Phosphorylation of the oligosaccharide of uteroferrin by UDP-GlcNAc:glycoprotein N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphotransferases from rat liver, Acanthamoeba castellani, and Dictyostelium discoideum requires alpha 1,2-linked mannose residues

We have investigated the oligosaccharide requirements of the UDP-GlcNAc:glycoprotein N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphotransferases from rat liver, Acanthamoeba castellani, and Dictyostelium discoideum. Uteroferrin, an acid hydrolase, was phosphorylated by the three N-acetylglucosaminylphosphotransferases, and the phosphorylated oligosaccharides were isolated and analyzed by ion suppression high performance liquid chromatography. In all three cases, the phosphorylated species contained 6 or more mannose residues. Phosphorylation of the Man5GlcNAc2 oligosaccharide could not be detected even though this was the major species on the native uteroferrin. The Man5GlcNAc2 oligosaccharides lack alpha 1,2-linked mannose residues, whereas the larger oligosaccharides contain 1 or more mannose residues in this linkage. Treatment of intact uteroferrin with an alpha 1,2-specific mannosidase-generated molecules whose oligosaccharides consisted almost entirely of species with 5 mannose residues. The N-acetylglucosaminylphosphotransferases could no longer phosphorylate such molecules. These data indicate that at least 1 alpha 1,2-linked mannose residue must be present on uteroferrin's oligosaccharide for phosphorylation to occur.     

Transitory effects of glucose starvation on the synthesis of dolichol-linked oligosaccharides in mammalian cells

The distribution of lipid-linked oligosaccharide intermediates in cultured mammalian cells has been studied under conditions of glucose deprivation. It was found that at low to moderate cell densities within 20 min of glucose starvation, the major species of lipid-linked oligosaccharide shifted from mainly a single species containing three glucose, nine mannose, and two N-acetylglucosamine residues to a pattern dominated by two species containing either five mannose and two N-acetylglucosamine residues or two mannose and two N-acetylglucosamine residues. At high cell densities, this effect was not evident. Continued glucose starvation at low density resulted in a second shift in distribution in which the proportions of these two species decreased and that of the original major species (Glc3Man9GlcNAc2) increased. Addition of glucose or mannose, but not pyruvate, glutamine, galactose, inositol, or glycine, prevented the shift to the Man5GlcNAc2 and Man2GlcNAc2 species. The intermediates that accumulate during glucose starvation were identified by their elution position on gel filtration columns, sensitivity to digestion with alpha-mannosidase, resistance to digestion with endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H, and by the products of Smith degradation. These data suggest that a regulatory point in the lipid-linked oligosaccharide synthetic pathway exists at the reaction in which Man5GlcNAc2-P-P-dolichol is converted to Man6GlcNAc2-P-P-dolichol.     

Major carbohydrate structures at five glycosylation sites on murine IgM determined by high resolution 1H-NMR spectroscopy

Mouse myeloma immunoglobulin IgM heavy chains were cleaved with cyanogen bromide into nine peptide fragments, four of which contain asparagine-linked glycosylation. Three glycopeptides contain a single site, including Asn 171, 402, and 563 in the intact heavy chain. Another glycopeptide contains two sites at Asn 332 and 364. The carbohydrate containing fragments were treated with Pronase and fractionated by elution through Bio-Gel P-6. The major glycopeptides from each site were analyzed by 500 MHz 1H-NMR and the carbohydrate compositions determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The oligosaccharide located at Asn 171 is a biantennary complex and is highly sialylated. The amount of sialic acid varies, and some oligosaccharides contain alpha 1,3-galactose linked to the terminal beta 1,4-galactose. The oligosaccharides at Asn 332, Asn 364, an Asn 402 are all triantennary and are nearly completely sialylated on two branches and partially sialylated on the triantennary branch linked beta 1,4 to the core mannose. The latter is sialylated about 40% of the time for all three glycosylation sites. The major oligosaccharide located at Asn 563 is of the high mannose type. The 1H-NMR determination of structures at Asn 563 suggests that the high mannose oligosaccharide contains only three mannose residues.     

