Unraveling the Novel Structure and Biosynthetic Pathway of O-Linked Glycans in the Golgi Apparatus of the Human Pathogenic Yeast Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated basidiomycete causing cryptococcosis in immunocompromised humans. The cell surface mannoproteins of C. neoformans were reported to stimulate the host T-cell response and to be involved in fungal pathogenicity; however, their O-glycan structure is uncharacterized. In this study, we performed a detailed structural analysis of the O-glycans attached to cryptococcal mannoproteins using HPLC combined with exoglycosidase treatment and showed that the major C. neoformans O-glycans were short manno-oligosaccharides that were connected mostly by α1,2-linkages but connected by an α1,6-linkage at the third mannose residue. Comparison of the O-glycan profiles from wild-type and uxs1Δ mutant strains strongly supports the presence of minor O-glycans carrying a xylose residue. Further analyses of C. neoformans mutant strains identified three mannosyltransferase genes involved in O-glycan extensions in the Golgi. C. neoformans KTR3, the only homolog of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae KRE2/MNT1 family genes, was shown to encode an α1,2-mannosyltransferase responsible for the addition of the second mannose residue via an α1,2-linkage to the major O-glycans. C. neoformans HOC1 and HOC3, homologs of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae OCH1 family genes, were shown to encode α1,6-mannosyltransferases that can transfer the third mannose residue, via an α1,6-linkage, to minor O-glycans containing xylose and to major O-glycans without xylose, respectively. Moreover, the C. neoformans ktr3Δ mutant strain, which displayed increased sensitivity to SDS, high salt, and high temperature, showed attenuated virulence in a mouse model of cryptococcosis, suggesting that the extended structure of O-glycans is required for cell integrity and full pathogenicity of C. neoformans.     

Protein O-Mannosyltransferases Associate with the Translocon to Modify Translocating Polypeptide Chains

O-Mannosylation and N-glycosylation are essential protein modifications that are initiated in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Protein translocation across the ER membrane and N-glycosylation are highly coordinated processes that take place at the translocon-oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) complex. In analogy, it was assumed that protein O-mannosyltransferases (PMTs) also act at the translocon, however, in recent years it turned out that prolonged ER residence allows O-mannosylation of un-/misfolded proteins or slow folding intermediates by Pmt1-Pmt2 complexes. Here, we reinvestigate protein O-mannosylation in the context of protein translocation. We demonstrate the association of Pmt1-Pmt2 with the OST, the trimeric Sec61, and the tetrameric Sec63 complex in vivo by co-immunoprecipitation. The coordinated interplay between PMTs and OST in vivo is further shown by a comprehensive mass spectrometry-based analysis of N-glycosylation site occupancy in pmtΔ mutants. In addition, we established a microsomal translation/translocation/O-mannosylation system. Using the serine/threonine-rich cell wall protein Ccw5 as a model, we show that PMTs efficiently mannosylate proteins during their translocation into microsomes. This in vitro system will help to unravel mechanistic differences between co- and post-translocational O-mannosylation.