine reagents (acetohydrazide) are used for linkage-specific derivatization.
• Sialic acid derivatization at glycosphingolipid level. Methylation reagents and amine reagents are used in the analysis of sialylated glycolipids by chromatography and mass spectrometry.

Advantages of Us

• High throughput and automated facilities
• Extensively experience in high-quality service
• Competitive price and satisfactory service
• Detailed after-sales service

CD BioGlyco aims to provide customers with high efficiency and personalized scientific services. We offer various sialic acid derivations before analysis to improve the detection efficiency of chromatographic separation. If you have a demand for our derivation services, please contact us for further information.

Reference:

1. Chihiro, S.; Kitajima, K. Sialic acids, part II: biological and biomedical aspects. Advances in Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biochemistry. 2019.