The beta-glucosidases of porcine kidney.

Some of the properties of a partially purified particle bound and soluble beta-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.21) from pig kidney were compared. The soluble beta-glucosidase (1) hydrolyzed 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucoside (4-MU-beta-D-glucoside) 17 alpha-estradiol 3beta-glucoside. 17 alpha-estradiol 17beta-glucoside, and salicin, but not glucosylceramide, (2) possessed a broad pH optimum (5.5-7.0), (3) had an isoelectric point of 4.9, and (4) was inhibited by Triton X-100. Several compounds were found to be competitive inhibitors of its hydrolytic activity, gluconolactam and estrone beta-glucoside being the most effective. In contrast, a particulate beta-glucodidase purified from the same tissue (1) had an acidic pH optimum (5.0), (2) was stimulated by sodium taurocholate and 'Gaucher's factor' for the hydrolysis of both 4-MU-beta-glucosidase and glucosylceramide, and (3) was capable of catalyzing a transglucosylation reaction employing 4-MU-beta-D-glucoside or glucosylceramide as the glucosyl donor, and [14C]ceramide as acceptor.     

A human milk galactosyltransferase is specific for secreted, but not plasma, IgA

IgA from human milk and colostrum is a substrate for a galactosyltransferase also present in milk and colostrum. The secreted IgA that serves as the best acceptor for the transferase activity is the IgA that fails to bind readily to jacalin lectin. Upon becoming galactosylated by the transferase, however, the IgA shows an increased affinity for jacalin. Glycosidase and electrophoretic results indicate that the transferred galactose is beta-linked to the alpha-chain of the IgA. The IgA:transferase activity can be purified by gel filtration and cation exchange chromatographies, as well as by affinity chromatography on Sepharose derivatized with UDP or IgM. The enzyme has an apparent Mr of about 64 kDa, is prevalent in both milk and colostrum, but has a sixfold higher sp act in colostrum.     

Prolipoprotein modification and processing enzymes in Escherichia coli

Prolipoprotein signal peptidase, a unique endopeptidase which recognizes glycyl glyceride cysteine as a cleavage site, was characterized in an in vitro assay system using purified prolipoprotein as the substrate. This enzyme did not require phospholipids for its catalytic activity and was found to be localized in the inner cytoplasmic membrane of the Escherichia coli cell envelope. Globomycin inhibited this enzyme activity in vitro with a half-maximal inhibiting concentration of 0.76 nM. Nonionic detergent, such as Nikkol or Triton X-100, was required for the in vitro activity. The optimum pH and reaction temperature of prolipoprotein signal peptidase were pH 7.9 and 37-45 degrees C, respectively. Phosphatidylglycerol:prolipoprotein glyceryl transferase (glyceryl transferase) activity was measured using [2-3H]glycerol-labeled JE5505 cell envelope and [35S]cysteine-labeled MM18 cell envelope as the donor and acceptor of glyceryl moiety, respectively. 3H and 35S dual-labeled glyceryl cysteine was identified in the product of this enzymatic reaction. The optimal pH and reaction temperature for glyceryl transferase were pH 7.8 and 37 degrees C, respectively.     

Hydrolytic and transglucosylation activities of a purified calf spleen beta-glucosidase.

Certain properties of the transglucosylitic activity and the hydrolytic activity of a purified calf spleen beta-glucosidase (beta-D-glucoside glucohydrolase EC 3.2.1.21) were investigated. There was a stimulation of both activities by sodium taurocholate and "Gaucher's factor". The K-m values for 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucoside and glucosylceramide as donors in the transglucosylation reaction were 2 mM and 0.075 mM, respectively. The K-m for ceramide as acceptor was 0.149 mM with both of these compounds. The ability of several glucoside to act as donors was examined. The capacity to catalyze this "transglucosylation" reaction is greatly diminished in spleen tissue samples from Gaucher's patients. The enzyme possesses the capacity to hyrolyze 4-methylumbellifery-beta-D-glucoside, p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucoside, glucosylsphingosine, glucosylceramide and deoxycorticosterol-beta-D-glucoside. It is postulated that a single enzyme protein may be responsible for both the hydrolytic and the transglucosylitic activities.     

Rat liver Golgi galactosyltransferases. Distinct enzymes for glycolipid and glycoprotein acceptor substrates.

