Glycosyltransferases and oligosaccharyltransferases in Archaea: putative components of the N-glycosylation pathway in the third domain of life

The ability of Eukarya, Bacteria and Archaea to perform N -glycosylation underlies the importance and possible antiquity of this post-translational protein modification. However, in contrast to the relatively well-studied eukaryal and bacterial pathways, the archaeal N -glycosylation process is less understood. To remedy this disparity, the following study has examined 56 available archaeal genomes with the aim of identifying glycosyltransferases and oligosaccharyltransferases, including those putatively catalyzing this post-translational processing event. This analysis reveals that while oligosaccharyltransferases, central components of the N -glycosylation pathway, are found across the range of archaeal phenotypes, the N -glycosylation machinery of hyperthermophilic Archaea may well rely on fewer components than do the parallel systems of nonhyperthermophilic Archaea. Moreover, genes encoding predicted glycosyltransferases of hyperthermophilic Archaea tend to be far more scattered within the genome than is the case with nonhyperthermophilic species, where putative glycosyltransferase genes are often clustered around identified oligosaccharyltransferase-encoding sequences.     

脱氧核糖核酸(DNA)对过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性的影响研究

机体在新陈代谢过程中,不断产生自由基,自由基对细胞结构损伤较大,机体内存在清除自由基的酶类,正常条件下,自由基的产生和清除是动态平衡的。过氧化氢酶是重要抗自由基酶类之一。试验企图探讨DNA对对氧化氢酶活性影响,从而探索核酸对抗自由基和抗衰老的作用。     

Haloferax volcanii AglB and AglD are involved in N-glycosylation of the S-layer glycoprotein and proper assembly of the surface layer

In this study, the effects of deleting two genes previously implicated in Haloferax volcanii N-glycosylation on the assembly and attachment of a novel Asn-linked pentasaccharide decorating the H. volcanii S-layer glycoprotein were considered. Mass spectrometry revealed the pentasaccharide to comprise two hexoses, two hexuronic acids and an additional 190 Da saccharide. The absence of AglD prevented addition of the final hexose to the pentasaccharide, while cells lacking AglB were unable to N-glycosylate the S-layer glycoprotein. In AglD-lacking cells, the S-layer glycoprotein-based surface layer presented both an architecture and protease susceptibility different from the background strain. By contrast, the absence of AglB resulted in enhanced release of the S-layer glycoprotein. H. volcanii cells lacking these N-glycosylation genes, moreover, grew significantly less well at elevated salt levels than did cells of the background strain. Thus, these results offer experimental evidence showing that N-glycosylation endows H. volcanii with an ability to maintain an intact and stable cell envelope in hypersaline surroundings, ensuring survival in this extreme environment.     

Genomic‐scale comparison of sequence‐ and structure‐based methods of function prediction: Does structure provide additional insight?

A function annotation method using the sequence-to-structure-to-function paradigm is applied to the identification of all disulfide oxidoreductases in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome. The method identifies 27 sequences as potential disulfide oxidoreductases. All previously known thioredoxins, glutaredoxins, and disulfide isomerases are correctly identified. Three of the 27 predictions are probable false-positives. Three novel predictions, which subsequently have been experimentally validated, are presented. Two additional novel predictions suggest a disulfide oxidoreductase regulatory mechanism for two subunits (OST3 and OST6) of the yeast oligosaccharyltransferase complex. Based on homology, this prediction can be extended to a potential tumor suppressor gene, N33, in humans, whose biochemical function was not previously known. Attempts to obtain a folded, active N33 construct to test the prediction were unsuccessful. The results show that structure prediction coupled with biochemically relevant structural motifs is a powerful method for the function annotation of genome sequences and can provide more detailed, robust predictions than function prediction methods that rely on sequence comparison alone.     

Distinct donor and acceptor specificities of Trypanosoma brucei oligosaccharyltransferases

Asparagine‐linked glycosylation is catalysed by oligosaccharyltransferase (OTase). In Trypanosoma brucei OTase activity is catalysed by single‐subunit enzymes encoded by three paralogous genes of which TbSTT3B and TbSTT3C can complement a yeast Δstt3 mutant. The two enzymes have overlapping but distinct peptide acceptor specificities, with TbSTT3C displaying an enhanced ability to glycosylate sites flanked by acidic residues. TbSTT3A and TbSTT3B, but not TbSTT3C, are transcribed in the bloodstream and procyclic life cycle stages of T. brucei. Selective knockdown and analysis of parasite protein N‐glycosylation showed that TbSTT3A selectively transfers biantennary Man₅GlcNAc₂ to specific glycosylation sites whereas TbSTT3B selectively transfers triantennary Man₉GlcNAc₂ to others. Analysis of T. brucei glycosylation site occupancy showed that TbSTT3A and TbSTT3B glycosylate sites in acidic to neutral and neutral to basic regions of polypeptide, respectively. This embodiment of distinct specificities in single‐subunit OTases may have implications for recombinant glycoprotein engineering. TbSTT3A and TbSTT3B could be knocked down individually, but not collectively, in tissue culture. However, both were independently essential for parasite growth in mice, suggesting that inhibiting protein N‐glycosylation could have therapeutic potential against trypanosomiasis.     

