Histo-Blood Group Antigens (HBGAs) are glycans that include the determinants of secretor-status and blood type of an individual. HBGAs are polymorphic carbohydrate structures representing terminal exposed portions of larger glycans that are O- or N-linked to proteins or to glycolipids.  They are synthesized by the sequential addition of a monosaccharide to a terminal precursor disaccharide by genetically controlled expression of certain glycosyl- transferases. Depending upon the composition of the disaccharide backbone and the linkage, they are grouped in the four types: type 1 (Galβ1-3GlcNAcβ), type 2 (Galβ1-4GlcNAcβ), type 3 (Galβ1-3GalNAcα), and type 4 (Galβ1-3GalNAcβ). Researchers have utilized these HBGAs to couple with different biotin like reporter molecules for the applications in diagnostics. Glycosidase detection is frequently used to either confirm the presence or absence of a pathogen, or indicate a diseased state. For instance, in order to tell if coliform bacteria are present in potable water, recreational pools, or other public water resources, tests look for either β-galactosidase, a glycoside hydrolase enzyme, or β-glucuronidase, another glycosidase family member. For example, noroviruses detection kit developed using these principles, that works swiftly and with low-cost starting materials, thus evading the many complications and resource expenditures associated with preexisting diagnostic techniques. They synthesized a variety of glycoconjugates with which to detect glycosidase. Characterization, quantification, and biofunctional studies of HBOs remain a great challenge due to their diversity and complexity. The accessibility of these complex glycosides library is essential to solve these issues which have beset academia for several decades.

1. Synthesis and Evaluation of Biotinylated Bivalent HistoBlood Group Antigens for Capturing Human Noroviruses Dhawane A. N.; Diez-Valcarce M.; Gurale B. P.; Dinh H.; Vinje J.; Iyer S. S.; Bioconjugate Chemistry 2016, 27, 1822.

2. Diversity-Oriented Enzymatic Modular Assembly of ABO Histo-blood Group Antigens. Jinfeng Ye, Xian- wei Liu, Peng Peng, Wen Yi, Xi Chen, Fengshan Wang, and Hongzhi Cao .  ACS Catalysis 2016, 6, 8140. 

3. Larissa Krasnova, Chi-Huey Wong. Oligosaccharide Synthesis and Translational Innovation. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2019, 141, 3735.