In vitro mutagenesis of potential N-glycosylation sites of arylsulfatase A. Effects on glycosylation, phosphorylation, and intracellular sorting.

The correct intracellular sorting of lysosomal enzymes such as arylsulfatase A depends on the presence of mannose 6-phosphate residues on high mannose type oligosaccharides. The arylsulfatase A cDNA contains three potential N-glycosylation sites, two of which are utilized. We have mutated one or two of the N-glycosylation sites and analyzed the glycosylation, phosphorylation, and intracellular sorting of the mutant arylsulfatase A polypeptides. The results show that each of the three glycosylation sites (I, II, and III) can be glycosylated, but glycosylation at sites I and II is mutually exclusive. In mutants with one oligosaccharide side chain at positions I, II, or III all side chains can acquire mannose 6-phosphate residues irrespective of their location. This demonstrates spatial flexibility of the phosphotransferase, which specifically recognizes lysosomal enzymes and initiates the addition of mannose 6-phosphate residues on oligosaccharide side chains. However, these mutants have different intracellular sorting efficiencies and seem to use different (mannose 6-phosphate receptor-dependent and -independent) sorting pathways.     

A structural basis for four distinct elution profiles on concanavalin A--Sepharose affinity chromatography of glycopeptides.

Twelve 14C-acetylated glycopeptides have been subjected to affinity chromatography on concanvalin A (Con A)--Sepharose at pH 7.5. The elution profiles could be classified into four distinct patterns. The first pattern showed no retardation of glycopeptide on the column and was elicited with a glycopeptide having three peripheral oligosaccharide chains: (abstract:see text). Such glycopeptides have only a single mannose residue capable of interacting with Con A--Sepharose; an interacting mannose residue is either an alpha-linked nonreducing terminal residue or an alpha-linked 2-O-substituted residue. The second type of profile showed a retarded elution of glycopeptide with buffer lacking methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside (indicative of weak interaction with the column) and was given by glycopeptides with the structures: (abstract: see text) where R1 is either H or a sialyl residue. The third profile type showed tight binding of glycopeptide to Con A--Sepharose and elution as a sharp peak with 0.1 M methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside; glycopeptides giving this pattern had the structures: (abstract: see text) where R2 is either H, glcNAc, Gal-beta 1,4-GlcNAc, or sialyl-Gal-beta 1,4-GlcNAc. These glycopeptides all have two interacting mannose residues, the mimimum required for binding to the column; one of these mannose residues must, however, be a terminal residue to obtain tight binding and sharp elution. The fourth profile type showed tight binding of glycopeptide to the column but elution with 0.1 M methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside resulted in a broad peak indicating very tight binding; glycopeptides showing this behaviour had the structures: (abstract: see text) where R3 is either GlcNAc,Gal-beta 1,4-GlcNAc, or sialyl-Gal-beta 1,4-GlcNAc.Therefore it can be concluded that although a minimum of two interacting mannose residues is required for binding to Con A--Sepharose, the residues linked to these mannoses can either strengthen or weaken binding to the column.     

The mechanism of synthesis of the polysaccharide part of mannan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae wild-type and mutant cells affected in the structure of mannan outer chain were shown to possess in vivo one major dolichol-P-P-bound oligosaccharide. The size, monosaccharide composition, and pattern obtained upon acetolysis and paper chromatography of the oligosaccharide were the same for all strains and for the main corresponding compound isolated from animal tissues. Evidence is presented indicating that the dolichol-P-P derivative occurring in vivo, and containing 2-N-acetylglucosamine, 9-mannose, and 3-glucose residues, is the intermediate involved in yeast protein glycosylation. The transfer of the oligosaccharide to protein was followed in vivo by the excision of the glucose and at the most one mannose residue. Mannoses were then added to the trimmed saccharide moiety. No difference between the first stages (i.e., excision of monosaccharides) of the processing of the protein-bound oligosaccharides by wild-type and mutant cells was found. However, mutants carrying the mnn 1 mutation, which are known to be devoid of terminal α(1–3)-linked mannose residues in the mannan outer chain and inner core, were found not to add such mannose residues to the already glucose-free protein-bound oligosaccharide.     

