Easy production of a glycolipid analogue using animal cells in culture

A glycolipid analogue, GM4-type ganglioside, was obtained by a combination of chemical synthesis and biosynthetic processes in animal cells with dodecyl beta-D-galactoside (Gal C12) as primer. The primer was conveniently prepared in two steps: glycosylation, followed by deacetylation. The primer was introduced to mouse melanoma B16 cells to serve as substrate for cellular, enzyme-catalyzed glycosylation. Incubation of the cells in the presence of the primer resulted in sialylation of the galactose residue to afford a GM4 analogue that was released from the cells to the culture medium. The strategy of preparation of the GM4 analogue described in this study is a viable alternative to the existing methods. The saccharide-primer method is fast, convenient, not requiring expensive enzymes and glycosyl donors, and highly stereoselective.