Structure of four acidic oligosaccharides from the jelly coat surrounding the eggs of Xenopus laevis.

Novel acidic oligosaccharides were released by reductive beta-elimination from the jelly coat eggs of the Anuran Xenopus laevis. According to the structural analysis of these oligosaccharide-alditols, the following structures are proposed: [sequence: see text] where Kdn, 3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galactononulosonic acid. These results confirm the species specificity of the glycanic structures present in the secretion of amphibian oviducts, and may form the basis of a specific egg-sperm recognition process.