A monoclonal antibody to free N-acetylneuraminic acid

A monoclonal antibody (70-A) to free N-acetylneuraminic acid was obtained by immunizing mice with its synthetic beta-glycoside, sodium O-[(5-acetamido-3,5-dideoxy-D-glycero-beta-D-galacto-2- nonulopyranosyl)onate]-(2----3)-1,2-di-O-tetradecyl-sn-glyce rol, followed by fusing the isolated spleen cells with mouse myeloma cells and cloning positive fusions. 70-A reacted with various synthetic beta-glycosides of N-acetylneuraminic acid and also with cytidine-5'-monophosphate-N- acetylneuraminic acid, known as its sole naturally occurring beta-glycoside. The inhibition assay showed that N-glycolylneuraminic acid had slightly lower reactivity than N-acetylneuraminic acid, but other monosaccharides tested, such as N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine or N-acetylmannosamine, had no reactivity toward 70-A. Reactivity of 70-A with free N-acetylneuraminic acid was confirmed by measuring the specific binding of N-[14C]acetylneuraminic acid to the antibody. The association constant of 70-A with N-acetylneuraminic acid was determined to be 5.96.10(4) M-1 by equilibrium dialysis.     

The distribution of protein-bound N-acetylneuraminic acid in subcellular fractions of rat brain

Protein-bound N-acetylneuraminic acid and hexosamine, including the sialomucopolysaccharides, occur mainly in the least dense particles sedimented in the microsomal fraction from rat whole brain. Particles rich in protein-bound N-acetylneuraminic acid and hexosamine are also found in the subcellular fraction separated as a layer between 0.8m- and 1.2m-sucrose after centrifuging the crude mitochondrial preparation in a density gradient. This distribution is similar to that of the gangliosides and suggests an association of all of these substances in the same subcellular structures. It is postulated that the sialomucopolysaccharides, as well as the gangliosides, are components of cell membranes. Evidence is presented that indicates that there are quantitative differences between distribution of the gangliosides on the one hand, and protein-bound N-acetylneuraminic acid and hexosamine on the other. The ratio of protein-bound N-acetylneuraminic acid (and hexosamine) to gangliosidic N-acetylneuraminic acid (and hexosamine) present in individual subcellular fractions obtained by density-gradient centrifugation tends to increase with increasing particle density. Exposure of the crude mitochondrial fraction to osmotic ;shock' before density-gradient centrifugation causes a shift of the protein-bound N-acetylneuraminic acid and gangliosides to the less dense fractions. In some experiments, a selective shift of the protein-bound N-acetylneuraminic acid was observed.     

Distribution of free N-acetylneuraminic acid in rat organs

The concentration of free N-acetylneuraminic acid in various rat organs was estimated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Its concentration was in the range of 3.95 to 104.72 micrograms/g wet tissues, being particularly high in the endocrine glands. The ratio of free N-acetylneuraminic acid to total N-acetylneuraminic acid varied from 0.031 to 0.183, being especially high in the adrenal gland (0.181) and heart (0.183).     

A factor in animal tissues that causes sialyl residues of mucoproteins to react as free sialic acid in the Warren assay

1. The mucin of the Cowper's gland of the boar is a sialomucoprotein similar to submaxillary-gland mucin. When a solution of either mucin has been incubated for 5min or less with a particulate fraction from homogenized uterine endometriumplus-myometrium of the rabbit, 10-20% of sialyl residues (N-acetylneuraminic acid) give a positive Warren reaction for free N-acetylneuraminic acid. The particulate fraction is devoid of neuraminidase and no free (diffusible) N-acetylneuraminic acid appears during incubation. The factor that catalyses the formation of directreading non-diffusible N-acetylneuraminic acid occurs also in liver, kidney and intestinal mucosa of the rabbit. The factor is present in very small (;microsomal') particles and has not yet been solubilized. Homogenates of boar Cowper's gland contain both factor and mucin; thus direct-reading non-diffusible N-acetylneuraminic acid appears when such homogenates are stored. 2. Under optimum conditions 1mg of uterine protein catalyses the formation of 0.05-0.1mumol of direct-reading non-diffusible N-acetylneuraminic acid/min. This activity is considerably higher than the neuraminidase activities of comparable homogenates of animal tissues or of liver lysosomes. The factor is thermostable and its activity shows little variation within (i) the pH range 3-10, (ii) the temperature range 20-37 degrees C. Activity is inhibited strongly by 2,2'-bipyridyl and by ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate but is unaffected by EDTA. Its action can be simulated by low concentrations of Fe(2+). From this it may be inferred that the factor is a protein-bound from of bivalent iron. A number of pure iron-containing proteins and haemoproteins were completely inactive. The following substrates were not sources of direct-reading non-diffusible N-acetylneuraminic acid: methoxyneuraminic acid, sialyl-lactose, brain gangliosides, and sialoproteins in which N-acetylneuraminic acid is linked to galactose residues. 3. It is proposed that the factor (or Fe(2+)) reacts with the mucin in a manner that renders the C-4-C-5 bond of sialyl residues susceptible to periodate oxidation.     

