The use of 1-deoxymannojirimycin to evaluate the role of various alpha-mannosidases in oligosaccharide processing in intact cells

The mannose analogue, 1-deoxymannojirimycin, which inhibits Golgi alpha-mannosidase I but not endoplasmic reticulum (ER) alpha-mannosidase has been used to determine the role of the ER alpha-mannosidase in the processing of the asparagine-linked oligosaccharides on glycoproteins in intact cells. In the absence of the inhibitor, the predominant oligosaccharide structures found on the ER glycoprotein 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase in UT-1 cells are single isomers of Man6GlcNAc and Man8GlcNAc. In the presence of 150 microM 1-deoxymannojirimycin, the Man8GlcNAc2 isomer accumulates indicating that the 1-deoxymannojirimycin-resistant ER alpha-mannosidase is responsible for the conversion of Man9GlcNAc2 to Man8GlcNAc2 on reductase. The processing of Man8GlcNAc2 to Man6GlcNAc2, however, must be attributed to a 1-deoxymannojirimycin-sensitive alpha-mannosidase. When cells were radiolabeled with [2-(3)H]mannose for 15 h in the presence of 1-deoxymannojirimycin and then further incubated for 3 h in nonradioactive medium without inhibitor, the Man8GlcNAc2 oligosaccharides which accumulated during the labeling period were partially trimmed to Man6GlcNAc. This finding suggests that a second alpha-mannosidase, sensitive to 1-deoxymannojirimycin, resides in the crystalloid ER and is responsible for trimming the reductase oligosaccharide chain from Man8GlcNAc2 to Man6GlcNAc2. To determine if ER alpha-mannosidase is responsible for trimming the oligosaccharides of all glycoproteins from Man9GlcNAc to Man8GlcNAc, the total asparagine-linked oligosaccharides of rat hepatocytes labeled with [2-(3)H]mannose in the presence or absence of 1.0 mM 1-deoxymannojirimycin were examined. the inhibitor prevented the formation of complex oligosaccharides and caused a 30-fold increase in the amount of Man9GlcNAc2 and a 13-fold increase in the amount of Man8GlcNAc2 present on secreted glycoproteins. This result suggests that only one-third of the secreted glycoproteins is initially processed by ER alpha-mannosidase, and two-thirds are processed by Golgi alpha-mannosidase I or another 1-deoxymannojirimycin-sensitive alpha-mannosidase. The inhibitor caused only a 2.6-fold increase in the amount of Man9GlcNAc2 on cellular glycoproteins suggesting that a higher proportion of these glycoproteins are initially processed by the ER alpha-mannosidase. We conclude that some, but not all, hepatocyte glycoproteins are substrates for ER alpha-mannosidase which catalyzes the removal of a specific mannose residue from Man9GlcNAc2 to form a single isomer of Man8GlcNAc2.     

Developmental regulation of asparagine-linked oligosaccharide synthesis in Dictyostelium discoideum

In the preceding report we demonstrated that the expression of two developmentally regulated alpha-mannosidase activities is induced in Dictyostelium discoideum during its differentiation from single-cell amoebae to multicellular organism (Sharkey, D. J., and Kornfeld, R. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 18477-18484). These activities, designated membrane alpha-mannosidase I (MI) and membrane alpha-mannosidase II (MII), were shown to have several properties in common with rat liver Golgi alpha-mannosidases I and II, respectively, suggesting that MI and MII may play a role in the processing of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides in developing D. discoideum. In this study we analyzed the structures of the asparagine-linked oligosaccharides synthesized by D. discoideum at various stages of development to determine the timing and extent of asparagine-linked oligosaccharide processing. Cells were labeled with [2-3H] mannose, and then total cellular glycoproteins were digested with Pronase to generate glycopeptides that were fractionated on concanavalin A-Sepharose. Glycopeptides from each fraction were digested with endoglycosidase H, both before and after desulfation by solvolysis, and the released, neutral oligosaccharides were sized by high pressure liquid chromatography. At early stages of development, D. discoideum contain predominantly large high mannose-type oligosaccharides (Man9GlcNAc and Man8GlcNAc). Some of these are modified by GlcNAc residues attached beta 1-4 to the mannose-linked alpha 1-6 to the beta-linked core mannose (the "intersecting" position), as well as by fucose, sulfate, and phosphate. In contrast, the oligosaccharides found at late stages of development (18-24 h) have an array of sizes from Man9GlcNAc to Man3GlcNAc. These are still modified by GlcNAc, fucose, sulfate, and phosphate, but the percent of larger high mannose oligosaccharides that are modified with GlcNAc in the intersecting position decreases after 6 h of development, in parallel with the decrease in the intersecting GlcNAc transferase activity. Similarly, the changes in the size of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides synthesized during development correlate well with the appearance of MI and MII activities and suggest that these developmentally regulated alpha-mannosidase activities function in the processing of these oligosaccharides. This is supported further by the observation that oligosaccharide processing was inhibited in late stage cells labeled in the presence of either deoxymannojirimycin, an inhibitor of MI, or swainsonine, an inhibitor of MII.     

