CHEMICAL STUDIES ON A HAMSTER SUBLINGUAL GLYCOPROTEIN

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Abstract
A secretory glycoprotein was isolated from the hamster sublingual gland. It contained 65% carbohydrates, the remainder being protein. The principal type of sialic acid was identified as N-acetylneuraminic acid with about 1/4 of the molecules O-acetylated. The hexosamine occurs mainly as N-acetylgalactosamine; other sugars present were galactose and fucose. The carbohydrate side chains were linked to the protein core by an O-glycosyl linkage between seryl and threonyl residues and N-acetylgalactosamine. The glycoprotein had an apparent MW of 330,000. The sialoglycoprotein may act as a biological antifreeze. Relevant differences in the chemical composition of the secretory glycoproteins of the sublingual and submaxillary salivary glands of this species were briefly discussed.