STRUCTURAL STUDIES ON ACIDIC OLIGOSACCHARIDES OF BONNET MONKEY (MACACA-RADIATA) LUTEAL-PHASE CERVICAL-MUCUS

Glycoproteins obtained from gastagenic phase of tbe bonnet monkey cerv ical mucus were purified by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatogr aphy. The glycoprotein fraction was homogeneous in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by reaction with antiglycoprotein antibody. Alkali ne-borohydride cleavage of the oligosaccharide chains from a glycoprot ein fraction provided neutral and acidic oligosaccharides. The acidic oligosaccharides were purified by gel filtration. Based on enzymic che micals and affinity studies, structure of seven acidic oligosaccharide s are proposed The chemical structure of these Luteal phase oligosacch arides bears similarities with the structure of midcycle as well as th ose of human cervical oligosaccharides. Study on the bonnet monkey cer vical mucus war pursued as it possesses ovarian cycle similar to that of human and because of its phylogenetic closeness to man. The oligosa ccharide structure are as follows: a-1 NeuAc alpha (2-6) GlcNAc beta ( 1-6) GaINAc-ol a-2 NeuAc alpha (2-3) [Gal beta(1-4)] GlcNAc beta (1-6) GalNAc-ol a-3 Fuc alpha (1-2) Gal beta (1-3) [NeuAc (1-6)] GalNAc-ol a-4 Fuc alpha (1-2) Gal beta (1-4) GlcNAc beta (1-3) [NeuAc (2-6)]GaIN Ac-ol. a-5 Gal beta (1-4) [NeuAc (2-3)] GlcNAc beta (1-6) [Fuc alpha ( 1-2) Gal beta (1-3)] GalNAc-ol a-6 Fuc alpha (1-2) Gal beta (1-4) GlcN Ac beta (1-3) Gal beta (1-3) [NeuAc (2-6)] GaINAc-ol. a-7 GalNAc alpha (1-4) Gal beta (1-4) [(NeuAc(2-3)]GlcNAc beta(1-6)[(Fuc alpha (1-2)Ga l beta(1-3)]GalNAc-ol.