Enzymatic synthesis of H-active pentaglycosylceramide by human bone marrow fucosyltransferase.

Synthesis of two fucoglycolipides I and II was obtained from GDP-fucose and lacto-N-neotetraosylceramide using either solubilized or particulate enzymic preparation from human bone marrow. Fucoglycolipid I on the basis of its chromatographic mobility and immunoprecipitation with Ulex europeus lectin was identified as H blood group active penta glycosylceramide. Fucoglycolipid II did not react with Ulex europeus and its fucosyl residue was hydrolyzed by alpha (1 leads to 3/4)-L-fucosidase of Trichomonas fetus. Most probably the fucose residue of glycolipid II was linked to N-acetyloglucosamine by 1 leads to 3 linkage.