Poly-N-acetyllactosamines synthesized by cultured Ehrlich carcinoma cells: application of endo-beta-galactosidase C for analysis of the terminal structure

Poly-N-acetyllactosamines were prepared from Ehrlich carcinoma cells cultured in the presence of 14C]galactose. Methylation analysis indicated that 31% of the galactose was in the non-reducing end. Of it, 77% was cleaved by alpha-galactosidase, and 56% was released as a disaccharide by endo-beta-galactosidase C. Methylation analysis confirmed that the released disaccharide was mostly Gal alpha 1----3Gal. Therefore, Gal alpha 1----3Gal structure, not Gal alpha 1----3(Gal alpha 1----6)Gal structure, was the major alpha-galactosyl structure in the poly-N-acetyllactosamines synthesized. Furthermore, alpha-galactosidase digestion did not change the content of disubstituted galactosyl residues. Thus, Gal alpha 1----3(Gal alpha 1----6)Gal structure, which was suggested to be the sole non-reducing terminal structure of poly-N-acetyllactosamines of Ehrlich carcinoma cells, was not detected in significant amounts under the present experimental conditions.