A human lysosomal alpha-mannosidase specific for the core of complex glycans.

A novel lysosomal alpha-mannosidase, with unique substrate specificity, has been partially purified from human spleen by chromatography through concanavalin A-Sepharose, DEAE-Sephadex, and Sephacryl S-300. This enzyme can catalyze the hydrolysis of only 1 mannose residue, that which is alpha(1----6)-linked to the beta-linked mannose in the core of N-linked glycans, as found in the oligosaccharides Man alpha(1----6)[Man alpha(1----3)] Man beta(1----4)GlcNAc and Man alpha(1----6)Man beta(1----4) GlcNAc. The newly described alpha-mannosidase does not catalyze the hydrolysis of mannose residues outside of the core, even if they are alpha(1----6)-linked, and is not active on the other alpha-linked mannose in the core, which is (1----3)-linked. The narrow specificity of the novel mannosidase contrasts sharply with that of the major lysosomal alpha-mannosidase, which is able to catalyze the degradation of oligosaccharides containing diverse linkage and branching patterns of the mannose residues. Importantly, although the major mannosidase readily catalyzes the hydrolysis of the core alpha(1----3)-linked mannose, it is poorly active towards the alpha(1----6)-linked mannose, i.e. the very same mannose residue for which the newly characterized mannosidase is specific. The novel enzyme is further differentiated from the major lysosomal alpha-mannosidase by its inability to catalyze the efficient hydrolysis of the synthetic substrate p-nitrophenyl alpha-mannoside, and by the strong stimulation of its activity by Co2+ and Zn2+. Similarly to the major mannosidase, it is strongly inhibited by swainsonine and 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-mannitol, but not by deoxymannojirimycin. The presence of this novel alpha-mannosidase activity in human tissues provides the best explanation, to date, for the structures of the oligosaccharides stored in human alpha-mannosidosis. In this condition the major lysosomal alpha-mannosidase activity is severely deficient, but apparently the alpha(1----6)-mannosidase is unaffected, so that the oligosaccharide structures reflect the unique specificity of this enzyme.     

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.     

Importance of glycosidases in mammalian glycoprotein biosynthesis

Processing glycosidases play an important role in N-glycan biosynthesis in mammalian cells by trimming Glc(3)Man(9)GlcNAc(2) and thus providing the substrates for the formation of complex and hybrid structures by Golgi glycosyltransferases. Processing glycosidases also play a role in the folding of newly formed glycoproteins and in endoplasmic reticulum quality control. The properties and molecular nature of mammalian processing glycosidases are described in this review. Membrane-bound alpha-glucosidase I and soluble alpha-glucosidase II of the endoplasmic reticulum remove the alpha1,2-glucose and alpha1,3-glucose residues, respectively, beginning immediately following transfer of Glc(3)Man(9)GlcNAc(2) to nascent polypeptides. The alpha-glucosidases participate in glycoprotein folding mediated by calnexin and calreticulin by forming the monoglucosylated high mannose oligosaccharides required for the interaction with the chaperones. In some mammalian cells, Golgi endo alpha-mannosidase provides an alternative pathway for removal of glucose residues. Removal of alpha1,2-linked mannose residues begins in the endoplasmic reticulum where trimming of mannose residues in the endoplasmic reticulum has been implicated in the targeting of malfolded glycoproteins for degradation. Removal of mannose residues continues in the Golgi with the action of alpha1, 2-mannosidases IA and IB that can form Man(5)GlcNAc(2) and of alpha-mannosidase II that removes the alpha1,3- and alpha1,6-linked mannose from GlcNAcMan(5)GlcNAc(2) to form GlcNAcMan(3)GlcNAc(2). These membrane-bound Golgi enzymes have been cloned and shown to have very distinct patterns of tissue-specific expression. There are also broad specificity alpha-mannosidases that can trim Man(4-9)GlcNAc(2) to Man(3)GlcNAc(2), and provide an alternative pathway toward complex oligosaccharide formation. Cloning of the remaining alpha-mannosidases will be required to evaluate their specific functions in glycoprotein maturation.     

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).     

