Purification and identification of N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) fromthe holothuroidea Gumi, Cucumaria echinata

N-Glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), precious sialic acid which could not be synthesized by a chemical method, occurrs in the body of holothuroidea, Gu mi Cucumaria echinata. Gumi contains 85% of total sialic acid, as Neu5Gc, i n the body. Neu5Gc was purified from dry powder of the body using Dowex 1-x 8 (HCOO- form) anion exchange chromatography after mild acid hydrolysis wit h 0.1 N trifluoroacetic acid. Using GC-MS and H-1-NMR spectroscopy, the pur ified Neu5Gc was correctly identified to be Neu5Gc. The purity of Neu5Gc wa s more than 99%. This is the first report of purification and identificatio n of Neu5Gc from holothuroidea by using anion exchange chromatography, GC-M S, and H-1-NMR.