Title : Structural analysis of
oligosaccharide-alditols released by reductive beta-elimination from oviducal mucins of Bufo bufo: characterization of
the carbohydrate sequence Gal(alpha1-3)GalNAc(alpha1-3)[Fuc(alpha1-2)]Gal.
Abstract :
- Several tri- to hexasaccharide-alditols of the jelly coat surrounding the eggs of Bufo bufo were studied by methylation analysis, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and 1H-NMR spectroscopy
- As observed for six other amphibian species, these carbohydrate chains are highly species-specific
- The main characteristics of the species Bufo bufo consists in the presence of the new carbohydrate sequence Gal(alpha1-3)GalNAc(alpha1-3)[Fuc(alpha1-2)]Gal, in which a blood group A determinant is substituted with an external alpha1-3 linked galactose unit.
- Since the role of carbohydrates appears more and more apparent during the fertilization processes, the species-specificity of these carbohydrate moieties should be relevant to the species-specific gamete recognition which characterizes most amphibians