Chemical characterization and distribution of ABO blood group active glycoprotein in human erythrocyte membrane.

Occurrence and distribution of glycoprotein H substances in blood type O human erythrocyte membrance were studied using an alpha N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (A-enzyme) purified from milk of blood type A women. Erythrocytes of blood group O, nonsecretors and secretors alike, contain H substances that serve as a substrate for this transferase, and the H determinants seem to occur in all three erythrocyte membrane glycoproteins (periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-1, PAS-2, and PAS-3). Structural studies of the A glycoproteins obtained by the transferase action, suggested that all erythrocyte H glycoproteins contain only type 2 antigenic determinant.