Oligosaccharide receptors for bacteria: a view to a kill

Oligosaccharide recognition is a major means of bacterial-host cell attachment. Bacterial-host receptor binding can subvert host signaling pathways to cause pathology, In addition, pathogenic bacteria can utilize more than one recognition system to bind host cells. Recent studies of Helicobacter pylori illustrate both these points. Together with this redundancy in recognition, the importance of multivalent sugar binding has become apparent. Multivalent sugar receptor analogs have been used to both prevent and detach adherent bacteria. Several new chemical technologies for the generation of bioactive glycopolymers have been developed and may be successfully adapted to address both these issues.