The Structure of Nephritogenoside

Abstract

Nephritogenoside is a minor component of the basement membrane of normal animals (including humans). It is a glycopeptide with the ability to induce chronic progressive glomerulonephritis (end stage kidney) when administered as a single footpad injection, and contains a novel carbohydrate-peptide linkage. The total chemical structure was investigated. It was revealed that nephritogenoside is a simple glycopeptide composed of three glucose residues [α-Glc-(1→6)-β-Glc(1→6)-Glc] and twenty-one amino acids[¹Asn-Pro-Leu-Phe-⁵Gly-Ile-Ala-Gly-Glu-¹⁰Asp-Gly-Pro-Thr-Gly-¹⁵Pro-Ser-Gly-Ile-Val-²⁰Gly-²¹Gln], and that the glucose residues are linked α-N-glycosidically to the N-terminal amino acid.