A new yeast mutation in the glucosylation steps of the asparagine-linked glycosylation pathway. Formation of a novel asparagine-linked oligosaccharide containing two glucose residues

We have isolated and characterized a new yeast mutation in the glucosylation steps of lipid-linked oligosaccharide biosynthesis, alg8-1. Cells carrying the alg8-1 mutation accumulate Glc1Man9GlcNAc2-lipid both in vivo and in vitro. We present evidence showing that the alg8-1 mutation blocks addition of the second alpha 1,3-linked glucose. alg8-1 cells transfer Glc1Man9GlcNAc2 to protein instead of the wild type oligosaccharide, Glc3Man9GlcNAc2. Pulse-chase studies indicate that the Glc1Man9GlcNAc2 transferred is processed more slowly than the wild type oligosaccharide. The yeast mutation gls1-1 lacks glucosidase I activity (Esmon, B., Esmon, P.C., and Schekman, R. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 10322-10327), the enzyme responsible for removing the alpha 1,2-linked glucose residues from protein-linked oligosaccharides. We demonstrate that gls1-1 cells contain glucosidase II activity (which removes alpha 1,3-linked glucose residues) and have constructed the alg8-1 gls1-1 haploid double mutant. The Glc1Man9GlcNAc2 oligosaccharide was trimmed normally in these cells, demonstrating that the alg8-1 oligosaccharide contained an alpha 1,3-linked glucose residue. A novel Glc2 compound was probably produced by the action of the biosynthetic enzyme that normally adds the alpha 1,2-linked glucose to lipid-linked Glc2Man9GlcNAc2. This enzyme may be able to slowly add alpha 1,2-linked glucose residue to protein-bound Glc1Man9GlcNAc2. The relevance of these findings to similar observations in other systems where glucose residues are added to asparagine-linked oligosaccharides and the possible significance of the reduced rate of oligosaccharide trimming in the alg mutants are discussed.     

Processing of MOPC 315 immunoglobulin A oligosaccharides: evidence for endoplasmic reticulum and trans Golgi alpha 1,2-mannosidase activity

The processing of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides on the alpha- chains of an immunoglobulin A (IgA) has been investigated using MOPC 315 murine plasmacytoma cells. These cells secrete IgA containing complex-type oligosaccharides that were not sensitive to endo-beta-N- acetylglucosaminidase H. In contrast, oligosaccharides present on the intracellular alpha-chain precursor were of the high mannose-type, remaining sensitive to endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H despite a long intracellular half-life of 2-3 h. The major [3H]mannose-labeled alpha-chain oligosaccharides identified after a 20-min pulse were Man8GlcNAc2 and Man9GlcNAc2. Following chase incubations, the major oligosaccharide accumulating intracellularly was Man6GlcNAc2, which was shown to contain a single alpha 1,2-linked mannose residue. Conversion of Man6GlcNAc2 to complex-type oligosaccharides occurred at the time of secretion since appreciable amounts of Man5GlcNAc2 or further processed structures could not be detected intracellularly. The subcellular locations of the alpha 1,2-mannosidase activities were studied using carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and monensin. Despite inhibiting the secretion of IgA, these inhibitors of protein migration did not effect the initial processing of Man9GlcNAc2 to Man6GlcNAc2. Furthermore, no large accumulation of Man5GlcNAc2 occurred, indicating the presence of two subcellular locations of alpha 1,2-mannosidase activity involved in oligosaccharide processing in MOPC 315 cells. Thus, the first three alpha 1,2-linked mannose residues were removed shortly after the alpha-chain was glycosylated, most likely in rough endoplasmic reticulum, since this processing occurred in the presence of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone. However, the removal of the final alpha 1,2-linked mannose residue as well as subsequent carbohydrate processing occurred just before IgA secretion, most likely in the trans Golgi complex since processing of Man6GlcNAc2 to Man5GlcNAc2 was greatly inhibited in the presence of monensin.     

Fucosylated hybrid-type N-glycans on the secreted human epidermal growth factor receptor from swainsonine-treated A431 cells

N-Glycans linked to the human secreted form of epidermal growth factor receptor were isolated from A431 cells after swainsonine treatment. Analysis of the oligosaccharides by (1)H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry shows the presence of oligomannose- and (alpha2-3)-sialylated hybrid-type glycans. The major hybrid-type oligosaccharide chains are fucosylated at the Asn-bound GlcNAc residue. Smaller amounts of the hybrid-type structures are also fucosylated at peripheral GlcNAc residues, constituting the sialyl-Le(x) antigen. No complex-type glycans are found, suggesting the absence of alpha-mannosidase III. An assay for alpha-mannosidase III on the A431 cells in the absence and presence of 6 microM swainsonine shows that Man(5)GlcNAc(2) is not converted into Man(3)GlcNAc(2), thereby confirming that these cells do not contain alpha-mannosidase III activity.     

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.     

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.     

