In vivo incorporation of palmitic acid and galactose in glycolipids of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes
de Lederkremer, R.M.; Zingales, B.; Confalonieri, A.N.; Couto, A.S.; Martin, N.F.; Colli, W.
Biochemistry International 10(1): 79-88
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0158-5231 PMID: 3885952 Document Number: 257447
Incubation of epimastigote forms of T. cruzi with [superscript 3H]palmitic acid and [superscript 3H]galactose, respectively, resulted in the incorporation of both precursors into the lipopeptidophosphoglycan (LPPG) and in at least 2 glycosphingolipids. Palmitic acid was incorporated into sphinganine and sphingenine, identified after hydrolysis, respectively, of the major and the minor glycosphingolipid. The purified glycosphingolipids labelled with either precursor migrated with a Rf similar to that of a sample labelled by periodate oxidation and borotritide reduction in which sialic acids have been previously characterized. This, together with the fact that the palmitic acid labelled glycosphingolipids were partially hydrolysed with neuraminidase favours a ganglioside-like structure for these compounds.