Involvement of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) carbohydrate side chains in its bioactivity; lessons from recombinant hormone expressed in insect cells.

Abstract

Natural eCG consists of as much as 45% carbohydrate side chains. The present paper deals with the analysis of the roles of the N- and O-linked saccharides of this hormone in the different steps of its activity and its possible replacement by recombinant eCG expressed in baculovirus-insect cell systems.