Complex fucolipids of hog gastric mucosa. Structure of the ceramide eikosahexoside.

The structure of a complex fucolipid from hog gastric mucosa containing twenty sugar residues and exhibiting blood-group (A + H) activity has been investigated. Based on the results of immunological assays, partial acid hydrolysis, sequential degradation with specific exoglycosidases, oxidation with periodate and chromium trioxide, and permethylation analysis, we suggest that the carbohydrate chain of this fucolipid contains four termini. One of the termini bears beta Gal1 leads to 4 beta GlcNAc disaccharide, two bear blood-group A determinant and one bears H determinant. Two of the branches, terminated by beta Gal1 leads to 4 beta GlcNAc and blood-group A determinant, and two terminated by blood-group A and H determinants, are linked through beta Gal1 leads to 4 beta GlcNAc1 leads to 3/6 and beta Gal1 leads to 4 beta GlcNAc1 leads to 4 beta GlcNAc1 leads to 3/6 to the galactose residue adjacent to glucosylceramide core.