Novel structure of the N-acetylgalactosamine containing N-glycosidic carbohydrate chain of batroxobin, a thrombin-like snake venom enzyme.

The structure of the Asn-linked carbohydrate chain of batroxobin, a thrombin-like enzyme from Bothrops atrox moojeni snake venom, has been determined. The sugar chain was isolated from batroxobin by hydrazinolysis followed by pyridylamination (PA). The PA-oligosaccharide chain was purified by HPLC on an anion exchange or reverse phase columns, and its structure was examined by sequential exoglycosidase digestion, 600 MHZ 1H NMR spectroscopy and methylation analysis. The results indicate that the oligosaccharide chain has the following structure involving a novel linkage, NeuAc alpha 2----3GalNAc.