Two enzymes that catalyse the transfer of galactose from UDP-galactose to GM2 ganglioside were partially purified from rat liver Golgi membranes. These preparations, designated enzyme I (basic) and enzyme II (acidic), utilized as acceptors GM2 ganglioside and asialo GM2 ganglioside as well as ovalbumin, desialodegalactofetuin, desialodegalacto-orosomucoid, desialo bovine submaxillary mucin and GM2 oligosaccharide. Enzyme II catalysed disaccharide synthesis in the presence of the monosaccharide acceptors N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine. The affinity adsorbent alpha-lactalbumin-agarose, which did not retard GM2 ganglioside galactosyltransferase, was used to remove most or all of galactosyltransferase activity towards glycoprotein and monosaccharide acceptors from the extracted Golgi preparation. After treatment of the extracted Golgi preparation with alpha-lactalbumin-agarose, enzyme I and enzyme II GM2 ganglioside galactosyltransferase activities, prepared by using DEAE-Sepharose chromatography, were distinguishable from transferase activity towards GM2 oligosaccharide and glycoproteins by the criterion of thermolability. This residual galactosyltransferase activity towards glycoprotein substrates was also shown to be distinct from GM2 ganglioside galactosyltransferase in both enzyme preparations I and II by the absence of competition between the two acceptor substrates. The two types of transferase activities could be further distinguished by their response to the presence of the protein effector alpha-lactalbumin. GM2 ganglioside galactosyltransferase was stimulated in the presence of alpha-lactalbumin, whereas the transferase activity towards desialodegalactofetuin was inhibited in the presence of this protein. The results of purification studies, comparison of thermolability properties and competition analysis suggested the presence of a minimum of five galactosyltransferase species in the Golgi extract. Five peaks of galactosyltransferase activity were resolved by isoelectric focusing. Two of these peaks (pI 8.6 and 6.3) catalysed transfer of galactose to GM2 ganglioside, and three peaks (pI 8.1, 6.8 and 6.3) catalysed transfer to glycoprotein acceptors.     

Phospho-N-acetylmuramoyl-pentapeptide-transferase of Escherichia coli K12. Properties of the membrane-bound and the extracted and partially purified enzyme.

Phospho-N-acetylmuramoyl-pentapeptide-transferase (UDP-N-acetyl-muramoyl-L-alanyl-D-gamma-glutamyl-L-lysyl-D-alanyl-D-alanine:undecaprenoid-alcohol-phosphate-phospho-N-acetylmuramoyl-pentapeptide-transferase, EC 2.7.8.13) was solubilized by repeated freezing and thawing of crude envelopes of Escherichia coli K12. The solubilized enzyme was partially purified by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. This preparation contained small amounts of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol but no endogenous lipid substrate, C55-isoprenyl phosphate, could be detected. Some catalytic properties (exchange reaction) of the solubilized enzyme were compared to those of membrane-bound transferase. The transfer activity of the partially purified transferase was restored by the addition of an aqueous lipid dispersion. All the transferase activity was found to become incorporated into the liposomes. Preincubation of the transferase preparation with phospholipase A2 or D strongly reduce both exchange and transfer activity. This suggests that phospholipids sensitive to phospholipases are necessary for the enzymatic reaction. Different effects of some neutral detergents on the exchange activity were reported.     

Plant glycoprotein biosynthesis. Uridine diphosphate N-acetyl-glucosaminyltransferase from horseradish root.

A particulate enzyme preparation from horseradish root tissue was shown to catalyze the transfer of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-[14C1]glucose from uridine diphosphate 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-[14C1]glucose to an exogenous acceptor molecule derived from horseradish peroxidase. The acceptor was produced from purified peroxidase by the action of a mixture of glycoside hydrolases covalently bound to Sepharose. The membrane preparation containing the transferase was purified approximately 12-fold by aqueous two phase distribution and by discontinuous sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Hydrolysis of the reaction product yielded glucosamine as the only radio-labeled substance. Precipitation of the reaction product by antiserum against peroxidase showed that the label was incorporated into peroxidase. The transferase utilized the acceptor most efficiently when only 12% of the 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose was removed from the acceptor. The acceptor lost no accepting capabilities when heated to 100 degrees C for 3 min prior to assay. Trypsin treatment caused a 14% decrease in label incorporated while pronase treatment caused a 93% decrease,     

Co2+ is able to substitute for Mn2+ in some exogenous and endogenous galactosyltransferase reactions

The ability of Co2+ to substitute for Mn2+ in exogenous and endogenous galactosyltransferase reactions was tested. Exogenous transfer was measured towards different high and low molecular weight galactose acceptors using galactosyltransferase from the following sources: crude serum, the serum enzyme partially purified by affinity chromatography and a pure enzyme preparation from milk. Endogenous transfer was estimated in preparations from human urinary bladder tumor cells and from rat liver microsomal fractions. The results show that Co2+ is able to substitute for Mn2+ in some exogenous and endogenous galactosyltransferase reactions. This ability seems to depend on the molecular structure of the galactose acceptor as well as on the nature of the enzyme.     

Endo-xyloglucan transferase, a novel class of glycosyltransferase that catalyzes transfer of a segment of xyloglucan molecule to another xyloglucan molecule.

