Synthesis of an oxime-linked neoglycopeptide with glycosylation-dependent activity similar to its native counterpart

Neoglycopeptides containing an oxime sugar-peptide linkage can be generated by coupling an aminooxy sugar with a peptide bearing a keto-amino acid. The coupling reaction can be executed in aqueous milieu without need for protecting groups on the peptide or saccharide, or auxiliary coupling reagents. Using this method, an oxime-linked analog of an antimicrobial peptide with glycosylation-dependent function was prepared and found to have similar bioactivity to the native glycopeptide. Thus, replacement of the sugar-peptide bond with an unnatural but synthetically facile linkage can produce functional neoglycopeptides. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.