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: 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.