The soluble form of rat liver alpha-mannosidase is immunologically related to the endoplasmic reticulum membrane alpha-mannosidase

The soluble alpha-mannosidase of rat liver, originally described as a cytoplasmic alpha-mannosidase, has been purified to homogeneity by conventional techniques. The purified enzyme has an apparent molecular weight of 350,000 and is composed of 107-kDa subunits. The soluble alpha-mannosidase has the same enzymatic properties as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane alpha-mannosidase of rat liver (Bischoff, J., and Kornfeld, R. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 7909-7910) which is believed to play a role in oligosaccharide processing in the rough ER. Like the membrane-bound ER alpha-mannosidase, the soluble alpha-mannosidase can hydrolyze alpha-linked mannose from both p-nitrophenyl alpha-mannoside (Km = 0.14 mM) and high mannose oligosaccharides, is not inhibited by the mannose analogues swainsonine and 1-deoxymannojirimycin, is stabilized by MnCl2 or CoCl2, and does not bind to concanavalin A-Sepharose. A goat polyclonal antibody raised against the purified soluble alpha-mannosidase specifically recognizes the rat liver membrane-bound ER alpha-mannosidase, leading us to propose that they are two forms of the same enzyme and that the soluble form is derived from the ER membrane alpha-mannosidase by proteolysis. The antibody also cross-reacts with both the soluble and membrane-bound forms of ER alpha-mannosidase activity in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells and rat H35 hepatoma cells. Since the ER alpha-mannosidase is presumed to be involved in the early steps of oligosaccharide processing, the action of the purified soluble form of the enzyme on high mannose oligosaccharides was examined. Surprisingly, the enzyme released free mannose from oligosaccharides ranging in size from Glc1Man9GlcNAc to Man5GlcNAc with almost equal efficiency. However, a long term incubation of the enzyme with Man9GlcNAc led to the accumulation of Man7GlcNAc and produced only small amounts of Man6GlcNAc and Man5GlcNAc. Structural analysis of these reaction products indicated that the purified soluble form of ER alpha-mannosidase shows little specificity for which mannose residues it removes from Man9GlcNAc. In contrast, as shown in the accompanying paper, the intracellular action of ER alpha-mannosidase on glycoprotein-bound Man9GlcNAc2 is highly specific.     

1,4-Dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-mannitol inhibits glycoprotein processing and mannosidase

1,4-Dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-mannitol (DIM) was synthesized chemically from benzyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside [Fleet et al (1984) J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun., 1240-1241], and was tested in vitro as an inhibitor of various alpha-mannosidases and in cell culture as an inhibitor of glycoprotein processing. DIM proved to be an effective inhibitor of jack bean alpha-mannosidase, with 50% inhibition requiring 25 to 50 ng/ml inhibitor. It also inhibited lysosomal alpha-mannosidase, but in this case 50% inhibition required about 1 to 2 micrograms/ml. In both cases, the inhibition was of the competitive type when p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside was used as the substrate. The inhibition was better at higher pH values, suggesting that DIM was more effective when the nitrogen in the ring was in the unprotonated form. In addition, rat liver processing mannosidase I was also inhibited by DIM as measured by the release of [3H]mannose from [3H]mannose-labeled Man9GlcNAc. Glycoprotein processing was examined in influenza virus-infected MDCK cells. Infected cells were incubated in various concentrations of DIM and labeled with [2-3H]mannose. Viral and cell pellets were digested with Pronase and glycopeptides were isolated by gel filtration on columns of Bio-Gel P-4. The glycopeptides were then treated with endoglucosaminidase H (Endo H) and rechromatographed on the Bio-Gel column in order to distinguish complex from high-mannose structures. As the DIM concentration in the medium was raised, more and more of the [3H]mannose was incorporated into high-mannose oligosaccharides, and less and less radioactivity was in the complex chains. Most of the Endo H-released oligosaccharides induced by DIM were of the Man9GlcNAc structure, as determined by gel filtration, HPLC, and digestion by alpha-mannosidase. Thus, DIM also appears to inhibit mannosidase I in cell culture. However, about 15% of the Endo H-released oligosaccharides appear to be hybrid types of oligosaccharides, suggesting that DIM may also inhibit mannosidase II.     

