Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.6
4.6
Journals
Molecules
Special Issues
Contemporary Synthetic Glycoscience: A Theme Issue Dedicated to the Memory...
molecules-logo
Submit to Molecules Review for Molecules Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Contemporary Synthetic Glycoscience: A Theme Issue Dedicated to the Memory of Hans Paulsen

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioorganic Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2025) | Viewed by 4217

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Joachim Erich Thiem

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hamburg, Martin- Luther-King-Platz 6, Hamburg, Germany
Interests: synthetic carbohydrate chemistry; preparative chemoenzymatic synthesis; carbohydrates as chemical feedstock

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Molecules is dedicated to Professor Dr. Hans Paulsen for his contributions to the field of glycoscience.

Hans Paulsen, born on May 20, 1922 in Altona, was drafted after graduating from high school and conducted labor and military service until 1945. He returned to Hamburg seriously ill and was only able to start studying chemistry in 1948. After completing his Diploma, he received his doctorate in 1955 as Dr. rer. nat. from the University of Hamburg in the research group of Prof. Kurt Heyns. In 1962, he completed his Habilitation at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences with the thesis "Monosaccharides with Nitrogen in the Ring".

From 1953 onwards, he was employed as Scientific Assistant in Heyns' group for teaching, researching, and planning tasks in the construction of the university's new chemistry center. In 1968, the Privatdozent was appointed University Professor. He did not follow the offer to fill a chair at the University of Kiel, but instead took up the newly created Professorship for Natural Product Chemistry in Hamburg, a position he held from 1972 until his retirement in 1987.

Hans Paulsen's scientific work lies at the heart of carbohydrate chemistry. Joint publications with his academic teacher Kurt Heyns dealt with the platinum-catalyzed oxidation of saccharides. Individual topics relating to the chemistry of carbohydrates with nitrogen in the hemiacetal ring later gained particular attention because such derivatives turned out to be extremely potent glycosidase inhibitors. Other research areas dealt with acyloxonium rearrangements in carbohydrate chemistry; phosphorus-containing saccharides; carbohydrates with branched functional chains; aminoglycoside antibiotics; and oligosaccharide, glycolipid, and O- and N-glycoprotein syntheses. Early on, Hans Paulsen recognized the impact of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) for structural assignments in organic chemistry and particularly complex saccharides; he purposefully expanded this technology in Hamburg. This enabled him to make important contributions to the conformations of monosaccharide and later oligosaccharide derivatives, as well as to the understanding of the exo-anomeric effect.

Hans Paulsen's scientific work, with more than 500 publications, has received some of the most prestigious national and international awards, including the Emil Fischer Medal, the Haworth Memorial Medal, the Claude S. Hudson Award, the Heyrovsky Medal, the Biyvoet Medal, and the Riken Eminent Scientist Award. Hans Paulsen has served as a co-Editor and a member of the Editorial Boards of numerous international journals. As one of the chief reviewers at the German Research Foundation, he helped shape the field of organic chemistry in Germany for many years.

Remarkably, behind this enormous impact stands a modest and reserved personality. Never loud but always with convincing detailed knowledge, he charismatically encouraged many young scientists to write their own articles. His withdrawn private lifestyle always became somewhat transparent when he reported enthusiastically, knowledgeably, and humorously with beautiful pictures about history, architecture, countries, and their people from numerous trips to all parts of the world.

We will remember Hans Paulsen as a great scientist and highly valued colleague.

It is with pleasure that we address all his colleagues and friends and ask for contributions to this Commemorative Special Issue dedicated to honoring his achievements in glycoscience.