Synthesis of rat-liver lactate dehydrogenase and characterization of its mRNA

Salla disease is a lysosomal storage disorder of unknown etiology, characterized biochemically by increased urinary excretion of N-acetylneuraminic acid. This compound has now been shown to occur in abnormally large amounts in liver and cultured skin fibroblasts from these patients. Quantification of N-acetylneuraminic acid was performed using a new gas-chromatography/mass spectrometric single-ion method which is sensitive and specific. No abnormalities in the activity of several enzymes involved in sialic acid metabolism (N-acetylneuraminate:pyruvate lyase, neuraminidase, CMP-N-acetylneuraminate N-acylneuraminohydrolase and CTP:N-acyl-neuraminate cytidylyltransferase) were demonstrable. A possible explanation for the defect is a malfunctioning active transport of N-acetylneuraminic acid across the lysosomal membrane.     

The biosynthesis of N-glycoloylneuraminic acid occurs by hydroxylation of the CMP-glycoside of N-acetylneuraminic acid

The biosynthesis of N-glycoloylneuraminic acid in fractionated porcine submandibular glands was investigated. The following substrates: [3H]N-acetylmannosamine, free [14C]N-acetylneuraminic acid, CMP-[14C]N-acetylneuraminic acid, [14C]N-acetylneuraminic acid linked alpha(2----3) to galactose residues, or alpha(2----6) to Gal-beta(1----4)-GlcNAc residues of porcine submandibular mucin and [14C]N-acetylneuraminic acid linked alpha(2----6) to GalNAc residues of ovine submandibular gland mucin were incubated, in the presence of cofactors, with the soluble protein, heavy membrane and microsomal fractions of porcine submandibular glands. Radio thin-layer chromatographic analysis revealed that only one substrate, CMP-[14C]N-acetylneuraminic acid, was hydroxylated. The product was identified as CMP-[14C]N-glycoloylneuraminic acid by (i) co-chromatography with non-radioactive CMP-N-glycoloylneuraminic acid standard, (ii) acid hydrolysis to free [14C]N-glycoloylneuraminic acid, (iii) alkaline hydrolysis to yield N-glycoloylneuraminic acid and 2-deoxy-2,3-didehydro-N-glycoloylneuraminic acid and (iv) transfer of [14C]N-glycoloylneuraminic acid to asialo-fetuin by sialyltransferase. 85% of CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase activity was present in the soluble protein fraction, with small amounts of activity in the two particulate fractions. The CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase in the soluble protein fraction had an absolute requirement for Fe2+ ions and a reducing cofactor. NADPH and NADH were by far the most effective cofactors, smaller amounts of hydroxylation could, however, be supported by ascorbic acid and 6,7-dimethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin.     

N-acetylneuraminic acid and N-glycolylneuraminic acid in glycopeptides of colonic tumor and mucosa in rats treated with carrageenan and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine

N-linked glycopeptides were prepared from colonic tumor (adenocarcinoma) and mucosa in rats treated with carrageenan, an indigestible polysaccharide, and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine. Sialic acids, N-acetylneuraminic acid and N-glycolylneuraminic acid, obtained by acid hydrolysis of the glycopeptides were determined by HPLC. The N-acetylneuraminic acid/N-glycolylneuraminic acid ratio in colonic tumor was 25.2, while each treated mucosa had the values between 0.29 and 0.55. Thus, necessity which observes the qualitative change of sialic acid in malignant transformation was suggested.     

