Abstract: The present invention provides a sugar chain synthesizer capable of continuously reacting sugar chains when a plurality of sugar chains are successively reacted. The sugar chain synthesizer of the present invention includes a plurality of vessels containing respective sugar nucleotide solutions, a plurality of vessels containing respective glycosyltransferases, and a reactor containing a primer that is a water-soluble polymer, into which the above described sugar nucleotide solution and glycosyltransferase are introduced. In the present invention, components in a reaction solution obtained in the reactor are separated through an ultrafiltration column, and a reaction product is then returned to the above described reactor, so as to continuously synthesize sugar chains. Although it is a complicated synthesis of sugar chains, it becomes possible to carry out such synthesis continuously and automatically.

Abstract: A polymer compound having a monosaccharide or an oligosaccharide residue, or an amino acid or peptide residue bound to a monosaccharide or an oligosaccharide residue bound to a side chain of a water-soluble polymer through a linker containing a selectively cleavable bond, the water-soluble polymer containing 20 to 80 mol % of (meth)acrylic acid residue.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sugar chain purification instrument which can continuously and efficiently purify the sugar chain. According to the present invention, the instrument includes an immobilized protease column in which a carrier which can be packed in the column and on which protease is immobilized is packed and an immobilized glycopeptidase column in which a carrier which can be packed in the column and on which glycopeptidase is immobilized is packed, these columns being connected in series, and the reaction is carried out while continuously passing a glycoprotein to be decomposed together with a suitable buffer solution through the above columns. The step of liberation of sugar chain from the glycoprotein is highly simplified and labor-saving, and liberation of the sugar chain can be moderately and simply performed.

Abstract: A polymer compound having a monosaccharide or an oligosaccharide residue, or an amino acid or peptide residue bound to a monosaccharide or an oligosaccharide residue bound to a side chain of a water-soluble polymer through a linker containing a selectively cleavable bond, the water-soluble polymer containing 20 to 80 mol % of (meth)acrylic acid residue.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sugar chain purification instrument which can continuously and efficiently purify the sugar chain. According to the present invention, the instrument includes an immobilized protease column in which a carrier which can be packed in the column and on which protease is immobilized is packed and an immobilized glycopeptidase column in which a carrier which can be packed in the column and on which glycopeptidase is immobilized is packed, these columns being connected in series, and the reaction is carried out while continuously passing a glycoprotein to be decomposed together with a suitable buffer solution through the above columns. The step of liberation of sugar chain from the glycoprotein is highly simplified and labor-saving, and liberation of the sugar chain can be moderately and simply performed.

Abstract: A sugar chain synthesizer comprising one or more reaction columns packed with immobilized glycosyltransferase and/or glycosidase; one or more separation means, arranged downstream from the reaction columns, for separating reaction products, unreaction products and byproducts contained in the solution eluted from the reaction columns; a first pump for feeding a primer of water soluble polymer and buffer solution to the reaction columns through a first selector valve; a second pump for feeding a buffer solution and sugar nucleotide solution to any one of the reaction columns through a second selector valve; one or more circulation flow paths connecting between a flow path downstream from the separation means and a flow path upstream from each of the reaction columns; and a third selector valve, arranged between the separation means and one or more circulation flow paths, for selective connection between the separation means and a desired circulation flow path.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sugar chain synthesizer capable of continuously reacting sugar chains when a plurality of sugar chains are successively reacted. The sugar chain synthesizer of the present invention includes a plurality of vessels containing respective sugar nucleotide solutions, a plurality of vessels containing respective glycosyltransferases, and a reactor containing a primer that is a water-soluble polymer, into which the above described sugar nucleotide solution and glycosyltransferase are introduced. In the present invention, components in a reaction solution obtained in the reactor are separated through an ultrafiltration column, and a reaction product is then returned to the above described reactor, so as to continuously synthesize sugar chains. Although it is a complicated synthesis of sugar chains, it becomes possible to carry out such synthesis continuously and automatically.

Abstract: A method for producing glycoconjugate, which comprises the steps of:(i) binding a sugar residue to the side chain of a water-soluble polymer via a linker having a selectively cleavable linkage to give a primer, and bringing said primer into contact with an immobilized glycosyltransferase in the presence of a sugar nucleotide, to transfer a sugar residue of said sugar nucleotide to the sugar residue of said primer,(ii) elongating a sugar chain by transfer of plural sugar residues by repeating the step (i) at least once,(iii) removing, where necessary, a by-produced nucleotide or an unreacted sugar nucleotide, and(iv) repeating the steps (i)-(iii) where necessary and releasing the glycoconjugate by selectively cleaving the cleavable linkage in the linker, from the above-mentioned primer connecting the sugar chain elongated by the transfer of plural sugar residues,and a method for producing a sphingoglycolipid.