The glycoinositolphospholipids from Leishmania panamensis contain unusual glycan and lipid moieties

Abstract

The cell surface of Leishmania parasites is coated by glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored macromolecules (glycoproteins and a lipophosphoglycan) and a polymorphic family of free GPI glycolipids or glycoinositolphospholipids (GIPLs). Here we show that GIPLs with unusual glycan and lipid moieties are likely to be major cell surface components of L. panamensis (subgenus Viannia) promastigotes. These glycolipids were purified by high performance thin layer chromatography and their structures determined by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry, methylation analysis and chemical and enzymatic sequencing of the glycan headgroups. The major GIPL..