Subcellular and anatomical distribution in rat brain of glycoproteins that contain mannose-rich heteropolysaccharide chains.

Mannose-rich glycopeptides derived from brain glycoproteins were obtained by proteolysis of bovine brain tissue or subcellular fractions derived from rat brain tissue. The dialyzable mannose-rich glycopeptides were isolated by column electrophoresis and gel filtration. Theses glycopeptides contained, on the average, six mannose and two N-acetylglucosamine residues with variable amounts of fucose and galactose. Over 50% of the mannose-rich glycopeptides of rat brain were localized in the microsomal and synaptosomal fractions; myelin and the soluble fraction contained lesser amounts. None was recovered from the mitochondria. The amount, per mg protein, of mannose-rich oligosaccharide chains in the myelin exceeded the concentration found in the microsomal and synaptosomal fractions. The concentration of mannose-rich glycopeptides derived from glycoproteins was 50% higher in white matter than in gray. On the other hand, the non-dialyzable and acidic sialoglycopeptides showed a three-fold enrichment in gray matter compared to white. The relatively lower ratio of sialoglycopeptides to mannose-rich glycopeptides observed in white matter (2.5) compared to gray matter (6.9) is reflected in the lower value for the ratio in myelin (1.1) compared to synaptosomes (2.1). Although glycoproteins that contain mannose-rich oligosaccharide chains are present in the nerve cell and its terminals, these glycoproteins appear to be relatively enriched in myelin and/or glial membranes.