N-glycosylation of a baculovirus-expressed recombinant glycoprotein in three insect cell lines

Summary The capacity of two Trichoplusia ni (TN-368 and BTI-Tn-5bl-4) and a Spodoptera frugiperda (IPLB-SF-21A) cell lines to glycosylate recombinant, baculovirus-encoded, secreted, placental alkaline phosphatase was compared. The alkaline phosphatase from serum-containing, cell culture medium was purified by phosphate affinity column chromatography. The N-linked oligosaccharides were released from the purified protein with PNGase F and analyzed by fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis. The majority of oligosaccharide structures produced by the three cell lines contained two or three mannose residues, with and without core fucosylation, but there were structures containing up to seven mannose residues. The oligosaccharides that were qualitatively or quantitatively different between the cell lines were sequenced with glycosidase digestions. The S. frugiperda cells produced more fucosylated oligosaccharides than either of the T. ni cell lines. The smallest oligosaccharide produced by S. frugiperda cells was branched trimannose. In contrast, both T. ni cell lines produced predominantly dimannose and linear trimannose structures devoid of α 1–3-linked mannose.     

Modes of binding of alpha (1-2) linked manno-oligosaccharides to concanavalin A.

Three-dimensional structures of the complexes of concanavalin A (ConA) with alpha(1-2) linked mannobiose, triose and tetraose have been generated with the X-ray crystal structure data on native ConA using the CCEM (contact criteria and energy minimization) method. All the constituting mannose residues of the oligosaccharide can reach the primary binding site of ConA (where methyl-alpha-D-mannopyranose binds). However, in all the energetically favoured complexes, either the non-reducing end or middle mannose residues of the oligosaccharide occupy the primary binding site. The middle mannose residues have marginally higher preference over the non-reducing end residue. The sugar binding site of ConA is extended and accommodates at least three alpha(1-2) linked mannose residues. Based on the present calculations two mechanisms have been proposed for the binding of alpha(1-2) linked mannotriose and tetraose to ConA.     

Biosynthesis of yeast glycoproteins. Processing of the oligosaccharides transferred from dolichol derivatives.

The oligosaccharides previously bound to dolichol diphosphate were isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells incubated with [U-14C]glucose. Five compounds were obtained that migrated with RGlucose of 0.100, 0.120, 0.145, 0.180, and 0.215 on paper chromatography. All of them contained mannose and 2 N-acetylhexosamine residues. The substances that migrated with the three lower RGlucose values had, in addition, glucose units. The structure of the oligosacchardies was very similar if not identical with that of the oligosaccharides isolated from the dolichol diphosphate derivatives synthesized "in vitro" by yeast or rat liver particulate preparations or "in vivo" by dog thyroid or rat liver slices as judged by their migration on paper chromatography, monosaccharide composition, and degradation compounds produced by alpha-mannosidase treatment or acetolysis. The oligosaccharides previously bound to asparagine residues in proteins were isolated from yeast cells which had been pulsed with [U-14C]glucose and chased with medium containing the unlabeled monosaccharide. The samples taken after very short pulses contained four oligosaccharides that migrated with RGlucose of 0.100, 0.120, 0.145, and 0.180 on paper chromatography. The first three compounds contained glucose, mannose, and 2 N-acetylhexosamine residues whereas the one that migrated with a RGlucose of 0.180 was devoid of the former monosaccharide. Samples taken after short chase periods revealed that the compounds that migrated with the lower RGlucose values gradually disappeared and were converted to the oligosaccharide with the higher RGlucose value was they lost their glucose residues. Similar analysis as those mentioned above showed that the structures of these compounds were similar to those of the dolichol diphosphate-bound oligosaccharides. Samples taken after longer chase periods revealed that the oligosaccharide that migrated with a RGlucose of 0.180 was subsequently either enlarged by the addition of more mannose residues or trimmed to smaller sizes.     

Microsomal glucosidases acting on the saccharide moiety of the glucose-containing dolichyl diphosphate oligosaccharide

The microsomal glucosidases which act on the oligosaccharide that contains 2 N-acetylglucosamine, 9 mannose and 1–3 glucose residues have been studied. Two fractions were separated by differential solubility in detergent and phosphate solutions or by gel filtration. One of the fractions removed glucose from the oligosaccharide containing three glucose residues, and another fraction acted on the compounds containing one and two glucose residues. Both fractions were free of mannosidase. Some properties of the enzymes are described.     

