New types of gangliosides in starfish with sialic acid residues in the inner part of their carbohydrate chains.

Three gangliosides were isolated from the starfish by Folch's partition, dialysis, silicic acid column chromatography, Iatrobead column chromatography and preparative thin-layer chromatography. Partial acid hydrolysis of the three lipids in 0.1 N HCl at 80 degrees for 90 min liberated all the lactosyl ceramide and water-soluble degradation products, but no sialic acid. Gas-liquid chromatography of the trimethylsilylated methyl glycosides of the water-soluble products demonstrated the presence of arabinose in addition to the usual sugar units of gangliosides.