Elucidation of the structure of carbohydrates and their interactions by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Molecular recognition is a central topic in glycoscience. This recognition is a specific process governed by the interaction of a complex glycan and its receptor. Therefore, the study of these interactions is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of some biological events and designing efficient therapeutic tools. This chapter focuses its attention on current NMR methodologies applied in this field. Before reaching molecular recognition as a target, carbohydrates provide an enchanting flexibility that should be taken into account. For this reason, this chapter is classified into three approximations in which different NMR techniques (i.e., homo- and hetero-nuclear correlations, NOESY or STD, among others) are applied: (1) assignment of carbohydrate resonances, (2) conformational analysis, and (3) application on understanding the interaction with proteins from both ligand and receptor perspectives. Key examples for each section are also provided showing the general know-how in this area.