Synthetic plant glycans.

For more than a century the primary carbon source for the production of fuels, chemicals and many materials has been fossil resources. Recently, plant polysaccharides from non-food biomass have emerged as a promising renewable alternative that may displace a significant fraction of petroleum-derived products. As a food source, plant polysaccharides can provide beneficial effects on the human immune system in the form of dietary fiber. Despite the strong impact of plant glycans on society and human health, their chemical synthesis remains largely unexplored compared to the synthesis of mammalian and bacterial glycans. Synthetic glycans such as described in this review provide an important toolbox for studying the role of carbohydrates in plant biology and their interaction with human health.