Developmental regulation of processing alpha-mannosidases and "intersecting" N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase in Dictyostelium discoideum.

We have identified three developmentally regulated oligosaccharide-processing enzyme activities in Dictyostelium discoideum. Two different alpha-mannosidase activities present at extremely low levels in vegetative cells are expressed during development. The first of these activities (MI) rises sharply from 6 to 12 h of development whereas the second activity (MII) rises sharply from 12 to 18 h of development. MI acts on Man9GlcNAc, which it can degrade to Man5GlcNAc but is inactive toward p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-mannoside (pnpMan). MII acts on pnpMan but not Man9GlcNAc. These activities are distinct from each other and from lysosomal alpha-mannosidase activity as demonstrated by pH optima, substrate specificity, sensitivity to inhibitors and divalent cations, developmental profiles, and solubility. The characteristics of these developmentally regulated alpha-mannosidase activities are similar to those of Golgi alpha-mannosidases I and II from higher eucaryotes, and they appear to catalyze the in vivo formation of processed asparagine-linked oligosaccharides by developed cells. In addition, developed cells have very low levels of a soluble alpha-mannosidase activity, which is the predominant activity in vegetative cells. This soluble vegetative alpha-mannosidase activity has properties that are reminiscent of the endoplasmic reticulum alpha-mannosidase from rat liver. The intersecting N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase activity that we have described recently in vegetative cells of D. discoideum (Sharkey, D. J., and Kornfeld, R. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 10411-10419) has a developmental profile that is distinct from that of either of the alpha-mannosidase activities. It has maximum activity at 6 h of development and decreases sharply to its minimum level by 12 h of development. The changes that occur in the levels of these three processing enzymes with development correlate well with the different arrays of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides found in early and late stages of development (Sharkey, D. J., and Kornfeld, R. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 18485-18497).     

Structures of galactose-containing oligosaccharides of alpha-mannosidase from porcine kidney

Oligosaccharides of a non-oligomannoside type were released from porcine alpha-mannosidase by hydrazinolysis, and were fractionated into at least 15 homogeneous oligosaccharides. Most of them are oligosaccharides with galactose and N-acetylglucosamine residues attached to a common core, alpha Man2 beta Man beta GlcNAc(+/- alpha-L-Fuc)beta GlcNAc. About 50% of the oligosaccharides contain one or two outer chains composed of one beta-linked N-acetylglucosamine and two beta-linked galactose residues attached to the core portions, and the others seem to be metabolic intermediates. Based on the results of studies on the binding of alpha-mannosidase to RCA (Ricinus communis agglutinin) I-agarose and MBP (mannan-binding protein)-Sepharose, which are specific for glycoproteins possessing N-acetyllactosamine-type and oligomannoside-type (including oligomannosides with N-acetylglucosamine at the reducing termini) oligosaccharides, respectively, about 85% of the enzyme molecules were found to have both types of oligosaccharides. Similarly, it was shown that of the several acid hydrolases present in the lysosomes purified from rat liver, only alpha-mannosidase has both types of oligosaccharides, and the greater parts of beta-glucuronidase, acid phosphatase and beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase seem to have only oligomannoside-type oligosaccharides.     

Structural heterogeneity in the Man8-13GlcNAc oligosaccharides from log-phase Saccharomyces yeast: a one- and two-dimensional 1H NMR spectroscopic study.

