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Synthesis of fragments of a polysaccharide from Nocardia nova for structural and biological studies

  • Author / Creator
    Han, Fazheng
  • Nocardia are gram-positive bacteria. Nocardia nova is one of the Nocardia species and can cause serious disease, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Rapid diagnosis of N. nova can be lifesaving. The cell wall of N. nova contains an unusual glucose-modified arabinogalactan polysaccharide with a unique structure that may be a possible target for diagnostic development.
    In this thesis, I describe the synthesis of oligosaccharide fragments of the glucosyl-galactan domain of N. nova arabinogalactan. My targets are structures that contain one or two tetrasaccharide repeating units with an 8-azido-octyl linker at their reducing end. The approach I developed was to synthesize a key tetrasaccharide building block and then use it to glycosylate 8-azido-octanol. The same building block was used to carry out 4+4 glycosylation to obtain the octasaccharide. These molecules will be useful in confirming the structure of the polysaccharide, to generate monoclonal antibodies that could be used in a diagnostic, and to understand the immunological activity of this unique bacterial glycan.

  • Subjects / Keywords
  • Graduation date
    Spring 2020
  • Type of Item
    Thesis
  • Degree
    Master of Science
  • DOI
    https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-fgbt-er07
  • License
    Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission.