The Isolation of Chondrosamine from Gangliosides and from Submaxillary Mucin.

Abstract

Chondrosamine hydrochloride was crystallized from ganglioside and identified by its optical rotation and X-ray diffraction pattern. Glucosamine was apparently absent. Investigation of the main carbohydrate of submaxillary mucin showed that on heating with acids humin was formed, that on heating with 12% HC1, CO2 was liberated, and that a purple color was produced in Bial''s reaction. The carbohydrate is provisionally named sialic acid. Chondrosamine was also isolated from the mucin, but it was not derived from sialic acid. Gangliosides are believed to contain sialic acid or a closely related substance. Sialic acid is probably bound to chondrosamine through an easily split linkage.