Gala1-3Galb1-4GlcNAcb1-3Galb1-4Glc , a-Gal epitope type III

Methylated glycans are carbohydrate-based molecules that are modified by the addition of a methyl group. These modifications can be used for many purposes, including as probes for enzymatic reactions and to block or enhance specific cell surface receptors. The modification is often done with a click chemistry reaction, which is a fast and efficient method that can also be used to modify other compounds such as proteins. Methylation of glycans is often done in the lab using methylamine gas, but it can also be accomplished through more complex methods like click chemistry or fluorination. Glycosylation is the process of adding sugars to other molecules and is one way to produce methylated glycans. Galactosamine (GalN) is an example of a monosaccharide that can be methylated and glycosylated, producing galactose-N-methyltransferase (Gal1MT) and Gal1M3GnT1.