Abstract: A method for distinguishing between carbohydrates or glycoconjugates in a mixture thereof, wherein the or each carbohydrate or glycoconjugate is a hydrophilic fluorescently-labelled saccharide molecule, wherein the label is a --NR--Ph--CO-- group, wherein R is selected from H and substituents, and Ph is phenylene.

Abstract: A process suitable for use in the sequencing of an oligosaccharide compound includes a first analysis of a primary oligosaccharide compound's monosaccharide composition, selection of sequencing agents to apply to the oligosaccharide compound, applying a selected sequencing agent to the oligosaccharide compound, and analyzing a released monosaccharide to select a second sequencing agent. The sequencing agent may be, for example, an enzyme. The oligosaccharide compound may be, for example, an oligosaccharide, or a product of an oligosaccharide, or a species having an oligosaccharide portion.

Abstract: An immobilized complex of one or more labeled carbohydrates wherein the labeled carbohydrates have been derivatized in a substantially hydrophobic solvent system and components other then the complex have been removed by washing with a hydrophobic solvent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the analysis of unknown oligosaccharides and more particularly the form of analysis in which an unknown oligosaccharide is sequentially brought together with different agents which cause monosaccharides to be cleaved from (or chemically bound to) the oligosaccharide. If cleavage occurs the monosaccharide will subsequentially be detected in the products of the experiment thus confirming that the monosaccharide was attached to the unknown oligosaccharide and providing a means of determining the structure of the unknown oligosaccharide. The invention proposes an analytical technique for determining the best agent to be used in performing such an experiment so that a maximum amount of information is obtained from the experiment.

Abstract: A method of oligosaccharide sequencing in which the components are determined essentially simultaneously is disclosed which comprises a series of steps as follows:A. Placing an identifying label on the reducing terminal residue of the oligosaccharide to be sequenced,B. Dividing said oligosaccharide into a plurality of separate portions of known integer amounts,C. Treating each said portion with a different reagent mix to thereby provide a series of reaction mixtures,D. Pooling known integer amounts of the products from each separate reaction mixture to give a product pool,E. Performing an analysis on said product pool which measures the molar proportions of the reaction products, andF. Reconstructing or identifying the starting oligosaccharide from the molar prevalence of said reaction products.