Merck, G2392-5MG, Disialoganglioside GD1a from bovine brain

General description
Gangliosides are in the neuronal cell membranes and endoplasmic reticulum. They consist of a sialylated polysaccharide chain linked via β-glycosidic linkage to ceramide. They are also located in body fluids and plasma. GD₁a consists of a neutral tetrasaccharide core with one sialic acid on the internal galactose and another sialic acid on the non-reducing terminal galactose.
Application
Disialoganglioside GD₁a from bovine brain has been used:as a receptor for the detection of murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1) by RT-PCR
as a glycolipid to study the interaction between protein human endogenous retrovirus W family pHERV-W ENV and glycolipids by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
as a reference standard to analyze the ganglioside signatures of prostate cancer cells by high-performance liquid chromatography

Biochem/physiol Actions
Gangliosides are involved in cellular functions such as the differentiation of neurons, formation of axons, synapses, cell proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, and cell death. In addition, gangliosides form microdomains on the outer surface of the cell membranes that are involved in signal transduction and help in the formation of dendrites. Gangliosides act as Ca²⁺ binding co-factors during synaptic transmission.