Characterization of a soluble form of human CD4. Peptide analyses confirm the expected amino acid sequence, identify glycosylation sites and demonstrate the presence of three disulfide bonds

CD4 is a glycoprotein that is expressed on the surface of a variety of cells of the immune system and is believed to participate in the interactions of these cells with antigen-presenting cells bearing the class II major histocompatibility (MHC) antigens. CD4 also acts as the receptor for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) by binding to the viral glycoprotein gp120. Recombinant soluble CD4 (rCD4) is a truncated form of human CD4 that is secreted from transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. This 368-amino-acid glycoprotein contains two potential sites of N-linked glycosylation (Asn-271 and Asn-300) and six cysteine residues. Amino-terminal sequence analysis demonstrated that the sequence begins at the third residue of the polypeptide originally predicted from the cDNA analysis [Maddon, P.J. et al. (1985) Cell 42, 93-104]. The rest of the primary sequence was confirmed by analysis of peptides purified by reversed-phase HPLC after digestion of S-carboxymethylated rCD4 with trypsin. Anhydrotrypsin affinity chromatography of trypsin-digested rCD4 confirmed that the carboxy-terminus of the protein was Pro-368. Enzymatic digestion of non-reduced rCD4 generated disulfide-bonded fragments that demonstrated the presence of disulfide bonds between Cys-16 and Cys-84, Cys-130 and Cys-159, and between Cys-303 and Cys-345. The constituent monosaccharides of the carbohydrate structures of rCD4 were found to be fucose, mannose, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylneuraminic acid. Characterization of the tryptic map of rCD4 after treatment with peptide: N-glycosidase F demonstrated that both potential N-glycosylation sites are utilized. The tryptic map of rCD4 treated with endo-beta-N-acetylglucosamine H demonstrated that only complex-type oligosaccharides are attached to Asn-271, while Asn-300 has high-mannose or hybrid structures attached in addition to complex-type oligosaccharides. Glucosamine was observed only in glycopeptides that contain Asn-300 or Asn-271 while no galactosamine was observed. This suggests that rCD4 contains no O-linked oligosaccharides.     

Carbohydrate structures of human tissue plasminogen activator expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA), produced by expression in Chinese hamster ovary cells, is a fibrin-specific plasminogen activator which has been approved for clinical use in the treatment of myocardial infarction. In this study, the structures of the Asn-linked oligosaccharides of Chinese hamster ovary-expressed rt-PA have been elucidated. High mannose and hybrid oligosaccharides were released from the protein by endoglycosidase H digestion, whereas N-acetyllactosamine-type ("complex") oligosaccharides were released by peptide:N-glycosidase F digestion. The oligosaccharides were fractionated by gel permeation chromatography and anion exchange high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and their structures were analyzed by composition and methylation analysis, high pH anion exchange chromatography, fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry (FAB-MS), and 500-MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy. High mannose oligosaccharides were found to account for 38% of the total carbohydrate content of rt-PA and consisted of Man5GlcNAc2, Man6GlcNAc2, and Man7GlcNAc2 in the ratio 1.8:1.7:1. Two hybrid oligosaccharides were identified and accounted for 3% of the carbohydrate of rt-PA. The N-acetyllactosamine-type oligosaccharides were found to comprise diantennary (34% of total carbohydrate), 2,4-branched triantennary (11%), 2,6-branched triantennary (9%), and tetraantennary (5%) structures. Sialylation of these oligosaccharides was by alpha (2----3) linkages to galactose. Most (greater than 90%) of the N-acetyllactosamine-type structures contained fucose alpha (1----6) linked to the Asn-linked N-acetylglucosamine residue. The distribution of oligosaccharide structures at individual glycosylation sites (Asn residues 117, 184, and 448) was also determined. rt-PA exists as two variants that differ by the presence (type I) or absence (type II) of carbohydrate at Asn-184. Tryptic glycopeptides were isolated by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography and treated with peptide:N-glycosidase F. The oligosaccharides released from each glycosylation site were analyzed by high pH anion exchange chromatography. By this analysis, Asn-117 was demonstrated to carry exclusively high mannose oligosaccharides. When glycosylated, Asn-184 carried diantennary, 2,4-branched triantennary, 2,6-branched triantennary, and tetraantennary N- acetyllactosamine oligosaccharides in the ratio 9.0:4.5:1.4:1. Asn- 448 carried the same types of oligosaccharides, but in the ratio 7.5:1.6:2.1:1. The distributions of Asn-linked oligosaccharides at positions 117 and 448 were found not to be affected by the presence or absence of carbohydrate at position 184. The relevance of the     

