Enzymatic Synthesis of Ceramide-Glucose and Ceramide-Lactose by Glycosyltransferases from Embryonic Chicken Brain

Abstract

Two glycosyltransferases were detected in a particulate preparation from 13-day-old embryonic chicken brain. The first enzyme transferred glucose from UDP-glucose to ceramide to give ceramide-glucose, while the second transferred galactose from UDP-galactose to ceramide-glucose to give a product partially characterized as ceramide-lactose. These enzymatic steps, in addition to those previously described in embryonic chicken brain, delineate a pathway for the synthesis of disialoganglioside from ceramide.