脱氧核糖核酸对过氧化脂质和脂褐素生成的影响

实验探讨了脱氧核糖核酸（DNA）对小鼠心脏、肝脏和脑组织中的过氧化脂质（LPO）和脂褐素（Lf）生成的影响。结果表明,实验条件下所使用的脱氧核糖核酸可使小鼠体内过氧化脂质的生成明显减少,对脑和肝组织中脂褐素的生成有抑制效果。     

魔芋葡甘低聚糖抗氧化性初步研究

为了检验魔芋葡甘低聚糖抗氧化功能,本文测定了魔芋葡甘低聚糖体外清除自由基及保护DNA氧化损伤能力,并通过连续两周用不同剂量的魔芋葡甘低聚糖灌胃小鼠,检测其对肝脏和血浆中丙二醛(MDA)含量、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、谷胱肝肽过氧化物酶(GSH-PX)活性的影响。研究结果显示:魔芋葡甘低聚糖对超氧阴离子自由基(.O2-)和羟自由基(.OH)有较好的清除能力,能有效地保护DNA免受羟自由基的损伤,并且能有效地降低肝脏中丙二醛水平,提高肝脏和血浆中SOD、GSH-PX的活性。     

脱氧核糖核酸对谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶活性影响的初步研究

谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶是机体内重要抗氧酶系之一。它的活力和含量,反映机体清除自由基的能力。自由基对细胞结构的损伤很大,随着年龄的增长,抗氧化酶活力逐渐下降,从而引起自由基及脂质过氧化产物日益增多,最终导致机体衰老和老年性疾病的发生^[1]。本试验试图探讨DNA对谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶活性影响从而探索DNA对抗自由基的作用。     

Active translocon complexes labeled with GFP-Dad1 diffuse slowly as large polysome arrays in the endoplasmic reticulum

In the ER, the translocon complex (TC) functions in the translocation and cotranslational modification of proteins made on membrane-bound ribosomes. The oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) complex is associated with the TC, and performs the cotranslational N-glycosylation of nascent polypeptide chains. Here we use a GFP-tagged subunit of the OST complex (GFP-Dad1) that rescues the temperature-sensitive (ts) phenotype of tsBN7 cells, where Dad1 is degraded and N-glycosylation is inhibited, to study the lateral mobility of the TC by FRAP. GFP-Dad1 that is functionally incorporated into TCs diffuses extremely slow, exhibiting an effective diffusion constant (Deff) about seven times lower than that of GFP-tagged ER membrane proteins unhindered in their lateral mobility. Termination of protein synthesis significantly increases the lateral mobility of GFP-Dad1 in the ER membranes, but to a level that is still lower than that of free GFP-Dad1. This suggests that GFP-Dad1 as part of the OST remains associated with inactive TCs. Our findings that TCs assembled into membrane-bound polysomes diffuse slowly within the ER have mechanistic implications for the segregation of the ER into smooth and rough domains.     

Yeast Cell Death Caused by Mutation of the OST2 Gene Encoding the ε-Subunit of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Oligosaccharyltransferase

An essential ε-subunit of oligosaccharyltransferase Ost2 is a yeast homolog of mammalian highly conserved DAD1 (defender against apoptotic death). In hamster cells, the Gly38Arg mutation in DAD1 causes apoptosis at restrictive temperatures due to a defect in N-linked glycosylation. To analyze the function of Ost2 in yeast cell death, we constructed Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains expressing Gly58Arg (corresponding to the Gly38Arg mutation in hamster DAD1), Gly86Arg, and Glu113Val mutant Ost2. At elevated temperatures, ost2 mutants arrested growth by decreasing cell viability. Phosphatidylserine exposure, a phenotypic marker of apoptosis in mammalian cells, was found in ost2 mutant cells at 37 °C, although DNA fragmentation was not clearly detected. A high concentration of sorbitol compensates for the temperature sensitivity of the ost2 mutant. These results suggest that apoptosis-like cell death in ost2 mutants is caused by the secondary effect of overall reduced protein N-linked glycosylation.     