Chemical characterization of the oligosaccharides in milk of high Arctic harbour seal (Phoca vitulina vitulina)

Carbohydrates were extracted from high Arctic harbour seal milk, Phoca vitulina vitulina (family Phocidae). Free neutral oligosaccharides were separated by gel filtration and preparative thin layer chromatography, while free sialyl oligosaccharides were separated by gel filtration and then purified by ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration and high performance liquid chromatography. Oligosaccharide structures were determined by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The structures of the neutral oligosaccharides were as follows: lactose, 2'-fucosyllactose, lacto-N-neotetraose, lacto-N-neohexaose, monofucosyl lacto-N-neohexaose and difucosyl lacto-N-neohexaose. Thus, all of the neutral saccharides contained lactose or lacto-N-neotetraose or lacto-N-neohexaose as core units and/or non-reducing alpha(1-2) linked fucose. These oligosaccharides have also been found in hooded seal milk. The structures of the silalyl oligosaccharides were: monosialyl lacto-N-neohexaose, monosialyl monofucosyl lacto-N-neohexaose, monosialyl difucosyl lacto-N-neohexaose and disialyl lacto-N-neohexaose. These oligosaccharides contained lacto-N-neohexaose as core units, and one or two alpha(2-6) linked Neu5Ac, and/or non-reducing alpha(1-2) linked Fuc. The Neu5Ac residues were found to be linked to GlcNAc or penultimate Gal residues. The acidic oligosaccharides are the first to have been characterized in the milk of any species of seal.     

Site-specific N-glycosylation of human chorionic gonadotrophin--structural analysis of glycopeptides by one- and two-dimensional 1H NMR spectroscopy.

Glycopeptides representing individual N-glycosylation sites of the heterodimeric glycoprotein hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) were obtained from subunits hCG alpha (N-glycosylated at Asn-52 and Asn-78) and hCG beta (N-glycosylated at Asn-13 and Asn-30) by digestion with trypsin and chymotrypsin, respectively. Following purification by reverse-phase HPLC and identification by amino acid sequencing, the glycopeptides were analysed by one- and two-dimensional 1H NMR spectroscopy. The results are summarized as follows: (i) oligosaccharides attached to Asn-52 of hCG alpha comprised monosialylated 'monoantenary' NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-3[Man alpha 1-6]Man beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-4GlcNAc (N1-4'), disialylated diantennary NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-3[NeuAc alpha 2-3-Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-6]Man beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-4GlcNAc (N2), and the monosialylated hybrid-type structures NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-3[Man alpha 1-3Man alpha 1-6]Man beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-4GlcNAc (N1-A) and NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal-beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-3[Man alpha 1-3(Man alpha 1-6)Man alpha 1-6]Man beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-4GlcNAc (N1-AB) in a ratio approaching 5:2:2:1; (ii) Asn-78 of hCG alpha carried N2 and N1-4' almost exclusively (ratio approximately 3:2); (iii) both N-glycosylation sites of hCG beta contained predominantly component N2, partially (approximately 25%) and completely alpha 1-6-fucosylated at the N-acetylglucosamine linked to Asn-13 and Asn-30, respectively. The distinct site-specific distribution of the oligosaccharide structures among individual N-glycosylation sites of hCG appears to reflect primarily the influence of the surrounding protein structure on the substrate accessibility of the Golgi processing enzymes alpha-mannosidase II, GlcNAc transferase II and alpha 1,6-fucosyltransferase.     

