title: Structural analysis of N-linked glycans in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent model for morphogenetic research. However, little information is available on the structure of cell-surface glycans in C. elegans, although several lines of evidence have suggested a role for these glycans in cell-cell interactions during development. In this study, we analyzed N-glycan structures. Oligosaccharides liberated by hydrazinolysis from a total membrane fraction were labeled by pyridylamination, and around 90% of the N-glycans were detected as neutral oligosaccharides. The most dominant structure was Man(alpha)1-6(Man(alpha)1-3)Man(beta)1-4GlcNAc(beta)1-4GlcNAc, which is commonly found in insects. Branching structures of major oligomannose-type glycans were the same as those found in mammals. Structures that had a core fucose or non-reducing end N-acetylglucosamine were also identified, but ordinary complex-type glycans with N-acetyllactosamine were not detected as major components.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan. natsuka@ipc.kit.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Natsuka
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Masahumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakakita
authors.forename: Sumihiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hase
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000737:chemistry; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004983:Ethanolamines; D011134:Polysaccharides; C007369:2-diethylaminoethanol