Detection of the lipid‐linked precursor oligosaccharide of N‐linked protein glycosylation in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract
The presence of a glycan of the same molecular size as the lipid linked precursor oligosaccharide (Glc3Man9GlcNAc2) of the N-linked protein glycosylation pathway in mammalian cells has been detected in a glycolipid fraction of cultured Drosophila melanogaster cells. Oligosaccharide sequencing studies were consistent with the existence of a glucosylated high mannose containing structure, which may be the common precursor for N-linked protein glycosylation in insect cells.