NMR investigations of the N-linked oligosaccharides at individual glycosylation sites of human lutropin

Human lutropin or luteinizing hormone (hLH) is a heterodimeric glycoprotein, composed of two subunits. hLH alpha (N-glycosylated at Asn52 and Asn78) and hLH beta (N-glycosylated at Asn30). The sugar chains were liberated by hydrazinolysis from intact hLH beta and from glycopeptides obtained after tryptic digestion of hLH alpha, subsequently reduced and fractionated as alditols by anion-exchange and ion-suppression amine-adsorption HPLC and identified mainly by one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The results indicate predominantly diantennary. N-acetyllactosamine-type structures at all three glycosylation sites. The oligosaccharides attached to Asn52 (hLH alpha) and Asn30 (hLH beta) show a remarkably similar pattern, with mainly chain-terminating 4-sulphated 2-deoxy-2-N-acetylamino-D-galactose (GalNAc) and a sulphated/sialylated structure as the major single component. However, virtually all N-glycans on the beta subunit bear a fucose residue alpha 1-6-linked to the proximal GlcNAc, whereas those at Asn52 (and Asn78) of the alpha subunit are predominantly non-fucosylated. The oligosaccharides at Asn78 (hLH alpha) are sialylated rather than sulphated and contain the unique sequence NeuAc alpha 2-6 GalNAc beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-2 Man alpha 1-3 as part of the majority of mono- and disialylated compounds. The major single constituent at Asn78 has the following structure: [formula, see text]     

Structural study on the carbohydrate moiety of human placental alkaline phosphatase

Alkaline phosphatase purified from human placenta contains a single asparagine-linked sugar chain in one molecule. The sugar chain was quantitatively liberated as radioactive oligosaccharides from the polypeptide moiety by hydrazinolysis followed by N-acetylation and NaB3H4 reduction, and separated by paper electrophoresis into one neutral and two acidic fractions. By a combination of sequential exoglycosidase digestion and methylation analysis, the structures of oligosaccharides in the neutral fraction were confirmed to be as follows: Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----2Man alpha 1----6(Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----2Man alpha 1----3)Man beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4(+/- Fuc alpha 1----6)GlcNAc. The acidic oligosaccharide fractions were mixtures of mono- and disialyl derivatives of the neutral fraction. All the sialic acid residues of the sugar chains occur as the NeuAc alpha 2----3Gal group. In the case of monosialyl derivatives, the N-acetylneuraminic acid was exclusively linked to the Man alpha 1----3 arm.     

Structural studies on the carbohydrate moieties of human liver alpha-L-fucosidase

alpha-L-Fucosidase was purified from human liver to apparent homogeneity and subjected to exhaustive digestion with Pronase. The resulting glycopeptides were isolated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50 and further fractionated by Bio-Gel P-4 chromatography. Five glycopeptide fractions were obtained. The structures of the carbohydrate portions of all glycopeptide components were fully characterized by a combination of 500-MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy and carbohydrate composition analysis. Fraction I contained disialyl diantennary glycopeptides of the N-acetyllactosamine type. Fractions II and III contained predominantly mono(sialyl-N-acetyllactosaminyl) diantennary glycopeptides with the NeuAc alpha(2----6)Gal beta(1----4)GlcNAc beta(1----2) branch attached to alpha(1----3)-linked Man in II and to alpha(1----6)-linked Man in III. The N-acetyllactosamine-type glycopeptides in fractions I to III have a small portion (10-15%) of their Asn-linked GlcNAc residues substituted by additional alpha(1----6)-linked Fuc. Also, a minor portion of the NeuAc residues appeared to be attached to Gal in alpha(2----3) rather than alpha(2----6) linkage. Fraction IV contained a mixture of larger-size oligomannoside-type glycopeptides with a variable number (6 to 9) of Man residues. Smaller-size oligomannoside-type glycopeptides were found in fraction V, containing 3 or 5 Man residues; a small portion (10%) of the Man3GlcNAc2Asn component appeared to contain in addition a Fuc residue in alpha(1----6) linkage to the Asn-bound GlcNAc. The overall ratio of oligomannoside-type to N-acetyllactosamine-type carbohydrate structures was found to be 5:4. This article is the first account of the complete characterization of the oligomannoside-type structures in alpha-L-fucosidase; furthermore, the occurrence in alpha-L-fucosidase of mono(sialyl-N-acetyllactosaminyl) structures, Fuc-containing oligosaccharides, and NeuAc alpha(2----3) linked to Gal are reported for the first time.     