Previously, Man8-14GlcNAc oligosaccharides were isolated from highly purified Saccharomyces cerevisiae invertase and shown by one-dimensional 1H NMR spectroscopy and alpha 1,2-linkage-specific mannosidase digestion to constitute a homologous series of nearly homogeneous compounds, which appeared to define the intermediates in oligosaccharide core synthesis in yeast (Trimble, R.B. and Atkinson, P.H. (1986) J. Biol. Chem., 261, 9815-9824). To evaluate whether invertase oligosaccharides reflected global core processing of yeast glycans, the soluble glycoprotein pool of disrupted log-phase cells was digested with endo-beta-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase H and Man8-13GlcNAc were isolated by Bio-Gel P-4 chromatography. Although analysis of each size class by one-dimensional 400 MHz and two-dimensional 500 MHz phase-sensitive COSY 1H NMR spectroscopy revealed considerable structural heterogeneity in all but Man8GlcNAc, the major positional isomer in Man9-13GlcNAc (approximately 50%) was identical to that previously elucidated on invertase. The heterogeneity resided in four families of oligosaccharides: (i) Glc3Man9GlcNAc----Man8 GlcNAc trimming intermediates; (ii) alpha-mannosidase degradation products of the principal isomers; (iii) mannan elongation intermediates; (iv) core structures with the alpha 1,2-linked mannose usually removed by the processing alpha-mannosidase. The potential for the vacuolar alpha-mannosidase (AMS1 gene product) to generate heterogeneity in vitro was confirmed by isolating oligosaccharides from AMS1 and ams1 yeast strains in the presence of a Man13GlcNAc[3H]-ol marker (where GlcNAc[3H]-ol is N-acetylglucosamin [1-3H]itol). Degradation of the Man13GlcNAc[3H]-ol to Man9-12GlcNAc[3H]-ol occurred in the former, but not in the latter. A role for the vacuolar alpha-mannosidase in generating at least some heterogeneity in vivo was inferred from the 1H NMR spectrum of the AMS1 Man11GlcNAc pool, which showed more structural isomerism than seen in the spectrum of a comparable ams1 Man11GlcNAc preparation. Thus, the principal biosynthetic pathway of inner core mannan in Saccharomyces is defined by the Man8-13GlcNAc oligosaccharides found on external invertase, while structural heterogeneity in these size classes results from precursor processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, core extension in the Golgi and metabolic degradation in the vacuole.     

Assembly of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides in baby hamster kidney cells treated with castanospermine, an inhibitor of processing glucosidases

We have shown previously that the processing of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides in baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells is blocked only partially by the glucosidase inhibitors, 1-deoxynojirimycin and N-methyl-1-deoxynojirimycin [Hughes, R. C., Foddy, L. & Bause, E. (1987) Biochem. J. 247, 537-544]. Similar results are now reported for castanospermine, another inhibitor of processing glucosidases, and a detailed study of oligosaccharide processing in the inhibited cells is reported. In steady-state conditions the major endo-H-released oligosaccharides contained glucose residues but non-glycosylated oligosaccharides, including Man9GlcNAc to Man5GlcNAc, were also present. To determine the processing sequences occurring in the presence of castanospermine, BHK cells were pulse-labelled for various times with [3H]mannose and the oligosaccharide intermediates, isolated by gel filtration and paper chromatography, characterized by acetolysis and sensitivity to jack bean alpha-mannosidase. The data show that Glc3Man9GlcNAc2 is transferred to protein and undergoes processing to produce Glc3Man8GlcNAc2 and Glc3Man7GlcNAc2 as major species as well as a smaller amount of Man9GlcNAc2. Glucosidase-processed intermediates, Glc1Man8GlcNAc2 and Glc1Man7GlcNAc2, were also obtained as well as a Man7GlcNAc2 species derived from Glc1Man7GlcNAc2 and different from the Man7GlcNAc2 isomer formed in the usual processing pathway. No evidence for the direct transfer of non-glucosylated oligosaccharides to proteins was obtained and we conclude that the continued assembly of complex-type glycans in castanospermine-inhibited BHK cells results from residual activity of processing glucosidases.     

Evidence for an alpha-mannosidase in endoplasmic reticulum of rat liver

An alpha-mannosidase activity has been identified in a preparation of rat liver endoplasmic reticulum and shown to be distinct from the previously described Golgi alpha-mannosidases I and II and the lysosomal alpha-mannosidase. The enzyme was solubilized with deoxycholate and separated from other alpha-mannosidases by passage over concanavalin A-Sepharose to which it does not bind. The endoplasmic reticulum alpha-mannosidase cleaves alpha-1,2-linked mannoses from high mannose oligosaccharides and, unlike Golgi alpha-mannosidase I, is active against p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-mannoside (Km = 0.17 mM). It has no activity toward GlcNAc-Man5GlcNAc2 peptide, the specific substrate of the Golgi alpha-mannosidase II. The endoplasmic reticulum alpha-mannosidase activity toward p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-mannoside is relatively insensitive to swainsonine, an inhibitor of both the lysosomal alpha-mannosidase and Golgi alpha-mannosidase II. We propose that the endoplasmic reticulum alpha-mannosidase is responsible for the removal of mannose residues from asparagine-linked high mannose type oligosaccharides prior to their entry into the Golgi.     

Structures of the asparagine-linked sugar chains of human chorionic gonadotropin.

