The transfer of bovine J blood group activity to erythrocytes: chemical nature of transferable and of non-transferable J.

The bovine J blood group substance exists as a glycosphingolipid (ceramide decahexoside as well as ceramide dodecahexoside) and as a glycoprotein. The lipidic form occurs in erythrocyte membranes, both forms are found in serum. The lipidic J substances were isolated from erythrocytes and from serum, and identified by thin-layer chromatography with lipidic J substances isolated from spleen. The glycoprotein nature of the non-lipidic J of serum was evident by pronase-catalysed hydrolysis yielding J-active glycopeptides of lower molecular weights. The lipidic J was completely extracted from lyophilized stroma with chloroform/methanol. From lyophilized serum, however, it was completely extracted only in the presence of water, indicating different binding partners in serum and in erythrocyte membranes. The J lipid was incorporated as intact molecule into the erythrocyte membrane by a simple incubation technique. The incorporation was inhibited by various glycerophospholipids (called blockers). The J glycoprotein could not be transferred to the erythrocyte membrane. Three methods are described which are suitable for the preparation of a blocker-free fraction enriched with J lipids from J-positive serum.