The changes in Asn-linked oligosaccharide composition in the murine cerebru
m during development have been examined by high-performance liquid chromato
graphy (HPLC) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The o
ligosaccharides, obtained from murine cerebrum in several developmental sta
ges, were separated by HPLC on anion-exchange and reverse-phase columns. We
found that two Asn-linked oligosaccharides, designated oligosaccharide I a
nd oligosaccharide II, had their expression changed during postnatal develo
pment. Whereas oligosaccharide I was reduced during brain development, olig
osaccharide II was increased. The structures of oligosaccharides I and II w
ere analyzed by ESI-MS and sequential exoglycosidase digestions. Judging fr
om the molecular and fragment ions in each oligosaccharide, the oligosaccha
ride I was composed of 5Hex+2HexNAc+ABOE (MW 1467.2) and the oligosaccharid
e II was 3Hex+4HexNAc+DoHex+ABOE (MW 1695.2). The results of sequential exo
glycosidase digestion indicated that the oligosaccharide I was an oligomann
ose type saccharide and the oligosaccharide II was a biantennary complex ty
pe saccharide including fucose. The proposed structures are shown below. Th
ese results offer an important clue to the role of Asn-linked oligosacchari
des associated with development of the central nervous system.
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