Specificity and affinity of sialic acid binding by the rhesus rotavirus VP8* core

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrates that the rhesus rotavirus hemagglutinin specifically binds alpha-anomeric N-acetylneuraminic acid with a K(d) of 1.2 mM. The hemagglutinin requires no additional carbohydrate moieties for binding, does not distinguish 3' from 6' sialyllactose, and has approximately tenfold lower affinity for N-glycolylneuraminic than for N-acetylneuraminic acid. The broad specificity and low affinity of sialic acid binding by the rotavirus hemagglutinin are consistent with this interaction mediating initial cell attachment prior to the interactions that determine host range and cell type specificity.     

Subcellular localization and tissue distribution of sialic acid-forming enzymes. N-acetylneuraminate-9-phosphate synthase and N-acetylneuraminate 9-phosphatase.

The activities of N-acetylneuraminate 9-phosphate synthase and N-acetylneuraminate 9-phosphatase, the two enzymes involved in the final steps of the biosynthetic pathway of N-acetylneuraminic acid, were measured with the substrates N-acetyl[14C]mannosamine 6-phosphate and N-acetyl[14C]neuraminic acid 9-phosphate respectively. Subcellular localization studies in rat liver indicated that both enzymes are localized in the cytosolic fraction after homogenization in sucrose medium. To test the possibility of misinterpretation due to the hydrolysis of N-acetylneuraminic acid 9-phosphate by non-specific phosphatases, the hydrolysis of various phosphate esters by the cytosolic fraction was tested. Only p-nitrophenyl phosphate was hydrolysed; however, competition studies with N-acetylneuraminic acid 9-phosphate and p-nitrophenyl phosphate indicated that two different enzymes were involved and that no competition existed between the two substrates. In various other rat tissues N-acetylneuraminate-9-phosphate synthase and N-acetylneuraminate 9-phosphatase activities were detected, suggesting that N-acetylmannosamine 6-phosphate is a general precursor for N-acetylneuraminic acid biosynthesis in all the tissues studied.     

Interaction of Trypanosoma cruzi with macrophages: effect of previous incubation of the parasites or the host cells with lectins

The effect of incubation with lectins of the macrophages or two evolutive stages of Trypanosoma cruzi (noninfective epimastigotes and infective trypomastigotes) on the ingestion of the parasites by mouse peritoneal macrophages was studied. Lectins which bind to residues of mannose (Lens culinaris, LCA), N-acetyl-D-glucosamine or N-acetylneuraminic acid (Triticum vulgaris, WGA), beta-D-galactose (Ricinus communis, RCA), N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (Phaseolus vulgaris, PHA; Dolichos biflorus, DBA; and Wistaria floribunda, WFA), fucose (Lotus tetragonolobus, LTA), and N-acetylneuraminic acid (Limulus polyphemus, LPA) were used. By lectin blockage we concluded that, alpha-D-mannose-like, beta-D-galactose and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (PHA, reagent) residues, located on the macrophage's surface are required for both epi- and trypomastigote uptake, while N-acetylneuraminic acid and fucose residues, impede trypomastigote ingestion but do not interfere with epimastigote interiorization. Macrophages' N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues are required for epimastigote uptake. On the other hand, from the T. cruzi surface, mannose residues prevent ingestion of epi- and trypomastigotes. Galactose residues participate in endocytosis of trypomastigotes, but hinder epimastigote interiorization. Exposed N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues are required for uptake of the two evolutive forms. N-acetylneuraminic acid residues on the trypomastigote membrane prevent their endocytosis by macrophages. These results together with those reported previously showing the effect of monosaccharides on the T. cruzi-macrophage interaction, indicate that (a) sugar residues located on the parasite and on macrophage surface play some role in the process of recognition of T. cruzi, (b) different macrophage carbohydrate-containing receptors are involved in the recognition of epimastigotes and trypomastigotes forms of T. cruzi, (c) N-acetylneuraminic acid residues located on the surface of trypomastigotes or macrophages impede the interaction of the parasite with these host cells, and suggest that (d) sugar-binding proteins located on the macrophage surface participate in the recognition of beta-D-galactose and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine residues located on the surface of trypomastigotes and exposed after blockage or splitting off of N-acetylneuraminic acid residues. Some lectins which bind to macrophages and block the ingestion of parasites did not interfere with their adhesion.     

