Product Name
L-(-)-Fucose, 99%
Certificate of Analysis (COA)
Product Introduction
L-(-)-Fucose is a naturally occurring 6-deoxy-L-galactose monosaccharide widely distributed in glycoproteins, glycolipids, and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). It is a key structural component in fucosylated glycans and plays a crucial role in cell–cell recognition, immune regulation, microbial interaction, and signal transduction.
Due to its biological importance, L-(-)-Fucose is extensively used in:
- Enzyme substrate development
- Glycoprotein and glycolipid analysis
- Fucosylation pathway studies
- Glycobiology research
- Microbiome research
- Pharmaceutical and diagnostic reagent development
It is considered an essential research reagent for studying glycan structure–function relationships.
Mechanism of Action
L-(-)-Fucose participates in multiple biological processes through incorporation into glycoconjugates.
1. Glycoprotein & Glycolipid Component
- Terminal sugar in N-linked and O-linked glycans
- Found in blood group antigens (e.g., H antigen precursor)
- Involved in cell surface recognition mechanisms
2. Fucosylation Pathway Substrate
- Converted to GDP-fucose in cells
- Used by fucosyltransferases for glycan modification
- Regulates protein folding, secretion, and receptor activity
3. Role in Immune & Microbial Interaction
- Influences leukocyte adhesion
- Participates in selectin-mediated binding
- Serves as a carbon source for specific gut microbiota
Typical Applications
1. Enzyme Activity & Substrate Studies
- Substrate for fucosyltransferase assays
- α-L-fucosidase activity measurement
- Kinetic parameter determination (Km, Vmax)
- Inhibitor screening of glycosylation enzymes
Frequently integrated into spectrophotometric or chromatographic assay systems.
2. Glycobiology & Glycomics Research
Widely used for:
- Glycan structure analysis
- Fucosylation pathway studies
- Glycoprotein functional characterization
- Lectin-binding experiments
Suitable for in vitro enzymatic and analytical studies.
3. Cell Biology & Signal Transduction Research
- Cell adhesion mechanism studies
- Selectin–ligand interaction assays
- Tumor-associated glycan research
- Developmental biology investigations
4. Microbiome & Nutritional Research
- Carbon source studies for gut bacteria
- Human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) research
- Prebiotic mechanism investigation
- Host–microbe interaction models
5. Pharmaceutical & Diagnostic Applications
- Raw material for glycan-based drug development
- Biomarker research (fucosylated glycoproteins)
- Cancer glycosylation studies
- IVD reagent development
Advantages in Research Applications
- Naturally occurring L-isomer with high biological relevance
- High purity suitable for analytical and enzymatic assays
- Water-soluble and easy to integrate into buffer systems
- Essential substrate in fucosylation pathway studies
- Widely cited in glycobiology and biomedical literature
- Compatible with HPLC, LC-MS, and enzymatic assay platforms
Recommended Experimental Conditions
| Parameter |
Typical Condition |
| Direct detection |
190–210 nm (limited use) |
| Derivatized detection |
245–250 nm (PMP-HPLC) |
| Enzyme-coupled assay |
340 nm (NADH system) |
| Buffer systems |
Phosphate, Tris-HCl, HEPES |
| pH range |
6.0–8.5 |
| Reaction temperature |
25–37°C |
| Assay format |
HPLC, LC-MS, Microplate, Enzyme kinetics |
Related Research Areas
Researchers working in the following areas may benefit from L-(-)-Fucose:
- Glycosylation pathway research
- Glycoproteomics and glycomics
- Immunology and inflammation studies
- Cancer biomarker discovery
- Microbiome science
- Biopharmaceutical development
