Further characterization of the structure of GM1b ganglioside from rat ascites hepatoma.

A ganglioside named GM1b (Hirabayashi, Y., Taki, T., and Matsumoto, M. (1979) FEBS Let. 100, 253-257) with a sugar composition identical with that of GM1, II3 alpha NeuAc-GgOse4Cer (Gal beta 1 leads to 3GalNAc beta 1 leads to 4Gal(3 leads from 2 alpha NeuAc) beta 1 leads to 4G1c beta 1 leads to 1'ceramide), isolated from rat ascites hepatoma was further characterized. In contrast to GM1, the sialic acid in this ganglioside was susceptible to clostridial sialidase in the absence of bile salts. Based on the sequential enzymic hydrolysis, permethylation analysis and direct probe mass spectrometric analysis, the structure of this ganglioside is determined to be: NeuAc alpha 2 leads to 3Gal beta 1 leads to 3GalNAc beta 1 leads to 4Gal beta 1 leads to 4Glc leads to ceramide. The structure of this ganglioside is identical with that biosynthesized in vitro (Stoffyn, A., Stoffyn, P., and Yip, M. C. M. (1975) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 409, 97-103).