Occurrence of Gal beta (1----3) GalNAc-Ser/Thr in the linkage region of polygalactosamine containing fungal glycoprotein from Cordyceps ophioglossoides.

The nitrous acid deamination liberated the N-acetyl galactosamine containing glycoproteins from galactosminoglycan (CO-N) which has been isolated from Cordyceps ophioglossoides culture. Mild alkaline borohydride degradation of the purified glycoprotein released oligosaccharide alditols. The smallest oligosaccharide alditol was characterized to be Gal beta (1----3)-GalNAcol. This result indicated that polygalactosamine part attached to protein part via Gal beta (1----3) GalNAc-Ser/Thr as the linkage region. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Gal-GalNAc-Ser/Thr linkage from fungal glycoprotein.