Three conjugation methods for use with the capsular saccharide of
Streptococcus agalactiae. In the first method, reductive animation of
oxidised sialic acid residue side chains is used, but the aldehyde groups
are first aminated, and then the amine is coupled to a carrier via a
linker. In the second method, sialic acid residues and/or
N-acetyl-glucosamine residues are de-N-acetylated to give amine groups,
and the amine groups are coupled to a carrier protein via a linker. In
the third method, linkage is via galactose residues in the capsular
saccharide rather than sialic acid residues, which can conveniently be
achieved using galactose oxidase.