The asparagine-linked sugar chains of the glycoproteins in rat erythrocyte plasma membrane—Structural studies of the acidic oligosaccharides

Among the four acidic oligosaccharide fractions obtained by paper electrophoresis of the hydrazinolysate of the plasma membrane glycoproteins of rat erythrocytes, one was further separated into two by prolonged paper electrophoresis using 120-cm paper. Three fractions were mixtures of monosialyl oligosaccharides and two of disialyl oligosaccharides. After desialylation, their neutral portions were fractionated by Bio-Gel P-4 column chromatography and by affinity chromatography using a Con A-Sepharose column. Structural studies of the neutral oligosaccharides, thus obtained, indicated that at least 26 different complex-type oligosaccharides are present as a neutral portion of the acid oligosaccharides. Structurally they can be classified into bi-, tri-, and tetraantennary oligosaccharides with Manα1 → 6(Manα1 → 3)Manβ1 → 4GlcNAcβ1 → 4(±Fucα1 → 6)GlcNAc_OT as their common cores. Galβ1 → 3Galβ1 → 4GlcNAc, Siaα2 → 3Galβ1 → 4GlcNAc, Siaα2 → 6Galβ1 → 4GlcNAc, and a series of Siaα2 → (Galβ1 → 4GlcNAcβ1 → 3)_n · Galβ1 → 4GlcNAc were found as their outer chains. Their structures together with the structures of neutral oligosaccharides reported in the preceding paper indicated that the outer chain moieties of the asparagine-linked sugar chains of rat erythrocyte membrane glycoproteins are formed not by random concerted action of glycosyl transferases in Golgi membrane but by the mechanism in which the formation of one outer chain will regulate the elongation of others.     

Structures of sugar chains of human kidney gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase

gamma-Glutamyltranspeptidase purified from human kidneys contains 4-5 asparagine-linked sugar chains in each molecule. The sugar chains were released from the polypeptide portion of the enzyme by hydrazinolysis as oligosaccharides and separated by paper electrophoresis into one neutral and two acidic fractions. By sequential exoglycosidase digestion and methylation analysis, the neutral fraction, which comprised 69% of total oligosaccharides, was shown to be a mixture of bisected bi- and triantennary complex-type sugar chains with and without a fucose on the proximal N-acetylglucosamine residue and with Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc and/or Gal beta 1----4(Fuc alpha 1----3)GlcNAc groups in their outer chain moieties. The acidic oligosaccharide fractions were mixtures of mono- and disialyl derivatives of bisected triantennary complex-type oligosaccharides with Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc and/or Gal beta 1----4(Fuc alpha 1----3)GlcNAc group in their outer chain moieties. Some of the outer chains of the acidic oligosaccharides were considered to be sialylated X-antigenic structures.     

Structures of oligomannoside chains of alpha-mannosidase from porcine kidney

Lysosomal acid alpha-mannosidase from porcine kidney was found to contain mannose (4.8%), galactose (0.9%), fucose (0.5%), N-acetylglucosamine (3.1%), and mannose 6-phosphate (0.1%). Approximately 50% of the total hexose of the oligosaccharide chains could be released by endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase-H (endo-H). They were predominantly neutral, oligomannoside-type oligosaccharides containing 5, 6, and 9 mannose residues, respectively, in the centesimal ratio of 36:25:34. 500-MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with sequential exoglycosidase digestion of the reduced compounds revealed that each of the three fractions consisted of a single isomer only; the Man9 compound has the following structure: (Formula: see tex). The Man6-compound lacks Man residues D1, D2, and D3, while the Man5-compound lacks Man-C as well. In addition to the neutral ones, some (5%) phosphorylated oligomannoside-type oligosaccharides were obtained. The endo-H resistant glycopeptides were subjected to hydrazinolysis. Approximately 60% of the oligosaccharides released by hydrazine were found to be of rather small size; their composition can be represented asMan2-3GlcNAc[Fuc]0-1GlcNAcol. The remaining 40% consist of larger-size galactose-containing, N-acetyllactosamine-type oligosaccharides. Studies involving sequential exoglycosidase digestion and 500-MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy performed on the highly purified small-sized compounds revealed the following four structures for the endo-H-resistant oligosaccharides: (Formula: see text).     