Structural characterization of the asparagine-linked oligosaccharides from Trypanosoma brucei type II and type III variant surface glycoproteins

The complete primary structures of the major Asn-linked oligosaccharides from the type II variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs), MITat 1.2 and MITat 1.7, and the type III VSG, MITat 1.5, were determined using a combination of exo- and endoglycosidase digestions, methylation analysis, acetolysis, and 500 MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy. Each variant contained classical branched oligomannose-type and biantennary complex oligosaccharides, a proportion of the latter substituted with terminal alpha(1-3)-linked galactose residues, the first report of the presence of this epitope in Trypanosoma brucei. In addition both the type II variants contained relatively large amounts of the unusual small oligomannose-type oligosaccharides, Man4GlcNAc2 and Man3GlcNAc2, and a diverse array of novel branched poly-N-acetyllactosamine oligosaccharides, similar but not identical to those from mammalian glycoproteins. These latter structures were also partially substituted with terminal alpha(1-3)-linked galactose residues. Glycosylation in the type II variants showed site specificity in that the poly-N-acetyllactosamine and Man(9-5)GlcNAc2 oligosaccharides were located exclusively at Asn-glycosylation site 1 very close to the C terminus, whereas the Man(4-3)GlcNAc2 and biantennary complex oligosaccharides were located exclusively at site 2. This is the first report of the presence of poly-N-acetyllactosamine oligosaccharides in protozoa.     

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.     

Overexpression of the Golgi-localized enzyme alpha-mannosidase IIx in Chinese hamster ovary cells results in the conversion of hexamannosyl-N-acetylchitobiose to tetramannosyl-N-acetylchitobiose in the N-glycan-processing pathway.

Golgi alpha-mannosidase II is an enzyme that processes the intermediate oligosaccharide Gn(1)M(5)Gn(2) to Gn(1)M(3)Gn(2) during biosynthesis of N-glycans. Previously, we isolated a cDNA encoding a protein homologous to alpha-mannosidase II and designated it alpha-mannosidase IIx. Here, we show by immunocytochemistry that alpha-mannosidase IIx resides in the Golgi in HeLa cells. When coexpressed with alpha-mannosidase II, alpha-mannosidase IIx colocalizes with alpha-mannosidase II in COS cells. A protein A fusion of the catalytic domain of alpha-mannosidase IIx hydrolyzes a synthetic substrate, 4-umbelliferyl-alpha-D-mannoside, and this activity is inhibited by swainsonine. [(3)H]glucosamine-labeled Chinese hamster ovary cells overexpressing alpha-mannosidase IIx show a reduction of M(6)Gn(2) and an accumulation of M(4)Gn(2). Structural analysis identified M(4)Gn(2) to be Man alpha 1-->6(Man alpha 1-->2Man alpha 1-->3)Man beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta 1-->4GlcNAc. The results suggest that alpha-mannosidase IIx hydrolyzes two peripheral Man alpha 1-->6 and Man alpha 1-->3 residues from [(Man alpha 1-->6)(Man alpha 1-->3)Man alpha 1-->6](Man alpha 1-->2Man alpha 1-->3)Man beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta 1-->4GlcNAc, during N-glycan processing.     

Control of glycoprotein synthesis. UDP-GlcNAc:glycopeptide beta 4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III, an enzyme in hen oviduct which adds GlcNAc in beta 1-4 linkage to the beta-linked mannose of the trimannosyl core of N-glycosyl oligosaccharides

Hen oviduct membranes are shown to catalyze the following enzyme reaction: GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-6(GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-3)Man beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-4(Fuc alpha 1-6)GlcNAc-Asn + UDP-GlcNAc leads to GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-6(GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-3)GlcNAc beta 1-4)Man beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-4(Fuc alpha 1-6)GlcNAc-Asn + UDP. The enzyme catalyzing this reaction has been named UDP-GlcNAc:glycopeptide beta 4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III (GlcNAc-transferase III) to distinguish it from two other GlcNAc-transferases (I and II) present in hen oviduct and previously described in several mammalian tissues. GlcNAc-transferases I and II, respectively, attach GlcNAc in beta 1-2 linkage to the Man alpha 1-3 and Man alpha 1-6 arms of Asn-linked oligosaccharide cores. A specific assay for GlcNAc-transferase III was devised by using concanavalin A/Sepharose columns to separate the product of transferase III from other interfering radioactive glycopeptides formed in the reaction. The specific activity of GlcNAc-transferase III in hen oviduct membranes is about 5 nmol/mg of protein/h. Substrate specificity studies have shown that GlcNAc-transferase III requires both terminal beta 1-2-linked GlcNAc residues in its substrate for maximal activity. Removal of the GlcNAc residue on the Man alpha 1-6 arm reduces activity by at least 85% and removal of both GlcNAc residues reduces activity by at least 93%. Two large scale preparations of product were subjected to high resolution proton NMR spectroscopy to establish the incorporation by the enzyme of a GlcNAc in beta 1-4 linkage to the beta-linked Man. This GlcNAc residue is called a "bisecting" GlcNAc and appears to play important control functions in the synthesis of complex N-glycosyl oligosaccharides. Several enzymes in the biosynthetic scheme are unable to act on glycopeptide substrates containing a bisecting GlcNAc residue.     

