Structures of the glycoinositolphospholipids from Leishmania major: A family of novel galactofuranose-containing glycolipids

Abstract

Structures of the major glycolipids isolated from the protozoan parasite Leishmania major (strains V121 and LRC-L119), were elucidated by fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry wo-dimensional proton NMR, methylation analysis exoglycosidase digestions and mild acid hydrolysis. These glycolipids belong to a family of glycoinositolphospholipids (GIPLs), which contain 4-6 saccharide residues linked to alkylacylphosphatidylinositol (alkylacyl-PI) or lyso alkyl-PI. The general structure of the elucidated GIPLs can be expressed as follows: R-3Galf(α1-3)Manp(α1-3)Man p(α1-4)GlcNp(α1-6) alkylacyl-PI or lyso alkyl-PI where R = OH for GIPL-1; R = Galp(α1- for GIPL-2; R = Galp(α1-6)Galp(α1- for GIPL-3 ..