1. 1. The carbohydrate components of five pure bovine-kidney gangliosides have been studied by gas, thin-layer and paper chromatographic and mass spectrometric analyses of different hydrolysis products. The structures of the oligosaccharide moieties of three major gangliosides have been conclusively established by gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of partially methylated monosaccharides after methylation and hydrolysis of the parent gangliosides or the corresponding asialoderivatives. 2. 2. The structures of the three major gangliosides are: O-α-N-acetylneuraminyl-(2 → 3)-O-β-galactopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 1)-ceramide, O-α-N-glycolylneuraminyl-(2 → 3)-O-β-galactopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 1) ceramide and O-α-N-acetylneuraminyl-(2 → 8)-O-α-N-acetylneuraminyl-(2 → 3)-O-β-galactopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 1)-ceramide. 3. 3. The two minor gangliosides contain N-acetylneuraminic acid, galactose, glucose and hexosamine in the molar ratio of 2:2:1:1. In addition the most polar ganglioside contains 1 mole of N-glycolylneuraminic acid. © 1969.