Poly-N-Acetyllactosamines Synthesized by Cultured Ehrlich Carcinoma Cells: Application of Endo-β-Galactosidase C for Analysis of the Terminal Structure1

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Abstract
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 α-galactosidase, and 56% was released as a disaccharide by endo-β-galactosidase C. Methylation analysis confirmed that the released disaccharide was mostly Gal α1→3Gal. Therefore, Gal α1→3Gal structure, not Galα1→3(Galα1→6)Gal structure, was the major α-galactosyl structure in the poly-N-acetyllactosamines synthesized. Furthermore, α-galactosidase digestion did not change the content of disubstituted galactosyl residues. Thus, Galα1→3(Galα1→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.