Isolation and characterization of the two glycosylation isoforms of low molecular weight mannose 6-phosphate receptor from bovine testis. Effect of carbohydrate components on ligand binding.

Low molecular weight mannose 6-phosphate receptor from bovine testis exhibits two isoforms on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with Mr values of 45,000 (MPR-2A) and 41,000 (MPR-2B), respectively. Each isoform was purified to near homogeneity by the sequential application of differential centrifugation and affinity chromatography. The isoforms contain a common polypeptide core, but differ in their carbohydrate content. Treatment with specific endoglycosidases demonstrated that each isoform contains two high mannose and/or hybrid and two complex N-linked oligosaccharide chains. The results obtained from treatment of each isoform with endo-beta-galactosidase and neuraminidases and from lectin affinity chromatography reveal that MPR-2A contains a linear polylactosamine sequence(s) comprised of approximately 5 lactosamine units. A majority of the outer branches of the complex chains associated with MPR-2A are terminated with sialic acid residues. In contrast, MPR-2B lacks a polylactosamine sequence and a majority of the outer branches of the complex chains are terminated with galactose residues. MPR-2A exhibited a lower affinity than MPR-2B for mannose 6-phosphate-containing ligands. Treatment of MPR-2A with endo-beta-galactosidase and/or neuraminidases followed by affinity chromatography revealed that polylactosamine and sialic acid residues impair the ability of MPR-2A to bind ligands.     

The transfer of mannose to dolichol diphosphate oligosaccharides in pig liver endoplasmic reticulum

The transfer, catalysed by pig liver microsomal preparations, of mannose, from GDP-mannose, to lipid-linked oligosaccharides and the properties of the products are described. Solubility, hydrolytic and chromatographic data suggest that they are dolichol diphosphate derivatives. The presence of two N-acetyl groups in at least part of the heterogenous oligosaccharide portion was tentatively deduced. Reduction with borohydride of the oligosaccharide showed that the newly added mannose residues were not at its reducing end. Periodate oxidation suggested that 60% of these were at the non-reducing terminus and that 40% were positioned internally. T.l.c. showed the presence of seven oligosaccharide fractions with chromatographic mobilities corresponding to glucose oligomers with 7-13 residues. The molar proportions of the oligosaccharide fractions in the mixture were determined by borotritiide reduction and the number of mannose residues added to each oligosaccharide fraction during the incubation was calculated. Two of the oligosaccharide fractions had received on average one, or slightly more than one, mannose residue per chain during the incubation; four of the other fractions were each shown to be a mixture, 20-25% of which had received one mannose residue during the incubation and 75-80% of which had not been mannosylated during the incubation. This supported other evidence for the presence of endogenous lipid-linked oligosaccharides in the microsomal preparation which had been formed before the incubation in vitro. Evidence for the possibility of two pools of dolichol monophosphate mannose, one being more closely associated with mannosyl transfer to dolichol diphosphate oligosaccharides than the other, is also discussed.     

Characterization of the oligosaccharide structures on recombinant human prorenin expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Prorenin was isolated by immunoprecipitation from the culture medium of Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with a human prorenin cDNA. The N-linked oligosaccharide structures on the in vivo [3H]mannose-labeled, purified protein were characterized using a combination of serial lectin affinity chromatography, high-pressure liquid chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography, and size-exclusion chromatography and treatment with specific glycosidases and methylation analysis. Approximately 61% of the oligosaccharides on the molecule are complex type, in the form of tetraantennary (2%), 2,6-branched triantennary (13%), 2,4-branched triantennary (3%), and biantennary (43%) structures. The majority of all complex type structures are core-fucosylated. Sialic acids are linked at the C-3 position of terminal galactose, and the degree of sialylation of the bi- and triantennary structures varies between nonsialylated and fully sialylated; no tetraatennary structure contains more than three sialic acid residues. Recombinant prorenin contains 4% hybrid-type structures, all of which carry a terminal sialic acid residue. The remaining 35% of the structures on the molecule are high mannose type, composed of 5, 6, or 7 mannose residues. Approximately 6% of the high mannose type structures and 10% of the hybrid structures are phosphorylated, as judged by their susceptibility to treatment with alkaline phosphatase. Compositional analysis of an unlabeled preparation of the protein suggested the presence of approximately 1.4 oligosaccharide units per molecule.     