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.     

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.     

Structure of oligosaccharides on Saccharomyces SUC2 invertase secreted by the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris.

Saccharomyces SUC2 invertase, secreted by the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris and purified to homogeneity from the growth medium by DE-52 chromatography, appeared on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as a diffuse ladder of species at 85-90 kDa, while the secreted Saccharomyces form migrated as a broad band from 100 to 150 kDa. Endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H released the Pichia invertase carbohydrate generating a 60-kDa protein with residual Asn-linked GlcNAcs and oligosaccharides separated on Bio-Gel P-4 into Man8-11GlcNAc. Nearly 75% of the oligosaccharides were equally distributed between Man8,9GlcNAc, while 17% were Man10GlcNAc and 8% were Man11GlcNAc. Oligosaccharide pools were analyzed for homogeneity by high-pH anion-exchange chromatography, and structures were assigned using 500 MHz one- and two-dimensional 1H NMR spectroscopy. Pichia Man8GlcNAc was the same isomer as found in Saccharomyces, which arises by removing the alpha 1,2-linked terminal mannose from the middle arm of the lipid-oligosaccharide Man9GlcNAc (Byrd, J. C., Tarentino, A. L., Maley, F., Atkinson, P. H., and Trimble, R. B. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 14657-14666). The Man9GlcNAc pool was 5% lipid-oligosaccharide precursor and 95% Man8GlcNAc isomer with a terminal alpha 1,6-linked mannose on the lower-arm alpha 1,3-core-linked residue (Hernández, L. M., Ballou, L., Alvarado, E., Gillece-Castro, B. L., Burlingame, A. L., and Ballou, C. E. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 11849-11856). An alpha 1,2-linked mannose on the new alpha 1,6-linked branch in Man9GlcNAc provided 80% of the Man10GlcNAc, which is the structure on Saccharomyces invertase (Trimble, R. B., and Atkinson, P. H. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 9815-9824). A minor Man10GlcNAc (12%) and the principal Man11GlcNAc (82%) were the major Man9,10GlcNAc with novel alpha 1,2-linked mannoses on the preexisting alpha 1,2-linked termini. Although Pichia glycans did not have terminal alpha 1,3-linked mannoses as found on Saccharomyces core oligosaccharides, over 60% of the structures were isometric configurations unique to lower eukaryotes.     

Hydrolysis of Man9GlcNAc2 and Man8GlcNAc2 oligosaccharides by a purified alpha-mannosidase from Candida albicans

A soluble alpha-mannosidase from Candida albicans was purified to homogeneity by sequential size exclusion, ion exchange, and affinity chromatographies in columns of Sepharose CL6B, DEAE Bio-Gel A, and Concanavalin A Sepharose 4B, respectively. Analytical electrophoresis of the purified preparation in 10% SDS-polyacrylamide gels stained with Coomassie blue revealed a single polypeptide of 43 kDa that was responsible for enzyme activity. The purified enzyme primarily trimmed Man(9)GlcNAc(2) to produce Man(8)GlcNAc(2) isomer B and mannose as a function of time of incubation up to 12 h at 37 degrees C. Prolonged incubation with the enzyme resulted in the accumulation after 24 h of other oligosaccharides corresponding to Man(7)GlcNAc(2) and probably Man(6)GlcNAc(2). These two products were also observed when Man(8)GlcNAc(2) isomer B instead of Man(9)GlcNAc(2) was used as substrate. Other oligosaccharides, such as Man(6)GlcNAc(2)-Asn, Man(5)GlcNAc(2)-Asn, and the alpha1,3- and alpha1,6-linked mannobiosides, were not hydrolyzed at all. These properties are consistent with an alpha1,2-mannosidase that may represent a new member of the glycosylhydrolase family 47.     

Structure of Golgi alpha-mannosidase II: a target for inhibition of growth and metastasis of cancer cells.

Golgi alpha-mannosidase II, a key enzyme in N-glycan processing, is a target in the development of anti- cancer therapies. The crystal structure of Drosophila Golgi alpha-mannosidase II in the absence and presence of the anti-cancer agent swainsonine and the inhibitor deoxymannojirimycin reveals a novel protein fold with an active site zinc intricately involved both in the substrate specificity of the enzyme and directly in the catalytic mechanism. Identification of a putative GlcNAc binding pocket in the vicinity of the active site cavity provides a model for the binding of the GlcNAcMan(5)GlcNAc(2) substrate and the consecutive hydrolysis of the alpha1,6- and alpha1,3-linked mannose residues. The enzyme-inhibitor interactions observed provide insight into the catalytic mechanism, opening the door to the design of novel inhibitors of alpha-mannosidase II.     

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.