Glycosidic bonds

The bonds that link sugars are called glycosidic bonds. They are formed by enzymes known as glycosyltransferases that use nucleotide sugars (activated sugars) such as uridine diphosphate glucose as substrates.
Glycosidic bonds between sugars are named according to the numbers of the connected carbons and with regard to the position of the anomeric hydroxyl group of the first sugar involved in the bond. If this anomeric hydroxyl is in the α configuration, then the linkage is an α-bond. If it is in the β configuration, then the linkage is a β-bond. Lactose, for example, is synthesized by forming a glycosidic bond between carbon 1 of β-galactose and carbon 4 of glucose. Therefore, the linkage is a β(1→4) glycosidic bond ( Fig. 1). [Note: Because the anomeric end of the glucose residue is not involved in the glycosidic linkage, it (and, therefore, lactose) remains a reducing sugar.]

Figure 1:  A glycosidic bond between two hexoses producing a disaccharide.