Glycosylation employing bio-systems: from enzymes to whole cells

This contribution will highlight chemoenzymatic approaches to the rather complex task of stereospecific and regiospecific glycosylation. Advantages and problems associated with the application of enzymes from carbohydrate metabolism as organic reagents in aqueous and non-aqueous solvent systems are discussed, One chapter will report on the use of glycosidases in reverse hydrolysis and tranglycosylation reactions, Another section focuses on the syntheses with simple as well as more complex and delicate glycosyltransferases including cofactor regeneration. Further, effective combination of both degrading and synthesising enzyme systems, and finally glycosylations employing cells with direct access to their complete enzyme equipment are treated.