Neuraminidase C (NanC) from Streptococcus pneumoniae selectively cleaves terminal α2-3-linked sialic acids with limited activity toward α2-6 linkages, releasing free sialic acid. Its mild, controlled desialylation makes it useful for glycoprotein/glycan structural analysis, biopharmaceutical desialylation, production of analytical sialic-acid standards, and enzymatic synthesis or modification of glycoconjugates