Open AccessStructural analysis of 20 oligosaccharide‐alditols released from the jelly coat of Rana palustris eggs by reductive β‐elimination
Author(s) -
Maes Emmanuel,
Florea Doina,
Coppin Alexandra,
Strecker Gérard
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1046/j.1432-1327.1999.00544.x
Subject(s) - oligosaccharide , mucin , glycoprotein , biology , biochemistry , oviduct , carbohydrate conformation , tropism , chemistry , polysaccharide , genetics , virus , endocrinology
The eggs of amphibians are surrounded by three to eight layers of jelly coats. This extracellular matrix is mainly composed of hydrated mucin‐type glycoproteins. These highly glycosylated molecules are synthesized by oviduct and play an important role in the fertilization process. Recent structural analyses have shown the strict species‐specificity of the O‐linked oligosaccharides which constitute 60–70% of these oviducal mucins. Consequently, these carbohydrate chains represent new phenotypic markers, and from a biological point of view, can influence parasite tropism or can be involved in species‐specific interaction of gametes. The primary structure of 20 oligosaccharide‐alditols, released by alkali/borohydride treatment from the mucin of Rana palustris egg jelly coats, was established by 1 H and 13 C‐NMR analysis. Thirteen of these components possess new structures and the polymerization of the sequence Gal(β1–3)GalNAc(α1–4) characterizes the species‐specificity of R. palustris.