glycosidically

Glycosidically is an adverb related to glycosides and glycosidic bonds. In chemistry and biochemistry, it describes actions, reactions, or properties involving glycosidic linkages—covalent connections formed between a sugar moiety and another molecule (the aglycone), usually through an O- or N-glycosidic bond. The bond typically involves the anomeric carbon of a sugar and an oxygen or nitrogen atom on the partner.

Glycosidic bonds may be formed by condensation, often catalyzed by enzymes called glycosyltransferases in biology, or by chemical synthesis. They are cleaved by hydrolysis, mediated by glycosidases in living organisms or by acid or base conditions in the laboratory. The distinction between O-glycosidic and N-glycosidic determines chemical properties and reactivity.

Common examples include glycosidic linkages in disaccharides such as maltose, lactose, and sucrose, where sugar units are linked via their anomeric carbons. In nucleic acids, the N-glycosidic bond connects a nucleobase to the sugar (ribose or deoxyribose). Plant and microbial glycosides have sugar moieties attached to various aglycones, influencing solubility, stability, and biological activity. In summary, glycosidically describes processes and structures defined by glycosidic bonds, central to carbohydrate chemistry, glycoside metabolism, and the pharmacology of glycosylated compounds.