Preparation and properties of sialomucopolysaccharides obtained from rat brain

Sialomucopolysaccharides were released from the defatted protein residue by the proteolytic action of papain after extraction of rat whole brains with chloroform-methanol (2:1, v/v). Further purification is achieved by dialysis to remove low-molecular-weight fragments and by precipitation of nucleic acids and glucuronic acid-containing mucopolysaccharides by treatment with cetylpyridinium chloride. Gel filtration of the sialomucopolysaccharides through Sephadex G-200 removes the major portion of the impurities that absorb light in the ultraviolet region. The sialomucopolysaccharides were fractionated on DEAE-Sephadex to yield a population of sialomucopolysaccharides that show an increase in N-acetylneuraminic acid content and a decrease in fucose content as the concentration of chloride required to elute the individual components is increased. On gel filtration on Sephadex G-200, those sialomucopolysaccharide molecules rich in N-acetylneuraminic acid and poor in fucose appear to be larger molecules than those rich in fucose and poor in N-acetylneuraminic acid. A structure is proposed in which all sialomucopolysaccharide molecules are assumed to possess the same repeating unit consisting of hexosamine and hexose. The molecules differ from each other in the number of fucose and N-acetylneuraminic acid residues attached to the basic structure. Most of the hexosamine is present as glucosamine, although one fraction was obtained that appeared to contain galactosamine. Most of the hexose present is accounted for as galactose and mannose, although small amounts of glucose were found in some fractions. Methods of analysis for the N-acetylneuraminic acid and hexosamine components of the sialomucopolysaccharides were defined.     

Synthesis and evaluation of C-9 modified N-acetylneuraminic acid derivatives as substrates for N-acetylneuraminic acid aldolase

Several C-9 modified N-acetylneuraminic acid derivatives have been synthesised and evaluated as substrates of N-acetylneuraminic acid aldolase. Simple C-9 acyl or ether modified derivatives of N-acetylneuraminic acid were found to be accepted as substrates by the enzyme, albeit being transformed more slowly than Neu5Ac itself. 1H NMR spectroscopy was used to evaluate the extent of the enzyme catalysed transformation of these compounds. Interestingly, the chain-extended Neu5Ac derivative 16 is not a substrate for N-acetylneuraminate lyase and behaves as an inhibitor of the enzyme.     

Studies on the enzymic N-acylation of amino sugars in the sheep colonic mucosa

1. d-[2-(14)C]Glucose, [2-(14)C]acetate, hydroxy[3-(14)C]pyruvate, [3-(14)C]pyruvate and [U-(14)C]glycine were incorporated by surviving scrapings of sheep colonic mucosal tissue into glycoprotein. 2. d-[2-(14)C]Glucose, [2-(14)C]acetate, incorporated hydroxy-[3-(14)C]pyruvate and [3-(14)C]pyruvate resulted in labelling of each of the monosaccharide residues of the glycoprotein, namely N-glycollylneuraminic acid, N-acetylneuraminic acid, galactose, fucose, glucosamine and galactosamine. [U-(14)C]Glycine was incorporated as glycyl and seryl residues of the glycoprotein. 3. Despite N-glycollylneuraminic acid being quantitatively the predominant sialic acid (N-glycollylneuraminic acid and N-acetylneuraminic acid were 8.5 and 5.2% by weight of the glycoprotein respectively) the corresponding ratio of the radio-active labelling from d-[2-(14)C]glucose in N-glycollylneuraminic acid to that in N-acetylneuraminic acid was 1.00:7.27 (expressed as percentages of the total radioactivity in the glycoprotein). Neutral sugar, hexosamine and N-acetylneuraminic acid residues of the mucoprotein were each labelled to a similar extent. 4. Similarly, the ratio of the radioactivity in N-glycollylneuraminic acid to that in N-acetylneuraminic acid in the mucoprotein from tissue incubations with [2-(14)C]-acetate was 1.0:4.0. 5. Both [2-(14)C]acetate and [2-(14)C]glucose with whole tissue led to labelling of the N-glycollyl substituent and of the main nonose skeleton of the N-glycollylneuraminic acid. In whole-tissue incubations, [3-(14)C]pyruvate was also a precursor of radioactive N-glycollylneuraminic acid. 6. Hydroxy[3-(14)C]-pyruvate and [U-(14)C]glycine caused labelling of the carbohydrate and peptide residues of the glycoprotein, but did not give rise to labelling in the N-glycollylneuraminic acid residues. 7. With a wide variety of possible N-glycollyl precursors (fructose 6-phosphate, hydroxypyruvate, glycollate and chemically synthesized glycollyl-CoA) biosynthesis of N-glycollylglucosamine was not observed in cell-free preparations.     

