Characterization of Saccharide Moiety in the Electroplax Sodium Channel

Abstract

Carbohydrate chains on the large peptide of the voltage-sensitive sodium channel from Electrophorus electricus electroplax have been partially characterized by the lectin-blotting technique combined with digestion using three glucosidases : neuraminidase, engo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase H, and peptide : N-glycosidase F. The results show that both N-linked oligosaccharides and O-linked (mucin-type) oligosaccharides are present. In N-linked oligosaccharides, the results suggest the presence of complex-and hybrid-type oligosaccharides which contain bisecting N-acetylglucos-amine(s), as well as the complex-type oligosaccharides with the α-Fuc-GlcNAc-(Asn) residue(s). In O-linked oligosac-charides, they must carry Galβ1→3GalNAc- moieties which contain NeuNAc residues in the terminal.