The catabolism of mammalian glycoproteins. Comparison of the storage products in bovine, feline and human mannosidosis.

Analysis of the neutral urinary oligosaccharides in bovine, feline and human mannosidosis by thin-layer and gel-permeation chromatography has shown that the patterns of stored oligosaccharides in the three species are different. In bovine and feline mannosidosis the most abundant urinary oligosaccharide is also the most abundant in the tissues of each species. The predominant oligosaccharides were purified by a combination of gel-filtration, ion-exchange and thin-layer chromatography and shown to contain only mannose and N-acetylglucosamine by g.l.c. and g.l.c.--mass spectrometry. The probable composition and size of each oligosaccharide were predicted from its chromatographic properties, sugar composition and the known structure of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides. The bovine and feline oligosaccharides belonged to a homologous series of general composition Mann (GlcNAc)2, whereas the human oligosaccharides belong to a different series, MannGlcNAc. These structures suggest that lysosomal endohexosaminidase is not present in bovine and feline tissues. The predominant feline storage product, Man3(GlcNAc)2, was the expected storage product from the catabolism of complex asparagine-linked glycans. In contrast, the predominant bovine oligosaccharide, Man2(GlcNAc)2, probably lacks one of the alpha-linked mannose residues in the core region. A similar situation occurs in human mannosidosis. It is predicted that in these species either that the residual mutant alpha-D-mannosidase retains activity towards one of the core alpha-linked mannose residues or that another form of lysosomal alpha-D-mannosidase that is unaffected in these disorders occurs. It is concluded that the differences in storage products are due to differences in the catabolic pathways of glycoproteins among the species.     

Purification and characterization of a rat liver Golgi alpha-mannosidase capable of processing asparagine-linked oligosaccharides.

Studies in intact cells have shown the following processing reaction to occur during Asn-linked oligosaccharide biosynthesis (M, mannose; GlcNAc, N-acetylglucosamine): Formula: (See Text) We have identified a rat liver Golgi enzyme which catalyzes this reaction in vitro. This alpha-mannosidase has been purified 3,000 to 6,000-fold by subcellular fractionation, Triton X-100 solubilization, and ion exchange and hydroxylapatite chromatography. The purified enzyme has a pH optimum between 6.0 and 6.5 and a Km between 17 and 100 microM for a processing intermediate. The enzyme shows specificity for alpha 1,2-linked mannose residues. Structural analysis of the in vitro reaction products reveal that specific intermediates are formed in the conversion of the (Man)9GlcNAc oligosaccharide to the (Man)5GlcNAc oligosaccharide. Heat inactivation studies are consistent with the possibility that one enzyme activity is responsible for this conversion. The alpha 1,2-specific mannosidase described here appears to be distinct from two other rat liver Golgi alpha-mannosidase activities based on differential substrate specificity, inhibitor susceptibility, and detergent extractability.     

Carbohydrate composition of the oligosaccharide units of the haemagglutinin from the Hong Kong influenza virus A/Memphis/102/72.

The haemagglutinin from the Hong Kong influenza virus A/Memphis/102/72 contains seven oligosaccharide units attached to asparagine residues 8, 22, 38, 81, 165 and 285 in the heavy chain (HA1) and to residue 154 in the light chain (HA2). The single oligosaccharide unit in HA2 and four of the oligosaccharide units of HA1 (at residues 8, 22, 38 and 81) contain the four monosaccharides N-acetylglucosamine, mannose, galactose and fucose and are of the N-acetyllactosamine (or 'complex') type. The two other oligosaccharide units on HA1 are of the oligomannoside (or 'simple') type and contain only two residues of N-acetylglucosamine and five or six residues of mannose. The data are discussed in relation to the differences in the carbohydrate compositions of other influenza haemagglutinins.     

