Oligosaccharide and glycoprotein microarrays as tools in HIV glycobiology; glycan-dependent gp120/protein interactions.

Defining HIV envelope glycoprotein interactions with host factors or binding partners advances our understanding of the infectious process and provides a basis for the design of vaccines and agents that interfere with HIV entry. Here we employ carbohydrate and glycoprotein microarrays to analyze glycan-dependent gp120-protein interactions. In concert with new linking chemistries and synthetic methods, the carbohydrate arrays combine the advantages of microarray technology with the flexibility and precision afforded by organic synthesis. With these microarrays, we individually and competitively determined the binding profiles of five gp120 binding proteins, established the carbohydrate structural requirements for these interactions, and identified a potential strategy for HIV vaccine development.