The structure of a sulfated glycoprotein of chick allantoic fluid: methylation and periodate oxidation.

The structure of an antigenic, sulfated glycoprotein from chick chorioallantoic fluid has been investigated by exogalactosidase digestion, methylation and mass spectral analyses, periodate oxidation, and Smith degradation. The main carbohydrate chains are composed of D-galactosyl residues linked at C-3 and 2-acetamido-2-deoxyglucose residues linked at C-4. Fucose and N-acetylneuraminic acid residues are nonreducing terminal groups, and the N-acetylneuraminic acid groups are linked to the D-galactose residues at C-3. Most of the sulfate groups (91% of the sulfate) are located on C-6 of the 2-acetamido-2-deoxyglucose residues, and the rest on C-6 of the D-galactose residues. A large number of the D-galactose residues (36.9% of the total) are present as nonreducing terminal groups and another 21.7% of the D-galactose residues are in penultimate position to the nonreducing terminal N-acetylneuraminic acid residues. Although mild periodate oxidation indicates the presence of D-galactose in furanoside form (5.5% of total D-galactose), no 5-O-methyl derivative of D-galactose was observed on methylation.     

The enzymes of sialic acid biosynthesis

The sialic acids are a family of nine carbon alpha-keto acids that play a wide variety of biological roles in nature. In mammals, they are found at the distal ends of cell surface glycoconjugates, and thus are major determinants of cellular recognition and adhesion events. In certain strains of pathogenic bacteria, they are found in capsular polysaccharides that mask the organism from the immune system by mimicking the exterior of a mammalian cell. This review outlines recent developments in the understanding of the two main enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of the sialic acid, N-acetylneuraminic acid. The first, a hydrolyzing UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase, generates N-acetylmannosamine and UDP from UDP-N-acetylglucosamine. The second, sialic acid synthase, generates either N-acetylneuraminic acid (bacteria) or N-acetylneuraminic acid 9-phosphate (mammals) in a condensation reaction with phosphoenolpyruvate. An emphasis is placed on an understanding of the mechanistic and structural features of these enzymes.     

13C NMR investigation of the anomeric specificity of CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase from Escherichia coli.

The anomeric specificity of Escherichia coli CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-NeuAc) synthetase was investigated by NMR using 13C-labeled N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc). Consumption of the beta-anomer of [2-13C]N-acetylneuraminic acid was observed upon addition of enzyme, with a concomitant appearance of an anomeric resonance for CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid. Inhibition by substrate analogues the anomeric oxygen was determined in a similar manner using [2-13C,(50 atom %)18O]N-acetylneuraminic acid. An upfield shift of 1.5 Hz in the anomeric resonance of both the [13C]NeuAc substrate and CMP-[13C]NeuAc product was observed due to the 18O substitution. This result implies conservation of the NeuAc oxygen. Results of steady-state kinetic analysis suggest a sequential-type mechanism and therefore no covalent intermediate. Thus, CMP-beta-NeuAc is probably formed by a direct transfer of the anomeric oxygen of beta-NeuAc to the alpha-phosphate of CTP.     

The influence of N-acetylneuraminic acid on the properties of human orosomucoid.

