The structural analysis of protein-carbohydrate interactions is essential for the long-range aim to sort out entropic/ enthalpic factors in the binding process. Of conspicuous clinical interest, this work can also offer the perspective to devise new classes of therapeuticals which interfere with disease-related glycan recognition. We have shown that it is possible to use exchangeable hydroxyl protons of carbohydrate ligands as conformational sensors for defining their bound-state topology by measurements in dimethyl sulfoxide(d6) (Siebert et al. (2000) ChemBioChem, 1, 181-195). However, the proteins are required to maintain binding capacity in the aprotic solvent. To define conditions to limit its harmful effect on sensitive protein structures while still being able to pick up solvent-exchangeable hydroxyl signals we systematically tested binary solvent mixtures of dimethyl sulfoxide and acetone with water. These solvent mixtures did not preclude to monitor hydroxyl protons of carbohydrate ligands even at temperatures well above 0 degrees C. Notably, hydrogen bonding of the two tested disaccharides (Galbeta1-4Glcalpha/beta and Galalpha1-3Galalpha/beta or Galalpha1-3Galbeta1-OCH(3)), which are common lectin ligands, resembled the situation under physiological conditions. Also, a refined topological description for hydroxyl positioning could be achieved for Galalpha1-3Gal. At least equally important, this approach worked for elucidation of the mistletoe-lectin-bound topology of lactose in its syn-conformation with indication for formation of a characteristic interresidual hydrogen bond. These measurements were performed in a binary dimethyl sulfoxide(d6):water mixture (6:4 ratio, v/v) at -12 degrees C and encourage to pursue this line of investigation by monitoring in the course of stepwise temperature increases. Our experiments reveal that binary mixtures have favorable properties for the conformational analysis of the free- and bound-state topologies of bioactive ligands.