Synthesis of methyl 6-(ammonium 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranosyl phosphate)-α-d-mannopyranoside and use of this compound for the determination of N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphotransferase

Methyl 6-(ammonium 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranosyl phosphate)-α-d-mannopyranoside was synthesized and identified by ¹H-n.m.r. and ¹³C-n.m.r. data, acid hydrolysis, and elemental analysis. It was utilized for the determination of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphotransferase in an assay procedure that employed methyl α-d-mannopyranoside as an acceptor. The assay product was identified and characterized by thin-layer chromatography with the title reference compound. The present technique does not require [³²P]UDP-N-acetyl-glucosamine, but effectively uses commercially available UDP[¹⁴C]GlcNAc.