Primary structure of 12 neutral oligosaccharide-alditols released from the jelly coats of the anuran Xenopus laevis by reductive β-elimination

The O-linked oligosaccharides of the jelly coat surrounding the eggs of Xenopus laevis were analysed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Among the 12 neutral oligosaccharide-alditols which have been characterized, three of them posses the following unusual structures, As previously observed for six other amphibian species, the carbohydrate chains of the jelly coat of Xenopus eggs display a high species specificity which could support a biological role during the fertilization processes.