Figure 1.

Structures of the three distinct classes of GPIs synthesized by L. mexicana promastigotes. These glycolipids act as membrane anchors for the major surface glycoprotein (gp63) and an abundant surface lipophosphoglycan (LPG) as well as being the major class of free glycolipids (GIPLs) (McConville et al., 1993; Ralton and McConville, 1998). The nomenclature used for different GPI structures is as follows: M2–4 denotes GPIs with the structures Man_2–4GlcN-PI; EP denotes the presence of an EtN-P cap or side chain; and the prefix i denotes the presence of an α1–3-linked mannose in the core structure.