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An Investigation of ABO Group Antigen Structure
The ABO blood group antigen epitopes are carbohydrates present on a cell membrane protein. The basic core carbohydrate (known as H) is present in group O individuals. Group A and group B individuals carry different saccharide additions to the basic core. Group AB individuals carry both the additional saccharides (on different core carbohydrates).
This experiment investigates the structure of the ABO antigens and should allow you to deduce what inherited factors produce these antigens.
Group O red blood cells have been incubated with either UDP-galactose or UDP-N-acetyl galactosamine together with group A, group B or group O serum for six hours at 37oC as follows:
Tube 1 Tube 2 Tube 3 Tube 4 Tube 5 Tube 6
Group O Group O Group O Group O Group O Group O
cells cells cells cells cells cells
UDP-NacG UDP-Gal UDP-NacG UDP-Gal UDP-NacG UDP-Gal
O-serum O-serum B-serum B-serum A-serum A-serum
Mix 10 l of cells from each tube with 10 l group O serum on a microscope slide, and check for agglutination.
Record your results.
Here are the results of the experiment
No agglutination was observed with tube 1, 2, 3 and 6
Agglutination was observed with tube 4 and 5
The Labororatory report- It should contain:
The AIM of the experiment
Why you are doing it
The Experimental Procedure
How you did it
The Results
What you observed
The Discussion and Conclusion
What it means
Include references at the end.
You should consider the following
What sugar is added to the basic core carbohydrate to produce
the group A epitope?
the group B epitope?
Why does a group A individual produce the group A epitope while a group O individual does not?
What do you think is the inherited factor which determines that an individual is group O, A, B, or AB? (Remember that group O is a recessive characteristic.)
Write an equation for the enzyme reaction by which the Group A and Group B saccharide residues are added to the core…