Appearance of fucolipid after conventionalization of germ-free mice.

Incorporation of [6-3H]fucose and [1-14C]glucosamine into the lipid fraction of microvillus membrane (MVM) was studied in germ-free and conventionalized mice after intraperitoneal injection of the radioactive precursors. Incorporation of [6-3H]fucose was clearly detected in conventionalized mice but not detectable in germ-free mice. There was no difference in the incorporation of [1-14C]glucosamine between the two groups. The lipid fraction of MVM labeled with [6-3H]fucose showed a spot of slower mobility than asialo GM1 on TLC with autoradiography and it was confirmed to be a fucolipid on abolishing the radiolabeled original spot by alpha-L-fucosidase treatment. These results suggest that the synthesis of the fucolipid is induced by conventionalization of germ-free mice.