Enzymatic transfer of mannose from mannosyl-phosphoryl-polyprenol to lipid-linked oligosaccharides by pig aorta.

A particulate enzyme preparation prepared from the intimal layer of pig aorta catalyzed the transfer of mannose from mannosyl-phosphoryl-polyprenol (MPP) into a series of oligosaccharides that were linked to lipid. The reaction required detergent with Triton X-100 and NP-40 being best at a concentration of 0.5%. Several other detergents were inactive or only slightly active. The pH optima for this activity was about 7 to 7.5 in Tris buffer and the apparent Km for MPP was about 2 x 10(-7) M. The reaction was not stimulated by the addition of divalent cation and, in fact, was inhibited by the high concentrations of cation. The addition of EDTA did not inhibit the transfer of mannose from MPP and was somewhat stimulatory. The transferase(s) activity was "solubilized" from the particles by treatment with Triton X-100. This solubilized enzyme still formed a series of lipid-linked oligosaccharides from either MPP or GDP-mannose. The oligosaccharides were released from the lipid by mild acid hydrolysis and were separated by paper chromatography. Some five or six radioactive oligosaccharides were formed from either MPP or from GDP-mannose and these oligosaccharides had similar mobilities upon paper chromatography. However, MPP was a better donor for the larger oligosaccharides (i.e. those containing 8, 9, or 10 sugar residues), whereas GDP-mannose was better for formation of the oligosaccharide containing 7 sugar residues. In the presence of EDTA and detergent no MPP was formed from GDP-mannose, but radioactivity was still incorporated into the lipid-linked oligosaccharides. Under these conditions essentially all of the radioactivity was in the oligosaccharide containing 7 sugar residues. Since much of this activity could be released as mannose by acetolysis, GDP-mannose may be the direct mannosyl donor for formation of 1 leads to 6 branches. Oligosaccharides 7, 8, 9, and 10 were isolated and partially characterized in terms of their molecular weights, sugar composition, susceptibility to alpha-mannosidase, and 14C products formed by acetolysis and periodate oxidation. The molecular weights ranged from 1310 for oligosaccharide 7 to 1750 for oligosaccharide 10. Hydrolysis of each oligosaccharide and reduction with NaB3H4 gave the expected ratio of [3H]hexitol to [3H]hexosaminitol based on the molecular weight of the oligosaccharide. However, the hexitol fraction contained [3H]mannitol and [3H]glucitol. Since the amount of radioactivity in glucitol was 2 to 4 times that in mannitol and since only glucosaminitol was found in the amino sugar peak, it seems likely that each 14C-oligosaccharide was contaminated with an unlabeled oligosaccharide of equal molecular weight containing glucose and GlcNAc. Acetolysis of the 14C-oligosaccharides gave rise to 14C peaks of mannose, mannobiose, and mannotriose. In the larger oligosaccharides, most of the radioactivity was in mannobiose whereas in oligosaccharide 7 most of the radioactivity was in mannose...     

Arrangement of glucose residues in the lipid-linked oligosaccharide precursor of asparaginyl oligosaccharides.

The lipid-linked oligosaccharide synthesized in vitro, in the presence of 1.0 microM UDP-[3H]Glc, GDP-[14C]Man, and UDP-GlcNAc has been isolated and the structure of the oligosaccharide has been analyzed. The oligosaccharide contains 2 N-acetylglucosamine, 9 mannose, and 3 glucose residues. The N-acetylglucosamine residues are located at the reducing terminus. The 3 glucose residues are arranged in a linear order at one of the nonreducing termini in the sequence Glc 1,2--Glc 1,3--Glc--(Man)9 (GlcNAc)2. The structural analysis was made possible largely by the availability of glucosidase preparations of fungal anad microsomal origin which remove glucose residues from the oligosaccharide without releasing mannose residues.     

Mannosyltransferase activity in calf pancreas microsomes. Formation of 14C-labeled lipid-linked oligosaccharides from GDP-D-[14C]mannose and pancreatic dolichyl beta-D-[14C]mannopyranosyl phosphate.

