Molecular structure of the "low molecular weight antigen" of Toxoplasma gondii: a glucose alpha 1-4 N-acetylgalactosamine makes free glycosyl-phosphatidylinositols highly immunogenic.

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous parasitic protozoan causing congenital infection and severe encephalitis in the course of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Glycosyl-phosphatidylinositols of T. gondii have been shown to be identical with the low molecular weight antigen which elicits an early immunoglobulin M immune response in humans.

Glycosyl-phosphatidylinositols in protozoa structure, biosynthesis and intracellular localisation.

We are investigating the structure and biosynthesis of glycosyl-phosphatidylinositols (GPI) in the protozoa Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium yoelii and Paramecium primaurelia. This comparison of structural and biosynthesis data should lead us to common and individual features of the GPI-biosynthesis and transport in different organisms.

Synthesis and 11C-labelling of the ACTH fragment analogue H-Met(O2)-Glu-His-Phe-D-Lys-Phe-OH (Org 2766) via its homocystine-containing precursor.

The hexapeptide dimer (H-Hcy-Glu-His-Phe-D-Lys-Phe-OH)2 was synthesized using solution methods and characterized. Its conversion into H-Met(O2)-Glu-His-Phe-D-Lys-Phe-OH, Org 2766, was studied on a small scale in as short a time as possible; reduction of the disulfide bond using Na/NH3, reaction with CH3I, oxidation with H2O2 and catalyst and purification by HPLC were carried out starting with 2 mg of the dimer in a total preparation time of approximately 22 min, starting with the addition of CH3I. The preparation of the 11C-labelled analogue was carried out by methylation with 11CH3I.

Complementary information from isotachophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography in peptide analysis.

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography is a valuable analytical technique to support the synthesis, isolation and purification of peptides, as is illustrated by some critical separations. In addition to this technique, capillary isotachophoresis can give useful information on the purity determination of peptides and on the presence of ionic compounds of a non-peptidic nature. With regard to the latter aspect, isotachophoresis proved to be a suitable technique as a check on the effective removal of salts after preparative high-performance liquid chromatography.

Application of reversed-phase HPLC in some critical peptide separations.

The application of reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography in peptide chemistry is illustrated. Its use is described for separation of closely related endorphins, as an optical purity criterion, for rapid determination of the species of origin of insulin preparations, and finally for analysis of small, basic (hydrophilic) peptides.