The asparagine-linked sugar chains of human chorionic gonadotropin were released from the polypeptide moiety by hydrazinolysis followed by N-acetylation and NaB3H4 reduction. More than 90% of the released radioactive oligosaccharides contained N-acetylneuraminic acid residues. After removal of N-acetylneuraminic acid residues by sialidase treatment, two neutral oligosaccharide fractions were obtained by paper chromatography. Sequential exoglycosidase digestion revealed that one of them was a mixture of two neutral oligosaccharides. The complete structures of the three oligosaccharides were elucidated by methylation analysis. It was confirmed that all the N-acetylneuraminic acid residues of the asparagine-linked sugar chains of human chorionic gonadotropin occur as NeuAc alpha 2 leads to 3Gal groupings by comparing the methylation analysis data for the acidic oligosaccharide mixture before and after sialidase treatment. Based on these results, the structures of the asparagine-linked sugar chains of human chorionic gonadotropin were confirmed to be +/- NeuAc alpha 2 leads to 3Gal beta 1 leads to 4GlcNAc beta 1 leads to 2Man alpha 1 leads to 6(NeuAc alpha 2 leads to 3Gal beta 1 leads to 4GlcNAc beta 1 leads to 2Man alpha 1 leads to 3)Man beta 1 leads to 4GlcNAc beta 1 leads to 4(+/- Fuc alpha 1 leads to 6)GlcNAc and Man alpha 1 leads to 6(NeuAc alpha 2 leads to 3 Gal beta 1 leads to 4 GlcNAc beta 1 leads to Man alpha 1 leads to 3)Man beta 1 leads to 4 GlcNAc beta 1 leads to 4GlcNAc.     

Structural analysis of the glycoprotein allergen Art v II from the pollen of mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L.).

The glycoprotein allergen Art v II, from the pollen of mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L.) was treated with peptide:N-glycosidase F (PNGase F) to release asparagine-linked oligosaccharides. The oligosaccharides were isolated by gel permeation chromatography and their structures determined by 500-MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy, fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, and high-pH anion-exchange chromatography. The high-mannose oligosaccharides Man5GlcNAc2, Man6GlcNAc2, Man7GlcNAc2, Man8GlcNAc2, and Man9GlcNAc2 were present in the ratios 2:49:19:24:6 and accounted for all the asparagine-linked oligosaccharides released from Art v II by PNGase F. The NH2-terminal amino acid sequences of Art v II and of four peptides generated by cyanogen bromide (CNBr) cleavage of deglycosylated Art v II were determined. The first 30 amino acid residues of Art v II did not contain any potential N-glycosylation sites. One potential N-glycosylation site was identified in one of the CNBr fragments. The native protein conformation was shown by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay inhibition assays to be essential for the binding of rabbit IgG to Art v II and for the binding of human IgE to the major IgE-binding epitope(s) in this allergen. At least one minor IgE-binding epitope still bound IgE after denaturation of the allergen. Removal of the high-mannose chains from denatured Art v II had no significant effect on the binding of human IgE to the minor IgE-binding epitope(s).     

Calculated two-dimensional sugar map of pyridylaminated oligosaccharides: elucidation of the jack bean alpha-mannosidase digestion pathway of Man9GlcNAc2

We have developed a two-dimensional (2-D) mapping of pyridylaminated oligosaccharides as an aid to structural determination of glycoprotein-derived oligosaccharides. Using the available data of reverse-phase HPLC of pyridylamino-oligosaccharides, this was further extended to parameterization of unit contribution by each sugar component, which allows the prediction of possible structures from the elution volume. We have extended this approach to the data obtained with amide-silica HPLC column to obtain a calculated 2-D mapping technique for the oligomannose-type oligosaccharides (M-series). In this method, the elution volumes of all possible pyridylamino-oligosaccharides up to the size of Glc1Man9GlcNAc2 (50 in total) are calculated from the established UC values to construct a 2-D map. To test the validity of the calculated 2-D map, the structures of intermediate PA-oligosaccharides generated during the alpha-mannosidase (jack bean) digestion of Man9GlcNAc2 (porcine thyroglobulin) were analyzed to establish the digestion pathway. The validity of this approach is substantiated by an independent deduction of the intermediate structures based on structural relationships and the coincidence of elution volumes. Our results agree well with the recently published digestion pathway of Man5GlcNAc2 by the same enzyme and that of Man9GlcNAc2 by lysosomal alpha-mannosidase.     

