Patent ID: 7754432

Claim:
A method for determining the requirement for a functional group on a modified oligosaccharide for binding to a binding partner, the method comprising the steps of: a) contacting a modified oligosaccharide comprising at least one functional group, which provides a binding characteristic with a binding partner to form a modified oligosaccharide-binding partner complex; b) contacting an oligosaccharide which is an unmodified oligosaccharide of step (a) with a binding partner, wherein said unmodified oligosaccharide does not form an oligosaccharide binding partner complex; and c) detecting the presence of said modified oligosaccharide-binding partner complex, upon subjecting the oligosaccharides in (a) and (b) to an assay, wherein said assay consists of an electrophoretic mobility shift assay consisting of a native gel, wherein said detection is a direct detection comprising the visualization and optionally quantification of a region in the gel comprising the modified oligosaccharide-binding partner complex; and whereby a detection of said modified oligosaccharide-binding partner complex of (a) and a lack of detection of an unmodified oligosaccharide-binding partner complex of (b) indicates a requirement for said functional group, for binding of the modified oligosaccharide to a binding partner.