I have a suspicion that the protein I am working on at the moment has an
odd O-linked mannose or fucose that may act as an anchor for polysalic
acid. I realise that polysialic must polymerise in the alpha(2-8)
linkage, but it cannot link to mannose or fucose via that linkage can it?
I am going to try to purify peptides on MAA, a lectin specific for
alpha(2-3) linked sialic acid as I imagine that any polysialic acid must
be linked to the rest of the sugar by a less esoteric linkage. Does this
make sense to people, and does it sound feasible?
The structure I envisage is
SA a(2-8)-n..-sa a(2-3/6)-HexO-amino acid
where n is any number of SA in the a(2-8) linkage and sa a(2-3/6)-Hex is
the anchoring residue, via a 2-3 or 2-6 linkage to the neutral hexose.
Is my structure grossly impossible?
--
__________________________________________________
Steven Pirie-Shepherd
srps at galactose.mc.duke.edu
"Insert your own pithy phrase just about here!"