Swainsonine affects the processing of glycoproteins in vivo

Rats, sheep and guinea pigs treated with swainsonine excrete 'high mannose' oligosaccharides in urine. The major rat and guinea pig oligosaccharide is (Man)5GlcNAc, whereas sheep excrete a mixture of oligosaccharides of composition (Man)2-5GlcNAc2 and (Man)3-5GlcNAc. The presence of these oligosaccharides suggests that Golgi alpha-D-mannosidase II as well as lysosomal alpha-D-mannosidase is inhibited by swainsonine resulting in storage of abnormally processed asparagine-linked glycans from glycoproteins. Altered glycoprotein processing appears to have little effect on the health of the intoxicated animal, but the accompanying lysosomal storage produces a disease state.     

Structural study of the asparagine-linked oligosaccharides of lipophorin in locusts

The complete structure of oligosaccharides from locust lipophorin was studied. The asparagine-linked oligosaccharides were first liberated from the protein moiety of lipophorin by digestion with almond glycopeptidase (N-oligosaccharide glycopeptidase, EC 3.5.1.52). Two major oligosaccharides (E and F), separated by subsequent thin-layer chromatography, were analyzed by methylation analysis and 1H-NMR. Based on the experimental data, the whole structure of oligosaccharide E was identified as Man alpha 1----2Man alpha 1----6(Man alpha 1----2Man alpha 1----3) Man alpha 1----6(Man alpha 1----2Man alpha 1----2Man alpha 1----3)Man beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4GlcNAc. The data also revealed that oligosaccharide F is identical with oligosaccharide E in the structure, except for one glucose residue that is linked to the nonreducing terminal Man alpha 1----2 residue.     

Free oligosaccharides in the cytosol of Caenorhabditis elegans are generated through endoplasmic reticulum-golgi trafficking

Free oligosaccharides (FOSs) in the cytosol of eukaryotic cells are mainly generated during endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD) of misfolded glycoproteins. We analyzed FOS of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to elucidate its detailed degradation pathway. The major FOSs were high mannose-type ones bearing 3-9 Man residues. About 94% of the total FOSs had one GlcNAc at their reducing end (FOS-GN1), and the remaining 6% had two GlcNAc (FOS-GN2). A cytosolic endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase mutant (tm1208) accumulated FOS-GN2, indicating involvement of the enzyme in conversion of FOS-GN2 into FOS-GN1. The most abundant FOS in the wild type was Man(5)GlcNAc(1), the M5A' isomer (Manalpha1-3(Manalpha1-6)Manalpha1-6(Manalpha1-3)Manbeta1-4GlcNAc), which is different from the corresponding M5B' (Manalpha1-2Manalpha1-2Manalpha1-3(Manalpha1-6)Manbeta1-4GlcNAc) in mammals. Analyses of FOS in worms treated with Golgi alpha-mannosidase I inhibitors revealed decreases in Man(5)GlcNAc(1) and increases in Man(7)GlcNAc(1). These results suggested that Golgi alpha-mannosidase I-like enzyme is involved in the production of Man(5-6)-GlcNAc(1), which is unlike in mammals, in which cytosolic alpha-mannosidase is involved. Thus, we assumed that major FOSs in C. elegans were generated through Golgi trafficking. Analysis of FOSs from a Golgi alpha-mannosidase II mutant (tm1078) supported this idea, because GlcNAc(1)Man(5)GlcNAc(1), which is formed by the Golgi-resident GlcNAc-transferase I, was found as a FOS in the mutant. We concluded that significant amounts of misfolded glycoproteins in C. elegans are trafficked to the Golgi and are directly or indirectly retro-translocated into the cytosol to be degraded.     

Formation of unusual mannosamine-containing lipid-linked oligosaccharides in Madin-Darby canine kidney cell cultures.

Glc3Man9(GlcNAc)2-pyrophosphoryl-dolichol is the major lipid-linked oligosaccharide (LLO) produced by Madin-Darby canine kidney cells in culture. However, when these cells are incubated in the presence of millimolar concentrations of mannosamine and labeled with [2-3H]mannose, they accumulate various LLO that have smaller-sized oligosaccharides with unusual structures and the Glc3Man9(GlcNAc)2-pyrophosphoryl-dolichol is not detected. Thus in the presence of 10 mM mannosamine, more than 80% of the oligosaccharides are eluted from concanavalin A-Sepharose with 10 mM alpha-methylglucoside, indicating that they no longer have the tight-binding characteristics of control oligosaccharides. In addition, 20-40% of these oligosaccharides bind to Dowex 50-H+, indicating the presence of mannosamine in these structures. Interestingly enough, these abnormal oligosaccharides are still transferred to protein. The mannosamine-induced oligosaccharides were separated into neutral and basic fractions on a cation exchange resin. The neutral oligosaccharides ranged in size from hexose3(GlcNAc)2 to hexose10(GlcNAc)2 with the major species being Man5(GlcNAc)2 to Man7(GlcNAc)2. These oligosaccharides were almost completely susceptible to digestion by alpha-mannosidase and by endoglucosaminidase H. The basic oligosaccharides showed anomolous behavior on the Bio-Gel P-4 columns and appeared to be of small size on the standard columns, ranging from hexose2 to hexose4. However, most of these oligosaccharides were susceptible to digestion by endoglucosaminidase H as well as by alpha-mannosidase, suggesting that they were of different size and structure than would be predicted from the gel filtration patterns. Significantly, when the basic oligosaccharides were subjected to chemical N-acetylation, or when the gel filtration columns were run at high pH rather than at the usual pH of 3.0, the basic oligosaccharides migrated like much larger oligosaccharides. These data provide strong evidence to indicate that some mannosamine can be incorporated into the LLO, and that these mannosamine-containing oligosaccharides exhibit unusual properties. Preliminary studies indicated that Madin-Darby canine kidney cells do incorporate label from [3H]mannosamine into the LLO.     