海金沙草多糖的提取及抗氧化活性(英文)

用响应面优化技术研究了提取时间、固液比、提取温度等对海金沙草粗多糖提取的定量影响,获得了提取工艺的最优工艺参数:提取时间为123.3 min,固液比(s/w)为1∶20.9,提取温度为49.9℃,二阶多项式曲线回归模型预测多糖产量为12.466%,多糖提取验证试验结果(提取率)为12.85±0.18%(n=3),比模型预测稍高。多糖经纯化并进行体外抗氧化活性研究(以维生素C为对照品),结果发现,多糖产物对超氧阴离子(O2–.)和羟基氧自由基(.OH)具有较好的清除作用。     

Two-dimensional separation of the membrane protein sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase for high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of posttranslational protein modifications

Oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) catalyzes the en bloc transfer of dolichylpyrophosphate oligosaccharides to an asparagine residue found in the sequon Asn-Xaa-Thr/Ser of newly synthesized proteins. Currently the method most commonly used to monitor this reaction, involving multiple solvent extractions and HPLC, is extremely time consuming and tedious. Herein, we present the use of a biotinylated peptide as the acceptor substrate and dolichylpyrophosphate [3H]chitobiose as the donor substrate for the OST-catalyzed reaction. This allows for separation (avidin-agarose beads) and quantitative analysis (scintillation counting) of only the biotinylated glycopeptide product of the OST-catalyzed reaction. This new assay yields highly reproducible results in a rapid manner.     

Mutants in DEFECTIVE GLYCOSYLATION, an Arabidopsis homolog of an oligosaccharyltransferase complex subunit, show protein underglycosylation and defects in cell differentiation and growth

A mutant called defective glycosylation1-1 (dgl1-1) was identified in Arabidopsis based on a growth defect of the dark-grown hypocotyl and an abnormal composition of the non-cellulosic cell wall polysaccharides. dgl1-1 is altered in a protein ortholog of human OST48 or yeast WBP1, an essential protein subunit of the oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) complex, which is responsible for the transfer in the ER of the N-linked glycan precursor onto Asn residues of candidate proteins. Consistent with the known function of the OST complex in eukaryotes, the dgl1-1 mutation led to a reduced N-linked glycosylation of the ER-resident protein disulfide isomerase. A second more severe mutant (dgl1-2) was embryo-lethal. Microscopic analysis of dgl1-1 revealed developmental defects including reduced cell elongation and the collapse and differentiation defects of cells in the central cylinder. These defects were accompanied by changes in the non-cellulosic polysaccharide composition, including the accumulation of ectopic callose. Interestingly, in contrast to other dwarf mutants that are altered in early steps of the N-glycan processing, dgl1-1 did not exhibit a cellulose deficiency. Together, these results confirm the role of DGL1 in N-linked glycosylation, cell growth and differentiation in plants.     

脱氧核糖核酸对机体内超氧化物岐化酶和过氧化物酶活性影响初步研究

超氧化物岐化酶（SOD）和过氧化物酶（POD）是机体内重要的抗氧化酶系之一,其作用在于消除体内的自由基,防止自由基对细胞结构的损伤。它们的活性随增龄而下降,因此自由基不断损伤细胞结构,累积最终导致细胞衰亡和动物机体衰老,老龄小鼠服用DNA一段时间后,其体内SOD和POD的活性均显著提高,因而其衰老速度可能得到一定程度的延缓。     

Photocross-linking of nascent chains to the STT3 subunit of the oligosaccharyltransferase complex

In eukaryotic cells, polypeptides are N glycosylated after passing through the membrane of the ER into the ER lumen. This modification is effected cotranslationally by the multimeric oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) enzyme. Here, we report the first cross-linking of an OST subunit to a nascent chain that is undergoing translocation through, or integration into, the ER membrane. A photoreactive probe was incorporated into a nascent chain using a modified Lys-tRNA and was positioned in a cryptic glycosylation site (-Q-K-T- instead of -N-K-T-) in the nascent chain. When translocation intermediates with nascent chains of increasing length were irradiated, nascent chain photocross-linking to translocon components, Sec61alpha and TRAM, was replaced by efficient photocross-linking solely to a protein identified by immunoprecipitation as the STT3 subunit of the OST. No cross-linking was observed in the absence of a cryptic sequence or in the presence of a competitive peptide substrate of the OST. As no significant nascent chain photocross-linking to other OST subunits was detected in these fully assembled translocation and integration intermediates, our results strongly indicate that the nascent chain portion of the OST active site is located in STT3.     

