ENZYMATIC SYNTHESIS OF SIALIC ACID 9-PHOSPHATES

Abstract
An enzyme (N-acylneuraminic acid 9-phosphate synthetase), isolated from pig submaxillary glands, catalyzes the following reaction: N-acyl-D-mannosamine 6-phosphate + phosphoenolpyruvate N-acylneuraminic acid 9-phosphate + Pi. Whether the N-acetyl- and N-glycolynlneuraminic acid 9-phosphates are formed by the same enzyme remains to be established as well as the possible relationship between these substances and the biosynthesis of nucleotides containing sialic acids.