Prof. Dr. Joachim Erich Thiem
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • synthesis, chemical, enzymatic
  • glycosylation
  • mono-, di-, tri-, oligosaccharides
  • carbohydrate-based
  • modified carbohydrates
  • glycoconjugates

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (8 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 990 KiB  
Article
Bivalent Inhibitors of Mannose-Specific Bacterial Adhesion: A Xylose-Based Conformational Switch to Control Glycoligand Distance
by Sven Ole Jaeschke, Ingo vom Sondern and Thisbe K. Lindhorst
Molecules 2025, 30(15), 3074; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30153074 - 23 Jul 2025
Viewed by 211
Abstract
Functional glycomimetics is suited to study the parameters of carbohydrate recognition that forms the basis of glycobiology. It is particularly attractive when a glycoligand allows for the investigation of two different states, such as varying distance between multiple glycoligands. Here, a xylopyranoside was [...] Read more.
Functional glycomimetics is suited to study the parameters of carbohydrate recognition that forms the basis of glycobiology. It is particularly attractive when a glycoligand allows for the investigation of two different states, such as varying distance between multiple glycoligands. Here, a xylopyranoside was employed as a scaffold for the presentation of two mannoside units which are ligands of the bacterial lectin FimH. The chair conformation of the central xyloside can be switched between a 4C1 and a 1C4 conformation whereby the two conjugated mannoside ligands are flipped from a di-equatorial into a di-axial position. Concomitantly, the distance between the two glycoligands changes and, as a consequence, so does the biological activity of the respective bivalent glycocluster, as shown in adhesion–inhibition assays with live bacteria. Molecular modeling was employed to correlate the inter-ligand distance with the structure of the formed glycocluster–FimH complex. Our study suggests that conformational switches can be employed and further advanced as smart molecular tools to study structural boundary conditions of carbohydrate recognition in a bottom-up approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Synthetic Glycoscience: A Theme Issue Dedicated to the Memory of Hans Paulsen)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

