Abstract
Summary
A cell line derived from a murine teratocarcinoma was cultured in growth medium supplemented with either 10% or 1% fetal bovine serum or was grown in chemically-defined medium buffered with either a combination of HEPES and sodium bicarbonate or with bicarbonate alone. The sugar content of a particular glycoprotein secreted by these cells was markedly different in each case. No differences were noted in antigenicity or amino acid composition, including amino and carboxyl terminal amino acids. Differences in molecular weight were attributable to the difference in carbohydrate content. These data indicate that the level of glycosylation of proteins in vitro is dependent on the medium composition, including apparently unsuspected components such as buffers.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.