What is the function of ganglioside?
Gangliosides are enriched in cell membrane microdomains (“lipid rafts”) and play important roles in the modulation of membrane proteins and ion channels, in cell signaling and in the communication among cells.
How is ganglioside made?
A ganglioside is a molecule composed of a glycosphingolipid (ceramide and oligosaccharide) with one or more sialic acids (e.g. n-acetylneuraminic acid, NANA) linked on the sugar chain. Recently, gangliosides have been found to be highly important molecules in immunology.
What is the simplest ganglioside?
GM3
First, a simple ganglioside, GM3, is synthesized by addition of a sialic acid to LacCer by CMP-sialic acid: LacCer α2–3 sialyltransferase (ST-I or GM3 synthase)….Table 1.
| Series | Basic structure | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
| Isoganglio | Galβ1–3 GalNAcβ1–3 Galβ1–4Glcβ1–1’Cer | iGg |
| Lacto | Galβ1 −3 GlcNAcβ1 −3 Galβ1 −4Glcβ1 −1 ‘Cer | Lc |
What is the function of sialic acid in cells?
Sialic acids (Sias) are nine-carbon atoms sugars usually present as terminal residues of glycoproteins and glycolipids on the cell surface or secreted. They have important roles in cellular communication and also in infection and survival of pathogens.
Where are glycosphingolipids found?
eukaryotic plasma membranes
Glycosphingolipids, found in eukaryotic plasma membranes, are comprised of a ceramide backbone that has a glycan covalently bound to it. It is thought that glycosphingolipids act to modulate membrane-protein function, as well as playing a role in cell-cell communication.
Where is GM2 ganglioside produced?
Ganglioside GM2 is abundant in cells of the central nervous system and accumulates within the lysosomes of neurons and macrophages.
What class of lipid is a ganglioside?
glycosphingolipids
Gangliosides are sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids and provide a significant part of cell surface glycans on neuronal cells. GSLs are lipids that contain a sphingoid base and one or more sugar residues [1].
What is ganglioside receptor?
Gangliosides, glycosphingolipids present in the membranes of neuronal and other cells, are natural receptors for a number of bacterial toxins and viruses whose sensitive detection is of interest in clinical medicine as well as in biological warfare or terrorism incidents.
What cells have sialic acid receptors?
Alpha(2,3) linked sialic acids are found on ciliated epithelial cells, which are a minor population within the human respiratory tract, and also on some epithelial cells in the lower tract. This receptor specificity has implications for human infection with avian influenza virus strains.
Where does the biosynthesis of gangliosides take place?
The biosynthesis of gangliosides takes place in the Golgi ap- paratus and starts with the transfer of sialic acid residues to LacCer by specific sialyltransferases—the GM3 synthase (ST3Gal V), the GD3 synthase (ST8Sia I, GD3S), and the GT3 syn- thase (ST8Sia V)—thatshow high specificity toward glycolipid
What is the role of gangliosides in immunity?
The present review will discuss the multiple roles of gangliosides and their key components, sialic acids, in shielding human and microbial cells from immune attack, determining species-specificity of certain infections and as targets for autoimmunity. Box 1. Sphingolipids and sialic acids
What are generic gangliosides?
Gangliosides are structurally and functionally polymorphic sialic acid containing glycosphingolipids that are widely distributed in the human body.
How are gangliosides attached to the plasma membrane?
In cells, gangliosides are concentrated in the outermost leafleats of the plasma membranes (PMs) in transient structures referred to as lipid rafts. 32, 33 Gangliosides are attached to the membrane so that their hydrophobic ceramide tail is embedded in the lipid membrane, and the sugar moiety is protruding out from the membrane.