title: Isolation and characterization of a neutral glycosphingolipid from the epimastigote form of Trypanosoma mega.
abstract: A glycosphingolipid fraction from Trypanosoma mega was isolated after acetylation and was further purified on a silicic acid column. Final purification was by preparative thin-layer chromatography. The carbohydrate components of the glycolipid were fucose and galactose in approximately equimolar amounts. The neutral glycolipid of T. mega has a sphingosine base composition that consists of sphingosine and traces of dihydrosphingosine. Fatty acids forming amide groups with the sphingosine bases were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and are a mixture of normal and alpha-hydroxy fatty acids. Normal C16:0, C18:0, and 2-hydroxy C18:0 are the predominant fatty acids.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005643:Fucose / Q000032:analysis; D005690:Galactose / Q000032:analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D005643:Fucose; D013110:Sphingosine; C005682:safingol; D005690:Galactose