THE STRUCTURE OF CARBOHYDRATE CHAINS OF BLOODy-GROUP SUBSTANCES

Treatment of blood group substance H obtained from pig stomach linings with alkaline borohydride results in splitting off ca. 80% of carbohydrate chains. The oligosaccharide fractions obtained after removal of polypeptide were subjected to gel-, paper and anion-exchange chromatography, &29 individual reduced oligosaccharides, ranging from tnto undecasaccharide were isolated and their structures were established. Data obtained revealed gross heterogeneity both in molecular weight and branching degree of carbohydrate chains of blood group substances. Despite the apparent variety of oligosaccharide structures they have much in common, more complex structures including simpler ones as structural elements. The possible pathway of carbohydrate chain biosynthesis and general principle of construction of oligosaccharide chains in glycoproteins with O-glycosidic carbohydrate-peptide bonds will be discussed.