Calf pancreas microsomes incorporated radioactive D-mannose from GDP-D-[14C]mannose into lipid-bound oligosaccharides extracted with chloroform/methanol/water (10/10/2.5, v/v). Several products, which probably differed in the size of the oligosaccharide moiety, were labeled. These could be partially resolved by thin layer chromatography and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The labeled lipid-bound oligosaccharides were retained on DEAE-cellulose more strongly than synthetic dolichyl alpha-D-[14C]mannopyranosyl phosphate. They were stable to mild alkali, but labile to acid and hot alkali. Acid treatment yielded a neutral 14C-labeled oligosaccharide fraction which was estimated by gel filtration to have a minimum of 8 monosaccharide residues. Hot alkali treatment yielded a mixture of neutral and acidic 14C-labeled oligosaccharides which could be transformed into neutral products by alkaline phosphatase. The D-[14C]mannose residues were alpha-linked at the nonreducing terminus of the oligosaccharides since they could be removed completely with alpha-mannosidase. Most of the D-[14C]mannose-labeled oligosaccharides were retained on concanavalin A Sepharose and eluted with methyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside. Pancreatic dolichyl beta-D-[14C]mannopyranosyl phosphate incubated with calf pancreas microsomes in the presence of sodium taurocholate was efficiently utilized as donor of alpha-D-mannosyl residues in lipid-bound oligosaccharides. The products formed from dolichyl beta-D-[14C]mannopyranosyl phosphate were identical with those formed from GDP-D-[14C]mannose, and evidence was obtained to show that the dolichyl beta-D-[14C]mannopyranosyl phosphate was serving as donor without prior conversion to GDP-D-[14C]mannose. Transfer of mannose from dolichyl beta-D-[14C]mannopyranosyl phosphate to lipid-bound oligosaccharides took place at a pH optimum of 7.3, whereas transfer to the precipitate containing glycoproteins was greatest at pH 6.0 in Tris/maleate buffer. The addition of divalent cation was not required, but low concentrations of EDTA were extremely inhibitory. The carbohydrate composition of the lipid-bound oligosaccharides of microsomal membranes was investigated by gas-liquid chromatography and by reduction with sodium borotritide. A heterogeneous mixture of oligosaccharides containing N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, D-mannose, and D-glucose varying in proportions from approximately 1/2.5/0.5 to 1/5/1.5 was obtained with glucosamine at the reducing end. Acid treatment of the lipid-bound oligosaccharide fraction yielded dolichyl pyrophosphate, suggesting that at least some of the oligosaccharides were linked to dolichol through a pyrophosphate group.     

Proposal for a common oligosaccharide intermediate in the synthesis of membrane glycoproteins.

Endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase H (endo H) is an enzyme which acts on asparagine- and lipid-linked oligosaccharides containing five or more mannose residues. Complex oligosaccharides and glycopeptides are completely resistant to the action of the enzyme. We have carried out pulse-chase experiments with ³⁵S-methionine and ³H-mannose in uninfected cells and in cells infected with Sindbis virus and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). In each case, the labeled materials were analyzed for sensitivity to endo H by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration. We find that endo H releases all the labeled mannose from pulse-labeled proteins. Initially, the released material is nearly identical in size to the endo H cleavage product derived from lipid-linked oligosaccharides present in the same cells. During chase periods, ³⁵S-methionine and ³H-mannose protein becomes increasingly resistant to the enzyme. Moreover, the ³H-mannose-labeled material released from the protein during chase periods is smaller in size than the oligosaccharide from the lipid.On the basis of these results and results from other laboratories, we propose that during glycosylation of asparagine residues, a common oligosaccharide is transferred from the lipid carrier to protein and is subsequently processed to yield the so-called “high mannose” and “complex” oligosaccharides. Since, on the basis of present evidence, the lipid-linked oligosaccharide contains two N-acetylglucosamine, 8–12 mannose and 1–2 glucose molecules, it seems probable that the carbohydrate-processing systems remove half or more of the mannose and all of the glucose residues at sites destined to become complex glycopeptides. Removal of mannose and glucose residues may also occur at sites destined to become mature high mannose glycopeptides.