Synthesis of new Galβ1→4Fuc segments useful for biological investigations.

Useful segments (1, 2) for chemical probes embedded in a Galβ1→4Fuc unit were designed and prepared for characterizing sugar-binding proteins in Caenorhabditis elegans. Segment 1 with an amino group terminus was used as a recognition unit in affinity chromatography. It was revealed that some proteins (annexins and galectins) in C. elegans have an affinity for Galβ1→4Fuc.