Description
Ganglioside G
M2 asialo (asialo- G
M2) is a glycosphingolipid containing three monosaccharide residues and a fatty acid of variable chain length but lacking the sialic acid residue present on ganglioside M
2. Asialo-G
M2 levels are low-to-undetectable in normal human brain, but it accumulates in the brain of patients with Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff disease, which are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by deficiency of lysosomal β-hexosaminidase A and B, respectively. It also binds to various bacteria, including
Pseudomonas isolates derived from cystic fibrosis patients. Asialo-G
M2 mixture contains ganglioside G
M2 asialo molecular species with fatty acyl chains of variable lengths. [Matreya, LLC. Catalog No. 1512]
General Description
Gangliosides are major constituents of neuronal cell membranes and endoplasmic reticulum; contain a sialated polysaccharide chain linked to ceramide through a β-glycosidic linkage; for classification of gangliosides see Svennerholm, L., et al. (eds.),
Structure and Function of Gangliosides, New York, Plenum, 1980.