Neural complex-specific expression of xylosyl N-glycan in Ciona intestinalis.

We herein report N-glycosylation profiles of the individual tissues derived from the ascidian Ciona intestinalis. Multidimensional HPLC mapping revealed that the C. intestinalis expresses high-mannose-type oligosaccharides as major N-glycans, along with paucimannose-type and complex-type oligosaccharides, in a tissue-specific manner. Notably, the trimannosyl core carrying beta1,2-xylose and alpha1,3-fucose residues was identified as a principal N-glycan in the neural complex. As far as we know, this is the first description of xylosyl N-glycan expressed in deuterostome. Furthermore, we found that this xylosyl N-glycan is exclusively displayed on a membrane-associated protein so far described as a putative protein whose gene expression is specific for the neural complex. These data suggested that the xylosyl N-glycan is associated with some neural functions of C. intestinalis.