Guest Editor
Collection Overview
Microbial polysaccharides, since they form the outermost layer at the surface, are important virulence factors and are the first components recognized by the immune system in the course of colonization or infection. As such, the use of polysaccharide-based vaccines and the advent of glycoconjugate vaccines have both impacted diseases caused by encapsulated pathogens. Many additional pathogen targets are currently in development following the successes in the fight against Haemophilus influenza type b, pneumococcus, and meningococcus. However, some studies are conducted with poorly purified or defined polysaccharides and many variables of glycoconjugate vaccine design heavily influence a vaccine’s immunogenicity and efficacy.
In this Methods Collection, we aim to share the latest methods and protocols employed in the context of microbial polysaccharide research to promote collaboration and disseminate key techniques and protocols from the fields of biochemistry, chemistry, and immunology. Hopefully, this will lead to a better understanding of polysaccharide and glycoconjugate immunology. The collection includes, but is not limited to, the following aspects and techniques: isolation and purification of native polysaccharides (chromatography), total synthesis and structural modification approaches by chemical, enzymatic, or physical means, conjugation to a carrier protein (glycoconjugates), and the structural (nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry) and physicochemical analyses (size exclusion chromatography with multi-angle light scattering). Additionally, cutting-edge methodologies aimed at studying polysaccharides and the antigenicity and immunogenicity of glycoconjugates are welcome for submissions.
