Ref ID : 4864
Angelika Preisfeld and Hans Georg Ruppel; Detection of Sialic Acid and Glycosphingolipids in Euglena gracilis (Euglenozoa). Arch.Protistenk 145:251-260, 1995
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A sialic acid (Neu5Ac) and glycosphingolipids have been detected in the flagellate Euglena gracilis. These findings indicate a possible relationship to the kinetoplastida, the only protistan group known so far to have these molecules. Sialic acid and the sugar residues galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, glucose, and mannose were first revealed by fluorescence microscopy using specific fluoresceinylated lectins which gave weak but significant cell labelling. For further investigations the glycosphingolipids were isolated by standard procedures. After alkaline hydrolysis of contaminating phospholipids, anion excharge chromatography and latrobeads adsorption chromatography, a positive resorcinol stain on HPTLC plates was found indicating lipid bound sialic acid. Neu5Ac was identified by HPLC and low amounts were detected. An HPTLC immunostaining assay (overlay technique) on gangliosides using specific antibodies and G(M1)-specific choleragenoid revealed members of the ganglio series in trace quantities. The aminoalcohols were identified as sphingosine and its derivative dehydrosphingosine.