Possible involvement of the cytoskeleton in the regulation of barley caryopsis dormancy and germination

This study was conducted on barley cv. Ars. caryopses collected at full ripeness and divided into two batches. From one batch (dormant caryopses) polysomes were isolated from embryos immediately after harvesting and after two days of germination. From the other batch (non-dormant caryopses) the same was done after eight months storage in a dry state. A low ionic strength cytoskeleton-stabilizing buffer was used for the isolation of polysomes. Four different fractions of polysomes were examined: free polysomes (FP), membrane-bound polysomes (MBP), cytoskeleton-bound polysomes (CBP) and cytoskeleton-membrane-bound polysomes (CMBP). In germs grown from non-dormant caryopses, the first two fractions (FP + MBP) made up about 78 % of the total ribosomal material, whereas in embryos of dormant, imbibed caryopses, two last fractions (CBP + CMBP) made up about 71 %. The percentage of polysomes after 48 hours of imbibition of dormant caryopses in the FP, MBP and CBP was only about 13 % (i.e., 87 % monosomes), whereas a greater proportion (19.4 %) was found in the CMBP. The highest incorporation of ³H-uridine and ¹⁴C-amino acids (after 48 hours of germination and 0.5, 3 and 6 hrs incubation with precursors) took place in trhc CMBP both in dormant and non-dormant caryopses The major amount of the two polysome fractions associated with the cytoskeleton (CBP and CMBP) and the higher activity of CMBP in protein synthesis in embryos of dormant, imbibed triticale caryopses may indicate a significant role for polysomes associated with the cytoskeleton in the control of protein synthesis in dormant and germinating caryopses.     

游离及固定化果糖基转移酶部分酶学性质的比较研究

 从诱变、筛选的米曲霉GX0 0 10菌株所产生的果糖基转移酶 ,经过纯化和固定化操作分别制备游离酶和固定化酶 ,对两者的酶学性质进行了比较研究 .结果表明 ,两者在蔗糖转化为蔗果低聚糖的酶促反应中 ,最适pH为 5 5,在pH5 0～ 7 5之间酶活性相对稳定 .游离酶和固定化酶的适宜温度范围分别是 4 5～ 52℃和 4 0～ 55℃ .在 55℃保温 60min ,酶活性保存率分别是 61 6%和 87 5% .固定化酶的热稳定性提高 .0 1mmol LHg2 +和 1mmol LAg+能完全抑制游离酶的活性 ,但只能部分抑制固定化酶的活性 ,1mmol L的Ti2 +能完全抑制两者的活性 .以蔗糖为底物时 ,游离酶的米氏常数Km=2 15mmol L ,而固定化酶Km =386mmol L .游离酶只能使用一次 ,固定化酶反复使用 54次后 ,剩余活力为 55 2 % .用 55% (W V)蔗糖溶液与固定化酶在pH5 0 ,4 6℃下作用 12h ,可获得61 5% (总低聚糖 总糖 )产物 ,其中蔗果五糖含量达到 7 2 % .     

沱茶中抗自由基化学成分的研究

对沱茶(Camellia sinensis var．assamica)的水提取物、50％甲醇提取物、甲醇提取物进行了DPPH自由基清除作用的研究,实验结果表明,水提取物和50％甲醇提取物均具有较强的清除自由基作用,其半数抑制率(IC50)分别为6．07μg／mL和5．01μg／mL,而甲醇提取物清除自由基作用的活性则较弱,其半数抑制率(IC50)为39．63μg/mL。利用层析等手段分别从抗自由基活性较强的水提取物的甲醇可溶部分分离获得了20种化合物,其中,10种化合物(2、5、6、11、12、13、16、17、18、19)为首次从该植物中得到的化合物;DPPH自由基清除活性研究结果表明,其中化合物(1、4、7、9、10、12、14、18)的活性强于阳性对照品抗坏血酸和咖啡酸。比较分析化合物的结构与其活性的关系,发现结构中苯环上有邻位羟基的化合物其清除自由基的活性较强,而且羟基越多活性越强。     

Invited Review Free Radicals in Foods

During the last decade increasing attention has been given to the role of free radicals in biological oxidations. The subject has been of increasing interest to both the food scientist and the physiologist. Free radical scavengers in the form of both indigenous and added antioxidants are necessary for the successful preservation of food; free radicals are increasingly being implicated in the onset of, among others, ischaemic heart disease and for protection against these diseases it is suggested that the dietary intake of the antioxidant vitamins should be increased especially for diets high in polyunsaturated fats. ^1,2 Convenience and snack foods which absorb substantial amounts of frying oils are being increasingly consumed. Since poly-unsaturated fatty acids are particularly susceptible to oxidation by free radicals during the storage, cooking and frying of foods, the potential risk of exposure to lipid degradation products' is likely to have increased. In foods the non-enzymic and lipoxygenase catalysed oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, β-carotene and vitamin A can result in the loss of essential nutrients and the development of off-flavours.