title: Identification of a xylose-containing cerebroside in the salt gland of the herring gull.
abstract: A pentose-containing cerebroside has been identified in the salt gland of the herring gull, using mass spectrometry of acetyl and trimethylsilyl derivatives. A detailed interpretation of the spectra allowed a conclusion concerning the major long-chain base (the C(20) homolog of sphingosine) and the major fatty acids (C(22)-C(25) 2-hydroxy fatty acids), using reference spectra of synthetic galactosylceramides. A six-membered glycose ring (aldopyranose) was demonstrated by mass spectrometry of the acetyl derivative of periodic acid-oxidized and sodium borodeuteride-reduced pentosylceramide. By gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry of methanolysis products, the pentose was shown to be identical with xylose. The procedures were applied to 25-50 micro g of glycolipid.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D001894:Borohydrides; D002554:Cerebrosides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003903:Deuterium; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005233:Fatty Alcohols / Q000032:analysis; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010504:Periodic Acid; D012491:Salt Gland / Q000032:analysis*; D014994:Xylose / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001894:Borohydrides; D002554:Cerebrosides; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005233:Fatty Alcohols; D010504:Periodic Acid; D014994:Xylose; D003903:Deuterium