Chemoenzymatic synthesis of PSGL-1 glycopeptides: sulfation on tyrosine affects glycosyltransferase-catalyzed synthesis of the O-glycan.

PSGL-1 is the primary glycoprotein ligand for P-selectin during the inflammatory response. Interestingly, the N-terminal sequence, containing both a site of tyrosine sulfation and an O-glycan, has been shown to bind to P-selectin with an affinity similar to full-length PSGL-1. To further characterize this system, the synthesis of glycopeptides from PSGL-1 was undertaken. The synthesis involved both solution- and solid-phase synthesis, as well as enzymatic transformations. During the synthesis, notable reactivity differences of the glycosyltransferases toward sulfated and unsulfated versions of the same glycopeptides were observed.