Periodate oxidation studies of human brain gangliosides

• 1.

  1. Four chromatographically homogenous gangliosides (FM, 1-G, 3-G, 4-G) and the ceramide-tetrose (asialoganglioside) were isolated and subjected to periodate oxidation.

• 2.

  2. Periodate reduction was quantitatively determined with the mon-, di-, and trisialoganglioside (1-G, 3-G, 4-G) preparations.

• 3.

  3. The periodate-resistant carbohydrate residues were determined in all five preparations.

• 4.

  4. The results are consistent with the structure monosialoganglioside proposed by Kuhn and Wiegandt.

• 5.

  5. The disialo- and trisialongangliosides (3-G and 4-G) isolated contained a sialic acid residue resistant to periodate oxiation. Ganglioside 4-G is apparently a previously unreported trisialogangliosides, since one of the galactose residues was subject to periodate oxidation.

• 6.

  6. Structures for the ganglioside preparations are proposed.