Little is known of the relationships that may exist among the three principal functionalities of glycoproteins. Orosomucoids of closely defined N-acetylneuraminic acid content were examined for evidence of influence of N-acetylneuraminic acid content on the physical properties of the glycoprotein. Fluorescence spectroscopy gave no indication of conformational change in the protein core upon desialylation. Small changes in the chromatographic partition coefficient, sigma, and thermal stability, Td, are interpreted to reflect loss of water of hydration and increased glycan stem-protein interaction without a major repositioning of the chains. Ligand-binding measurements indicate no alteration in the hydrophobic binding domain and a possible interaction between chlorpromazine and N-acetylneuraminic acid. All changes seen are progressive and occur through a region where changes in biological activity are not found. It is suggested that the dependence of biological activity on N-acetylneuraminic acid content in orosomucoid reflects, not coupled changes in protein conformation, but a charge-density-related interaction such that, below a contribution of four or five N-acetylneuraminic acid residues, activity is modified.     

The specificity of viral and bacterial sialidases for alpha(2-3)- and alpha(2-6)-linked sialic acids in glycoproteins

The anomeric specificity of six sialidases (Vibrio cholerae, Arthrobacter ureafaciens, Clostridium perfringens, Newcastle disease virus, fowl plague virus and influenza A2 virus sialidases) was assessed with sialylated antifreeze glycoprotein, ovine submandibular gland glycoprotein and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, resialylated specifically in alpha(2-3) or alpha(2-6) linkage with N-acetylneuraminic acid or N-glycolylneuraminic acid using highly purified sialyltransferases. The rate of release of sialic acid from these substrates was found to correlate well with the specificity observed earlier with the same sialidases using small oligosaccharide substrates, i.e., alpha(2-3) glycosidic linkages are hydrolyzed faster than alpha(2-6) linkages, with the exception of the enzyme from A. ureafaciens. Sialidase activity was higher with N-acetylneuraminic acid when compared with N-glycolylneuraminic acid. The studies also showed that the core oligosaccharide and protein structure in glycoproteins may influence the rate of release for different glycosidic linkages.     

Construction of a functional CMP-sialic acid biosynthesis pathway in Arabidopsis

Previous studies have reported that plants contain negligible amounts of free or protein-bound N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac). This is a major disadvantage for the use of plants as a biopharmaceutical expression system, since N-glycans with terminal Neu5Ac residues are important for the biological activities and half-lives of recombinant therapeutic glycoproteins in humans. For the synthesis of Neu5Ac-containing N-glycans, plants have to acquire the ability to synthesize Neu5Ac and its nucleotide-activated derivative, cytidine monophospho-N-acetylneuraminic acid. In this study, we have generated transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants expressing three key enzymes of the mammalian Neu5Ac biosynthesis pathway: UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase, N-acetylneuraminic acid phosphate synthase, and CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase. Simultaneous expression of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase and N-acetylneuraminic acid phosphate synthase resulted in the generation of significant Neu5Ac amounts (1,275 nmol g(-1) fresh weight in leaves) in planta, which could be further converted to cytidine monophospho-N-acetylneuraminic acid (2.4 nmol g(-1) fresh weight in leaves) by coexpression of CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase. These findings are a major step toward the production of Neu5Ac-containing glycoproteins in plants.     

Distribution of neuraminidase in Arthrobacter and its purification by affinity chromatography

Neuraminidase [sialidase, EC 3.2.1.18] was found to be widely distributed in bacteria belonging to Arthrobacter. Among these bacteria, Arthrobacter ureafaciens, A. oxydans, and A. aurescens produced relatively potent neuraminidase activities. For the production of this enzyme, not only colominic acid, a homopolymer of N-acetylneuraminic acid, but also N-acetylneuraminic acid, the reaction product of this enzyme, are effective as sources of carbon. An affinity adsorbent specific for neuraminidase was prepared by cross-linking colominic acid with soluble starch by means of epichlorohydrin. Neuraminidase from A. ureafaciens could be purified on this affinity column. The purified neuraminidase was shown to be free from protease, N-acetylneuraminic acid aldolase, phospholipase C, and glycosidases. Aminoff's assay procedure for sialic acid was modified to avoid the centrifugation step. The modified procedure gave a higher molecular extinction coefficient.