The linear tetrasaccharide, Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc, isolated from radiolabeled teratocarcinoma poly-N-acetyllactosaminoglycan resists the action of E. freundii endo-beta-galactosidase.

A novel linear tetrasaccharide, Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc, was isolated from partial acid hydrolysates of metabolically labeled poly-N-acetyllactosaminoglycans of murine teratocarcinoma cells. It was characterized by exo-glycosidase sequencing and by mild acid hydrolysis followed by identification of all partial cleavage products. The tetrasaccharide, and likewise labelled GlcNAc beta 1-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc, resisted the action of endo-beta-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.103) from E. freundii at a concentration of 125 mU/ml, while the isomeric, radioactive teratocarcinoma saccharides Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc and GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc were cleaved in the expected manner.