Glycophosphosphingolipid (GSPL) Purification Protocol

Abstract

Glycosylated ceramide phosphorylinositol are present in many species of fungi and mushrooms and bacteria and parasitic organisms like leishmania. These are usually membrane raft associated and are not easily extracted by conventional methodologies. This extraction method gives higher yield of the glycolipid. Glycosphingolipids are usually associated with the detergent resistance membrane rafts. They are difficult to be extracted by neutral solvents from rigid promastigote cell wall with neutral or less polar solvents. For more polar phospholipids, more polar solvents are essential. Ammonia is used to extract phosphatidylinositols.