N-glycan structures from the major glycoproteins of pigeon egg white: predominance of terminal Galalpha(1)Gal

N-Glycans from major glycoproteins of pigeon egg white (ovotransferrin, ovomucoid, and ovalbumins) were enzymatically released and were reductively aminated with 2-aminopyridine, separated, and structurally characterized by mass spectrometry and a three-dimensional mapping technique using three different columns of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (Takahashi, N., Nakagawa, H., Fujikawa, K., Kawamura, Y., and Tomiya, N. (1995) Anal. Biochem. 226, 139-146). Twenty-five major N-glycan structures, all of them hitherto unknown, were identified as pyridylamino derivatives. Of these, 13 were neutral, 10 were monosialyl, and 2 were disialyl oligosaccharides. All N-glycans contain from one to four Galalpha(1,4)Galbeta(1,4) sequences at the nonreducing terminal positions and are devoid of fucose residues. N-Acetylneuraminic acids were alpha(2,6)-linked only to beta-galactose. The HPLC profiles of the N-glycans from four different glycoproteins were qualitatively very similar to each other, but not identical in the peak distributions. Monosialyl glycans were most abundant in all four glycoproteins, followed by neutral glycans. Disialyl glycans were lowest in ovotransferrin, and highest in ovomucoid. Triantennary structures with bisecting GlcNAc were predominant in ovotransferrin, and tetra-antennary (with and without bisecting GlcNAc-containing) structures were predominant in other glycoproteins. Penta-antennary structures (with a sialic acid and without bisecting GlcNAc residue) were also found in small quantities in all four glycoproteins. In contrast to the chicken egg white counterparts, which contain mostly high mannose and hybrid types, all N-glycan structures in the major pigeon egg white glycoproteins are complex type.     

The asparagine-linked oligosaccharides at individual glycosylation sites in human thyrotrophin.

The asparagine-linked carbohydrate structures at each of the three glycosylation sites of human thyrotrophin were investigated by 400 MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Highly purified, biologically active human thyrotrophin (hTSH) was dissociated into its subunits hTSH alpha (glycosylated at Asn 52 and Asn 78) and hTSH beta (glycosylated at Asn 23). The alpha-subunit was further treated with trypsin which gave two glycopeptides that were subsequently separated by reverse-phase HPLC and identified by amino acid sequence analysis. The oligosaccharides were liberated from hTSH alpha glycopeptides and from intact hTSH beta by hydrazinolysis, and were fractionated as alditols by anion-exchange and ion-suppression amine-adsorption HPLC preparatory to structural analysis. The N-glycans present on hTSH were mainly diantennary complex-type structures with a common Man alpha 1-3 branch that terminated with 4-O-sulphated GalNAc. The Man alpha 1-6 branch displayed structural heterogeneity in the terminal sequence, with chiefly alpha 2-3-sialylated Gal and/or 4-O-sulphated GalNAc. The relative amounts of the two major complete diantennary oligosaccharides and their core fucosylation differed according to glycosylation site; the sulphated/sialylated diantennary oligosaccharide was most abundant at the two sites on the alpha-subunit, whereas the disulphated, core-fucosylated oligosaccharide was more plentiful on the beta-subunit. Some interesting structural features, not previously reported for the N-glycans of hTSH, included 3-O-sulphated galactose (SO4-3Gal) and peripheral fucose (Fuc alpha 1-3GlcNAc) in the Man alpha 1-6 branch of some diantennary structures; the former suggests the presence of a hitherto uncharacterized galactose-3-O-sulphotransferase in thyrotroph cells of the human anterior pituitary gland.     