Regulation of glycosylation. The influence of protein structure on N-linked oligosaccharide processing

The Sindbis virus glycoproteins, E1 and E2, comprise a useful model system for evaluating the effects of local protein structure on the processing of N-linked oligosaccharides by Golgi enzymes. The conversion of oligomannose to N-acetyllactosamine (complex) oligosaccharides is hindered to different extents at the four glycosylation sites, so that the complex/oligomannose ratio decreases in the order E1-Asn139 greater than E2-Asn196 greater than E1-Asn245 greater than E2-Asn318. The processing steps most susceptible to interference were deduced from the oligosaccharide compositions at hindered sites in virus from baby hamster kidney cells (BHK), chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF), and normal and hamster sarcoma virus (HSV)-transformed hamster fibroblasts (Nil-8). Persistence of Man6-9GlcNAc2 was taken to indicate interference with alpha 2-mannosidase(s) I (alpha-mannosidase I), Man5GlcNAc2, with UDP-GlcNAc:alpha-D-mannoside beta 1----2-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I (GlcNAc transferase I), and unbisected hybrid glycans, with GlcNAc transferase I-dependent alpha 3(alpha 6)-mannosidase (alpha-mannosidase II). Taken together, the results indicate that all four sites acquire a precursor oligosaccharide with equally high efficiency, but alpha-mannosidase I, GlcNAc transferase I, and alpha-mannosidase II are all impeded at E2-Asn318 and, to a lesser extent, at E1-Asn245. In contrast, sialic acid and galactose transfer to hybrid glycans (in BHK cells) is virtually quantitative even at E2-Asn318. E2-Asn318 carried no complex oligosaccharides, but the structures of those at E1-Asn245 indicate almost complete GlcNAc transfer by UDP-GlcNAc:alpha-D-mannoside beta 1----2-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase II (GlcNAc transferase II), galactosylation, and sialylation. Because the E2-Asn318 and E1-Asn245 glycans have previously been shown to be less accessible to a steric probe than those at E2-Asn196 or E1-Asn139, a simple explanation for these results would be that alpha-mannosidase I, GlcNAc transferase I, and alpha-mannosidase II are more susceptible to steric hindrance than are the later processing steps examined. Finally, in addition to these site-specific effects, the overall extent of viral oligosaccharide processing varied with host and cellular growth status. For example, alpha-mannosidase I processing is more complete in BHK cells compared to CEF, and in confluent Nil-8 cells compared to subconfluent or HSV-transformed Nil-8 cells.     

Diversity of oligosaccharide structures linked to asparagines of the scrapie prion protein

Prion proteins from humans and rodents contain two consensus sites for asparagine-linked glycosylation near their C-termini. The asparagine-linked oligosaccharides of the scrapie isoform of the hamster prion protein (PrP 27-30) were released quantitatively from the purified molecule by hydrazinolysis followed by N-acetylation and NaB3H4 reduction. The radioactive oligosaccharides were fractionated into one neutral and three acidic oligosaccharide fractions by anion-exchange column chromatography. All oligosaccharides in the acidic fractions could be converted to neutral oligosaccharides by sialidase digestion. Structural studies on these oligosaccharides including sequential exoglycosidase digestion in combination with methylation analysis revealed that PrP 27-30 contains a mixture of bi-, tri-, and tetraantennary complex-type sugar chains with Man alpha 1----6(GlcNAc beta 1----4)(Man alpha 1----3)Man beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4-(Fuc alpha 1----6)GlcNAc as their core. Variation is produced by the different combination of the oligosaccharides Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----, Gal beta 1----4(Fuc alpha 1----3)GlcNAc beta 1----, GlcNAc beta 1----, Sia alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----, and Sia alpha 2----6Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1---- in their outer chain moieties. When both asparagine-linked consensus sites are glycosylated, the diversity of oligosaccharide structures yields over 400 different forms of the scrapie prion protein. Whether these diverse asparagine-linked oligosaccharides participate in scrapie prion infectivity or modify the function of the cellular prion protein remains to be established.     

