NMR studies on the conformation of oligomannosides and their interaction with banana lectin.

The conformational and dynamic behaviour of three mannose containing oligosaccharides, a tetrasaccharide with α1→2, and α1→3, and a penta and a heptasaccharide with α1→2, α1→3, and α1→6 linkages has been evaluated by molecular mechanics and dynamics simulations and NMR spectroscopical methods. It is found that they display a fair amount of conformational freedom, with one major and one minor conformation per glycosidic linkage. The evaluation of their recognition by banana lectin has also been performed by STD NMR methods and a preliminary view of their putative interaction mode has been carried out by means of docking procedures.