Isolation and structure determination of the intact sialylated N-linked carbohydrate chains of recombinant human follitropin expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Biologically active recombinant human follitropin has been expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The carbohydrate chains of the recombinant glycoprotein hormone were enzymatically released by peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase F. The oligosaccharides were separated from the N-deglycosylated protein by gel-permeation chromatography on Bio-Gel P-100, and fractionated by a combination of FPLC on Mono Q and HPLC on Lichrosorb-NH2. The structures of the carbohydrate chains were determined by 500- or 600-MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The following types of carbohydrates occur: monosialylated diantennary (10%), disialylated diantennary (43%), disialylated tri-antennary (5%), trisialylated tri-antennary (13%), trisialylated tri'-antennary (8%), and tetrasialylated tetraantennary (12%) N-acetyllactosamine type of carbohydrate chains, all bearing exclusively alpha 2-3-linked N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac). Previously, for pituitary follitropin mono-, di-, tri-, tri'-, and tetra-antennary oligosaccharides containing alpha 2-3- as well as alpha 2-6-linked Neu5Ac residues were reported. The bisecting GlcNAc residues present in native follitropin were not detected in the recombinant glycoprotein. Of the oligosaccharides 29% have an alpha 1-6-linked Fuc residue at the asparagine-bound GlcNAc, whereas this amount is about 50% in pituitary follitropin. In some of the tri-, tri'- and tetra-antennary oligosaccharide fractions small amounts (less than 5%) of compounds were detected having one or more additional N-acetyllactosamine units.     

Localization of defined carbohydrate epitopes in bovine polysialylated NCAM

Polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) was immunoaffinity-purified from the brains of newborn calves. A degree of polymerization of up to 40 was chromatographically determined for released polysialic acid (PSA) chains. For characterization of N-glycan structures and attachment sites, PSA-NCAM was digested with trypsin, and the generated glycopeptides were fractionated by serial immunoaffinity chromatography using immobilized monoclonal antibodies specific for PSA or the HNK1 epitope, i.e., HSO(3)-3GlcA(beta 1-3)Gal(beta 1-4)GlcNAc(beta 1-, yielding PSA-glycopeptides, HNK-glycopeptides and non-PSA/HNK1-(glyco) peptides. Using a combination of enzymatic deglycosylation, peptide fractionation, mass spectrometry and Edman degradation, HNK1-N-glycans could be assigned to glycosylation sites 2, 4, 5 and 6. Non-PSA/HNK1-glycans were assigned to glycosylation site 2, whereas PSA-N-glycans of bovine NCAM had been already previously shown to be restricted to glycosylation sites 5 and 6 (Glycobiology 12 (2002) 47). Respective oligosaccharides were enzymatically released, labeled with 2-aminopyridine and characterized by linkage analysis and mass spectrometry. Carbohydrate chains bearing PSA or the HNK1 epitope comprised mainly fucosylated, partially sulfated diantennary, triantennary or tetraantennary glycans without bisecting GlcNAc or fucosylated diantennary and triantennary species carrying, in part, bisecting GlcNAc residues, respectively. Some N-glycans simultaneously contained both the HNK1-epitope and PSA. Non-PSA/HNK1-glycans exhibited a heterogeneous pattern of partially truncated, mostly diantennary structures with one to three fucose residues, bisecting GlcNAc and/or sulfate residues. In addition, they were demonstrated to carry, to some extent, the Lewis X epitope. When compared with previous data on murine NCAM glycosylation, our results indicate a conservation of structural features and attachment sites for the different types of NCAM N-glycans.     

Structural determination of the oligosaccharides in the milk of an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)

Milk of an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), collected at 11 days post partum, contained 91 g/L of hexose and 3 g/L of sialic acid. The dominant saccharide in this milk sample was lactose, but it also contained isoglobotriose (Glc(alpha1-3)Gal(beta1-4)Glc) as well as a variety of sialyl oligosaccharides. The sialyl oligosaccharides were separated from neutral saccharides by anion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and successive gel chromatography on Bio Gel P-2. They were purified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using an Amide-80 column and characterized by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Their structures were determined to be those of 3'-sialyllactose, 6'-sialyllactose, monofucosyl monosialyl lactose (Neu5Ac(alpha2-3)Gal(beta1-4)[Fuc(alpha1-3)]Glc), sialyl lacto-N-neotetraose c (LST c), galactosyl monosialyl lacto-N-neohexaose, galactosyl monofucosyl monosialyl lacto-N-neohexaose and three novel oligosaccharides as follows: Neu5Ac(alpha2-3)Gal(beta1-4)[Fuc(alpha1-3)]GlcNAc(beta1-3)Gal(beta1-4)Glc, Neu5Ac(alpha2-6)Gal(beta1-4)GlcNAc(beta1-3)Gal(beta1-4)GlcNAc(beta1-3)Gal(beta1-4)Glc, and Neu5Ac(alpha2-3)Gal(beta1-4)[Fuc(alpha1-3)]GlcNAc(beta1-3)Gal(beta1-4)[Fuc(alpha1-3)]GlcNAc(beta1-3)Gal(beta1-4)Glc. The higher oligosaccharides contained only the type II chain (Gal(beta1-4)GlcNAc); this finding differed from previously published data on Asian elephant milk oligosaccharides.     

