Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 12, 56-64, January 1971
Copyright © 1971 by Lipid Research, Inc.
Mass spectrometry of neutral, mono- and disialoglycosphingolipids
Glyn Dawson and Charles C. Sweeley
Department of Biochemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48823
Microgram quantities of complex glycosphingolipids were fully trimethylsilylated and analyzed by mass spectrometry. Reproducible ratios of the intensities of certain sugar fragment ions to the total intensity of ions characteristic of the sphingolipid bases were used to determine the number of monosaccharides in the glycosyl moiety and how many of them were unsubstituted at C-3. N-Acetylated hexosamine residues were readily detected and further characteristic fragment ions appeared if they were the terminal residues of the oligosac-charide chain. It was also possible to distinguish between the N-glycolyl and N-acetyl forms of neuraminic acid and to determine the number of sialic acid residues present in the lipid. Considerable information about the fatty acid and long-chain base composition was obtained from the same mass spectral analysis. It has been concluded that reliable structural information can be obtained from small amounts (less than 50 µg) of a purified glycosphingolipid.
Supplementary key words fully trimethylsilylated glycosphingolipids • structure determination • comparison of fragment intensities • neutral hexoses • acetamidohexoses • N-glycolyl- and N-acetylneuraminic acids • fatty acids • sphingolipid bases
Submitted on August 14, 1970
Accepted on October 1, 1970
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