Characterization of lipid-linked octa- through undecasaccharides implicated in the biosynthesis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannoproteins.

The lipid-linked oligosaccharide Glc3-Man9(GlcNAc)2 (Glc, glucose; Man, mannose; GlcNAc, N-acetylglucosamine) serves as a precursor for the biosynthesis of the inner core portion of the asparagine-linked polysaccharide of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannoproteins. It has been shown previously that incubation of a microsomal preparation from this organism with UDP-N-acetylglucosamine and GDP-[14C]mannose gives rise to a series of lipid-linked oligosaccharides of the general structure Mann(GlcNAc)2, with n from 1 to 9. A structural characterization of Man1- to Man5(GlcNAc)2 oligosaccharides indicated that the major structures among these were identical to the intermediates proposed for the biosynthesis of animal glycoproteins (C. Prakash and I. K. Vijay, Biochemistry 21:4810-4818, 1982). In the present study, the structural characterization of the Man6- through Man9(GlcNAc)2 species was conducted. The Man6- through Man8(GlcNAc)2 species have two isomers, whereas Man9(GlcNAc)2 is monoisomeric. One isomer each of Man6- through Man8(GlcNAc)2 and the monoisomeric Man9(GlcNAc)2 are identical to the intermediates for the biosynthesis of asparagine-linked glycoproteins in animal systems. It is proposed that the steps of the lipid-linked assembly of the carbohydrate precursor for S. cerevisiae mannoproteins are identical to those of the major pathway in animal systems. A lack of acceptor substrate specificity by the mannosyltransferases, as observed with in vitro studies with animal systems, also might be responsible for the biosynthesis of multiple isomers reported here.     

Glycoprotein synthesis in yeast. Identification of Man8GlcNAc2 as an essential intermediate in oligosaccharide processing

Synthesis of the N-linked oligosaccharides of Saccharomyces cerevisiae glycoproteins has been studied in vivo by labeling with [2-3H]mannose and gel filtration analysis of the products released by endoglycosidase H. Both small oligosaccharides, Man8-14GlcNAc, and larger products, Man greater than 20GlcNAc, were labeled. The kinetics of continuous and pulse-chase labeling demonstrated that Glc3Man9GlcNAc2, the initial product transferred to protein, was rapidly (t1/2 congruent to 3 min) trimmed to Man8GlcNAc2 and then more slowly (t1/2 = 10-20 min) elongated to larger oligosaccharides. No oligosaccharides smaller than Man8GlcNAc2 were evident with either labeling procedure. In confirmation of the trimming reaction observed in vivo, 3H-labeled Man9-N-acetylglucosaminitol from bovine thyroglobulin and [14C]Man9GlcNAc2 from yeast oligosaccharide-lipid were converted in vitro by broken yeast cells to 3H-labeled Man8-N-acetylglucosaminitol and [14C]Man8GlcNAc2. Man8GlcNAc and Man9GlcNAc from yeast invertase and from bovine thyroglobulin were purified by gel filtration and examined by high field 1H-NMR analysis. Invertase Man8GlcNAc (B) and Man9GlcNAc (C) were homogeneous compounds, which differed from the Man9GlcNAc (A) of thyroglobulin by the absence of a specific terminal alpha 1,2-linked mannose residue. The Man9GlcNAc of invertase (C) had an additional terminal alpha 1,6-linked mannose and appeared identical in structure with that isolated from yeast containing the mnn1 and mnn2 mutations (Cohen, R. E., Zhang, W.-j., and Ballou, C. E. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 5730-5737). It is concluded that Man8GlcNAc2, formed by removal of glucose and a single mannose from Glc3Man9GlcNAc2, is the ultimate product of trimming and the minimal precursor for elongation of the oligosaccharides on yeast glycoproteins. The results suggest that removal of a particular terminal alpha 1,2-linked mannose from Man9GlcNAc2 by a highly specific alpha-mannosidase exposes the nascent Man-alpha 1,6-Man backbone for elongation with additional alpha 1,6-linked mannose residues, according to the following scheme: (formula, see text).