Identification of a novel UDP-Glc:GlcNAc beta1-->4-glucosyltransferase in Lymnaea stagnalis that may be involved in the synthesis of complex-type oligosaccharide chains

Several studies suggest, that the snail Lymnaea stagnalis contains glycoproteins whose oligosaccharide side chains have structural features not commonly found in mammalian glycoproteins. In this study, prostate glands of L. stagnalis were incubated in media containing either [(3)H]-mannose, [(3)H]-glucosamine, or [(3)H]-galactose, and the metabolically radiolabeled protein-bound oligosaccharides were analyzed. The newly synthesized diantennary-like complex-type asparagine-linked chains contained a considerable amount of glucose, next to mannose, GlcNAc, fucose, galactose, and traces of GalNAc. Since glucose has not been found before as a constituent of diantennary N-linked glycans as far as we know, we assayed the prostate gland of L. stagnalis for a potential glucosyltransferase activity involved in the biosynthesis of such structures. We report here, that the prostate gland of L. stagnalis contains a beta1-->4-glucosyltransferase activity that transfers glucose from UDP-glucose to acceptor substrates carrying a terminal N-acetylglucosamine. The enzyme prefers substrates carrying a terminal GlcNAc that is beta6 linked to a Gal or a GalNAc, structures occurring in O-linked glycans, or a GlcNAc that is beta2 linked to mannose, as is present in N-linked glycans. Based on combined structural and enzymatic data, we propose that the novel beta1-->4-gluco-syltransferase present in the prostate gland may be involved in the biosynthesis of Glcbeta1-->4GlcNAc units in complex-type glycans, in particular in N-linked diantennary glycans.     

Partial characterization of the oligosaccharides of mouse thymocyte Thy-1 glycoprotein.

Four glycopeptides (I, IIA, IIB, III) with different oligosaccharide structures were isolated from purified mouse thymocyte Thy-1 glycoprotein. The glycoprotein was digested with Pronase, and the glycopeptide fraction was isolated by gel filtration and acetylated with [3H]acetic anhydride. The different glycan structures were separated by affinity chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose 4B and lentil lectin-Sepharose 4B. Size determinations of intact and exoglycosidase- and endoglycosidase-digested glycopeptides were performed by gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-6, calibrated with glycopeptides of known structure. On the basis of these experiments and on the behaviour of the glycopeptides on the lectin columns, the following structures of the oligosaccharide chains were proposed: I, triantennary 'complex-type' with terminal fucose; IIA, biantennary 'complex-type' without fucose; IIB, biantennary 'complex-type' with fucose; III, a mixture of 'high-mannose' chains containing either five or six mannose residues (approx. 50% of each). Amino acid analysis of the glycopeptides showed that the predominant oligosaccharide at glycosylation-site Asn-23 was of 'high-mannose' type, whereas the other two sites (Asn-75 and Asn-99) were glycosylated with 'complex-type' chains. Both these sites were shown to be variably glycosylated. The major glycans linked to Asn-75 were of structures I and IIB, whereas all three 'complex-type' chains were represented at Asn-99. The results presented explain the previously reported carbohydrate heterogeneity of thymocyte Thy-1 glycoprotein.     

