FATTY ACIDS AND SPHINGOSINES OF BOVINE-KIDNEY GANGLIOSIDES

1. 1. The fatty acids and sphingosines of five purified bovine-kidney gangliosides, previously characterized for the carbohydrate moieties, were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. 2. 2. Palmitic (6-14%), stearic (14-34%), behenic (8-13%) and lignoceric acids (14-22%) form the majority of the normal fatty acids in all the kidney gangliosides studied. The three major gangliosides also contain α-hydroxy fatty acid (10-33% of the total fatty acids). These consist chiefly of C20:0 (9-14%), C22:0 (42-45%), C23:0 (14-18%) and C24:0 (10-13%). 3. 3. The major sphingosines in the three main bovine-kidney gangliosides analyzed were C18 trihydroxysphingosine, C18 normal sphingosine, C20 trihydroxysphingosine and C18 dihydroxysphingcsine. A small amount of branched-chain sphingosines was also found. © 1969.