This compound, Neu5Acα(2-6)Galβ(1-4)GlcNAc-β-pNP, is a synthetic chromogenic substrate primarily used in biochemical and glycobiology research to study the activity of glycosidases, such as β-N-acetylhexosaminidases and sialidases. It enables investigation of enzyme specificity and kinetics in the degradation of sialylated glycans, which are critical in glycosylation processes. The p-nitrophenyl (pNP) group facilitates easy detection of enzymatic activity via colorimetric assays upon hydrolysis, releasing p-nitrophenolate. Researchers employ it to explore the effects of sialylation on carbohydrate-protein interactions, essential for biological functions like cell signaling and immune responses. Furthermore, it supports the development of inhibitors or modulators for therapeutic targeting of diseases involving abnormal glycosylation, including cancer, inflammation, and infectious diseases, and is ideal for high-throughput screening and enzyme characterization.