14 pages, 2831 KiB  
Article
Cooperatively Catalyzed Activation of Thioglycosides with Iodine and Iron(III) Trifluoromethanesulfonate
by Ashley R. Dent, Aidan M. DeSpain and Alexei V. Demchenko
Molecules 2025, 30(15), 3058; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30153058 - 22 Jul 2025
Viewed by 680
Abstract
Reported herein is a further expansion of the cooperatively catalyzed Koenigs–Knorr glycosylation reaction, known as “the 4K reaction”. It has been discovered that molecular iodine, along with a metal salt and an acid additive, can activate thioglycosides. Previous mechanistic studies showed the interaction [...] Read more.
Reported herein is a further expansion of the cooperatively catalyzed Koenigs–Knorr glycosylation reaction, known as “the 4K reaction”. It has been discovered that molecular iodine, along with a metal salt and an acid additive, can activate thioglycosides. Previous mechanistic studies showed the interaction of the anomeric sulfur with thiophilic iodine; this complex is stable until the halophilic metal salt and the acid additive are added. This new avenue has allowed for the investigation of halophilic promoters that would not activate thioglycosides without iodine. Presented herein is the recent discovery of iron(III) triflate as an efficient activator of thioglycosides via the 4K reaction pathway. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Synthetic Glycoscience: A Theme Issue Dedicated to the Memory of Hans Paulsen)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1765 KiB  
Article
Towards Understanding the Basis of Brucella Antigen–Antibody Specificity
by Amika Sood, David R. Bundle and Robert J. Woods
Molecules 2025, 30(14), 2906; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30142906 - 9 Jul 2025
Viewed by 348
Abstract
Brucellosis continues to be a significant global zoonotic infection, with diagnosis largely relying on the detection of antibodies against the Brucella O-polysaccharide (O-PS) A and M antigens. In this study, computational methods, including homology modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations, were applied [...] Read more.
Brucellosis continues to be a significant global zoonotic infection, with diagnosis largely relying on the detection of antibodies against the Brucella O-polysaccharide (O-PS) A and M antigens. In this study, computational methods, including homology modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations, were applied to investigate the interaction of the four murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) YsT9.1, YsT9.2, Bm10, and Bm28 with hexasaccharide fragments of the A and M epitopes. Through stringent stability criteria, based on interaction energies and mobility of the antigens, high-affinity binding of A antigen with YsT9.1 antibody and M antigen with Bm10 antibody was predicted. In both the complexes hydrophobic interactions dominate the antigen–antibody binding. These findings align well with experimental epitope mapping, indicating YsT9.1’s preference for internal sequences of the A epitope and Bm10’s preference for internal elements of the M epitope. Interestingly, no stable complexes were identified for YsT9.2 or Bm28 interacting with A or M antigen. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanism of molecular recognition of Brucella O-antigens that can be applied for the development of improved diagnostics, synthetic glycomimetics, and improved vaccine strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Synthetic Glycoscience: A Theme Issue Dedicated to the Memory of Hans Paulsen)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 556 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Azide-Labeled β-Lactosylceramide Analogs Containing Different Lipid Chains as Useful Glycosphingolipid Probes
by Basant Mohamed, Rajendra Rohokale, Xin Yan, Amany M. Ghanim, Nermine A. Osman, Hanan A. Abdel-Fattah and Zhongwu Guo
Molecules 2025, 30(13), 2667; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132667 - 20 Jun 2025
Viewed by 514
Abstract
β-Lactosylceramide (β-LacCer) is not only a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of complex glycosphingolipids (GSLs) but also an important regulator of many biological processes. To facilitate the investigation of β-LacCer and other GSLs, a series of β-LacCer analogs with an azido group at [...] Read more.
β-Lactosylceramide (β-LacCer) is not only a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of complex glycosphingolipids (GSLs) but also an important regulator of many biological processes. To facilitate the investigation of β-LacCer and other GSLs, a series of β-LacCer analogs with an azido group at the 6-C-position of the D-galactose in lactose and varied forms of the ceramide moiety were synthesized from commercially available lactose in sixteen linear steps by a versatile and diversity-oriented strategy, which engaged lipid remodeling and glycan functionalization at the final stage. These azide-labeled β-LacCer analogs are flexible and universal platforms that are suitable for further functionalization with other molecular tags via straightforward and biocompatible click chemistry, thereby paving the way for their application to various biological studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Synthetic Glycoscience: A Theme Issue Dedicated to the Memory of Hans Paulsen)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 824 KiB  
Article
Total Synthesis of Cardenolides Acospectoside A and Acovenoside B
by Benzhang Liu, Peng Xu and Biao Yu
Molecules 2025, 30(11), 2297; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30112297 - 23 May 2025
Viewed by 398
Abstract
Acospectoside A (1) and acovenoside B (2), two cytotoxic cardenolides extracted from the venomous South African bush Acokanthera oppositifolia, are distinguished by their unique structural motifs of the l-acovenose moiety at C-3 and a 1β-O-acetylated [...] Read more.
Acospectoside A (1) and acovenoside B (2), two cytotoxic cardenolides extracted from the venomous South African bush Acokanthera oppositifolia, are distinguished by their unique structural motifs of the l-acovenose moiety at C-3 and a 1β-O-acetylated cardenolide aglycone. Here, we report the synthesis of these cardiac glycosides featuring delicate introductions of the 1-O-acetyl group under acid-catalyzed conditions, 14β-OH by Mukaiyama hydration, and a C17-butenolide moiety by Stille coupling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Synthetic Glycoscience: A Theme Issue Dedicated to the Memory of Hans Paulsen)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 896 KiB  
Article
Chemical and Enzymatic Synthesis of DisialylGb5 and Other Sialosides for Glycan Array Assembly and Evaluation of Siglec-Mediated Immune Checkpoint Inhibition
by Kuo-Shiang Liao, Yixuan Zhou, Cinya Chung, Chih-Chuan Kung, Chien-Tai Ren, Chung-Yi Wu, Yi-Wei Lou, Po-Kai Chuang, Balázs Imre, Yves S. Y. Hsieh and Chi-Huey Wong
Molecules 2025, 30(11), 2264; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30112264 - 22 May 2025
Viewed by 829
Abstract
Aberrant glycosylation, especially sialylation, on cell surface is often associated with cancer progression and immunosuppression. Over-sialylation of stage-specific embryonic antigen-4 (SSEA-4) to generate disialylGb5 (DSGb5) was reported to trigger Siglec-7 recognition and suppress NK-mediated target killing. In this study, efficient chemo-enzymatic and programmable [...] Read more.
Aberrant glycosylation, especially sialylation, on cell surface is often associated with cancer progression and immunosuppression. Over-sialylation of stage-specific embryonic antigen-4 (SSEA-4) to generate disialylGb5 (DSGb5) was reported to trigger Siglec-7 recognition and suppress NK-mediated target killing. In this study, efficient chemo-enzymatic and programmable one-pot methods were explored for the synthesis of DSGb5 and related sialosides for assembly of glycan microarrays and evaluation of binding specificity toward Siglecs-7, 9, 10, and 15 associated with immune checkpoint inhibition. The result showed weak binding of DSGb5 to these Siglecs; however, a truncated glycolyl glycan was identified to bind Siglec-10 strongly with a dissociation constant of 50 nM and exhibited a significant inhibition of Siglec-10 interacting with breast cancer cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Synthetic Glycoscience: A Theme Issue Dedicated to the Memory of Hans Paulsen)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

