Oligosaccharides containing glucose and mannose in glycoproteins of the thyroid gland.

The glucose-containing oligosaccharides formed by calf thyroid slices incubated with radioactive glucose were studied. A compound soluble in chloroform/methanol/water, 1:1:0.3 (vol/vol), was found that was indistinguishable from the previously described glucose-containing dolichyl diphosphate oligosaccharide formed by liver microsomes. Glycopeptides were prepared by treating the glycoproteins with pronase, the amino acids were removed with alkaline borohydride, and the products were examined by paper electrophoresis and chromatography. A saccharide equal to that which occurs in the glucose-containing dolichyl diphosphate oligosaccharide could not be detected but glucose was found in oligosaccharides that seemed to be smaller by about three to five monosaccharide residues. The same results were obtained by direct treatment of the glycoproteins with alkaline borohydride.