Characterization of a novel type of chain-terminator Gal beta 1-6Gal beta 1-4)GlcNAc in an oligosaccharide related to N-glycosylated protein glycans isolated from GM1 the urine of patients with gangliosidosis

Two new oligosaccharides were isolated from the urine of a patient with GM1 gangliosidosis. Final purification of the oligosaccharides was accomplished by capillary supercritical fluid chromatography. Structural analysis was by chemical analysis, chemical-ionization mass spectrometry and 400-MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy, leading to two primary structures. The first is derived from a classical triantennary N-acetyllactosamine-type glycan: Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-4(Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-2)Man alpha 1-3Man beta 1-4GlcNAc. The second is unusual with a terminal disaccharide Gal beta 1-6Gal, which had not yet been described for glycans of the N-acetyllactosamine type: Gal beta 1-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-6Man beta 1-4GlcNAc.     

Human alpha-galactosidase A: characterization of the N-linked oligosaccharides on the intracellular and secreted glycoforms overexpressed by Chinese hamster ovary cells

Human alpha-galactosidase A (alpha-Gal A) is the lysosomal glycohydrolase that cleaves the terminal alpha-galactosyl moieties of various glycoconjugates. Overexpression of the enzyme in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells results in high intracellular enzyme accumulation and the selective secretion of active enzyme. Structural analysis of the N -linked oligosaccharides of the intracellular and secreted glycoforms revealed that the secreted enzyme's oligosaccharides were remarkably heterogeneous, having high mannose (63%), complex (30%), and hybrid (5%) structures. The major high mannose oligosaccharides were Man5-7GlcNAc2 species. Approximately 40% of the high mannose and 30% of the hybrid oligosaccharides had phosphate monoester groups. The complex oligosaccharides were mono-, bi- , 2,4-tri-, 2,6-tri- and tetraantennary with or without core-region fucose, many of which had incomplete outer chains. Approximately 30% of the complex oligosaccharides were mono- or disialylated. Sialic acids were mostly N -acetylneuraminic acid and occurred exclusively in alpha2, 3-linkage. In contrast, the intracellular enzyme had only small amounts of complex chains (7.7%) and had predominantly high mannose oligosaccharides (92%), mostly Man5GlcNAc2 and smaller species, of which only 3% were phosphorylated. The complex oligosaccharides were fucosylated and had the same antennary structures as the secreted enzyme. Although most had mature outer chains, none were sialylated. Thus, the overexpression of human alpha-Gal A in CHO cells resulted in different oligosaccharide structures on the secreted and intracellular glycoforms, the highly heterogeneous secreted forms presumably due to the high level expression and impaired glycosylation in the trans- Golgi network, and the predominately Man5-7GlcNAc2 cellular glycoforms resulting from carbohydrate trimming in the lysosome.      

Oligosaccharide units of lysosomal cathepsin D from porcine spleen. Amino acid sequence and carbohydrate structure of the glycopeptides

The amino acid sequences near the glycosylation sites and the oligosaccharide structures have been determined for the lysosomal protease cathepsin D from porcine spleen. Cathepsin D light and heavy chains were separately digested with proteases and the glycopeptides were purified. A single sequence was constructed from the amino acid sequence of the light chain glycopeptides which is: Tyr-Asn-Ser-Gly-Lys-Ser-Ser-Thr-Tyr-Val-Lys-Asn(CH2O)-Gly-Thr-Thr-Phe. A single glycopeptide sequence was also obtained for the heavy chain: Lys-Gly-Ser-Leu-Asp-Tyr-His-Asn(CH2O)-Val-Thr-Arg-Lys-Ala-Tyr. The light chain sequence is homologous with the sequence of porcine pepsin from residues 56 to 71. The heavy chain sequence is homologous with the pepsin sequence from residues 176 to 189. Thus, the 2 oligosaccharide-linked asparagines in cathepsin D correspond to residues 67 and 183 in pepsin and other homologous aspartyl proteases. These positions are located on the surface of the crystal structures of aspartyl proteases. Five oligosaccharides linked to Asn-67 were separated and their structures determined with proton NMR. Four major oligosaccharides are structural variants from the high mannose-type having 3, 5, 6, and 7 mannoses, respectively. A minor structure contained a third GlcNAc. Three oligosaccharide structures were found linked to Asn-183. Two major oligosaccharides are of the high mannose-type each with 5 mannose residues. One of the two contains a fucose linked to a GlcNAc. A third, very minor oligosaccharide contains galactose.