5. Determining the primary structure

When the molar composition of oligo- and polysaccharides is obtained, the following questions arise:

1. In what order will the different monosaccharides conjugate?

2. For a given ose, what is the α or β nature of the glycosidic bond that associates it with its monosaccharide partner?

3. In which position(s) is its carbon skeleton substituted by one or more monosaccharides?

The answer to these questions lies in the application of chemical, physical or enzymatic processes, used alone or in combination. It should also be remembered that lectins can provide invaluable information on the primary structure of glycosides (see