63 pages, 6750 KiB  
Review
Synthesis and Immunogenicity of Pseudo-Oligosaccharides Structurally Related to Repeating Units of Capsular Phosphoglycans of Human Pathogens
by Elena A. Khatuntseva, Anastasia A. Kamneva, Dmitry V. Yashunsky and Nikolay E. Nifantiev
Molecules 2025, 30(15), 3068; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30153068 - 22 Jul 2025
Viewed by 357
Abstract
This review focuses on the synthesis of spacer-armed phosphooligosaccharides structurally related to the capsular phosphoglycans of pathogenic bacteria, including the Haemophilus influenzae serotypes a, b, c, and f, Neisseria meningitidis serogroups a and x, the Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 6a, 6b, 6c, 6f, 19a, [...] Read more.
This review focuses on the synthesis of spacer-armed phosphooligosaccharides structurally related to the capsular phosphoglycans of pathogenic bacteria, including the Haemophilus influenzae serotypes a, b, c, and f, Neisseria meningitidis serogroups a and x, the Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 6a, 6b, 6c, 6f, 19a, and 19f, and the Campylobacter jejuni serotype HS:53, strain RM1221, in which the phosphodiester linkage is a structural component of a phosphoglycan backbone. Also, in this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the preparation and immunogenicity of neoglycoconjugates based on synthetic phosphooligosaccharides. The discussed data helps evaluate the prospects for the development of conjugate vaccines on the basis of synthetic phosphooligosaccharide antigens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Synthetic Glycoscience: A Theme Issue Dedicated to the Memory of Hans Paulsen)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 3918 KiB  
Review
Sucrose-Based Macrocycles: An Update
by Sławomir Jarosz and Zbigniew Pakulski
Molecules 2025, 30(13), 2721; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132721 - 24 Jun 2025
Viewed by 406
Abstract
Sucrose is by far the most abundant disaccharide found in nature, consisting of two simple hexose units: d-glucose and d-fructose. This exceptionally inexpensive and widely accessible raw material is produced in virtually limitless quantities. The vast majority is consumed in the [...] Read more.
Sucrose is by far the most abundant disaccharide found in nature, consisting of two simple hexose units: d-glucose and d-fructose. This exceptionally inexpensive and widely accessible raw material is produced in virtually limitless quantities. The vast majority is consumed in the food industry either in its native form—as commercial table sugar—or, to a lesser extent, as the basis for artificial sweeteners such as palatinose and sucralose. Beyond its dietary use, sucrose serves as a feedstock for the production of bioethanol, liquid crystals, biodegradable surfactants, and polymers. However, the application of this valuable and extremely cheap raw material (100% optical purity and eight stereogenic centers with precisely defined stereochemistry) in the synthesis of more sophisticated products remains surprisingly limited. In this short review, we focus on the strategic use of the sucrose scaffold in the design and synthesis of fine chemicals. Special attention will be paid to macrocyclic derivatives incorporating the sucrose backbone. These water-soluble structures show promise as molecular receptors within biological environments, offering unique advantages in terms of solubility, biocompatibility, and stereochemical precision. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Synthetic Glycoscience: A Theme Issue Dedicated to the Memory of Hans Paulsen)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-8
Back to TopTop