Xyloglucans are the major component of plant cell walls and bind tightly to the surface of individual cellulose microfibrils, thereby cross-linking them into a complex polysaccharide network of the cell wall. The cleavage and reconnection of xyloglucan cross-links are considered to play the leading role during chemical processes essential for wall expansion and, therefore, cell growth and differentiation. Although it is hypothesized that some transglycosylation is involved in these chemical processes, the enzyme responsible for the reaction was not identified. We have now purified a novel class of endo-type glycosyltransferase to apparent homogeneity from the extracellular space or the cell wall of the epicotyls of Vigna angularis, a bean plant. The enzyme is a glycoprotein with a molecular mass of about 33 kDa. The enzyme catalyzes both 1) endo-type splitting of a xyloglucan molecule and 2) linking of a newly generated reducing end of the xyloglucan to the nonreducing end of another xyloglucan molecule, thereby mediating the transfer of a large segment of the xyloglucan to another xyloglucan molecule. The transferase exhibits no glycosidase or glycanase activity. Substrate specificity of the enzyme was investigated using several polysaccharides with different glycosidic linkages as donor substrates and pyridylamino oligosaccharides as acceptor substrates, in which the reducing end of the carbohydrate was tagged with a fluorescent group. The enzyme required a basic xyloglucan structure, i.e. a beta-(1-->4)-glucosyl backbone with xylosyl side chains, for both acceptor and donor activity. Galactosyl or fucosyl side chains on the main chain were not required for the acceptor activity. The enzyme exhibited higher reaction rates when xyloglucans with higher M(r) were used as donor substrates. Xyloglucans smaller than 10 kDa were no longer the donor substrate. On the other hand, pyridylamino heptasaccharide acted as a good acceptor as did xyloglucan polymers. Based on these results we propose to designate this novel enzyme a xyloglucan: xyloglucano-transferase, to be abbreviated endo-xyloglucan transferase (EXT) or xyloglucan recombinase. This enzyme is the first enzyme identified that mediates the transfer of a high M(r) segment between polysaccharide molecules to generate chimeric polymers. We conclude that endo-xyloglucan transferase functions as a reconnecting enzyme for xyloglucans and is involved in the interweaving or reconstruction of cell wall matrix, which is responsible for chemical creepage that leads to morphological changes in the cell wall.     

Characterization and partial purification of beta-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase from urine of Sd(a+) individuals

Urine from Sd(a+) individuals was found to contain a beta-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase that transfers N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) from UDP-GalNAc to 3'-sialyllactose and glycoproteins carrying the terminal NeuAc alpha-3Gal beta group. This enzyme has been purified 174-fold by affinity chromatography on Blue Sepharose and DEAE-Sephacel chromatography in a yield of 33%. Neither endogenous incorporation nor sugar nucleotide degrading enzymes were found in the purified preparation. The transferase had a pH optimum of pH 7.5 and a requirement for Mn2+ but not for detergents. The Km for UDP-GalNAc was 66 X 10(-6) M, using fetuin as an acceptor. Like beta-GalNAc-transferase from other sources the urinary enzyme had a strict requirement for sialylated acceptors. On the basis of enzymatic and chemical treatment of the product obtained by the transfer of [3H]GalNAc to 3'-sialyllactose, we propose that the enzyme attaches GalNAc in beta-anomeric configuration to O-4 of the galactose residue that is substituted at O-3 by sialic acid. A preparation of Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein from a Sd(a-) donor lacking beta-GalNAc was found to be the best acceptor among the glycoproteins tested. Studies on the transferase activity toward fetuin, human chorionic gonadotropin, and glycophorin A indicated that the enzyme preferentially adds the sugar to the sialylated terminal end of N-linked oligosaccharides. Unlike the beta-GalNAc-transferase bound to human kidney microsomes (F. Piller et al. (1986) Carbohydr. Res. 149, 171-184) the urinary transferase is able to transfer beta-GalNAc to the NeuAc alpha-3Gal beta-3(NeuAc alpha-6)GalNAc chains bound to the native glycophorin.     

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase in vitro

The activity of purified bovine thymus terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase was markedly inhibited when the enzyme was incubated in a poly(ADP-ribose)-synthesizing system containing purified bovine thymus poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, NAD+, Mg2+ and DNA. All of these four components were indispensable for the inhibition. The inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase counteracted the observed inhibition of the transferase. Under a Mg2+-depleted and acceptor-dependent ADP-ribosylating reaction condition [Tanaka, Y., Hashida, T., Yoshihara, H. and Yoshihara, K. (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254, 12433-12438], the addition of terminal transferase to the reaction mixture stimulated the enzyme reaction in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that the transferase is functioning as an acceptor for ADP-ribose. Electrophoretic analyses of the reaction products clearly indicated that the transferase molecule itself was oligo (ADP-ribosyl)ated. When the product was further incubated in the Mg2+-fortified reaction mixture, the activity of terminal transferase markedly decreased with increase in the apparent molecular size of the enzyme, indicating that an extensive elongation of poly(ADP-ribose) bound to the transferase is essential for the observed inhibition. Free poly(ADP-ribose) and the polymer bound to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase were ineffective on the activity of the transferase. All of these results indicate that the observed inhibition of terminal transferase is caused by the poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of the transferase itself.     

Enzymatic synthesis of Q* nucleoside containing mannose in the anticodon of tRNA: isolation of a novel mannosyltransferase from a cell-free extract of rat liver

The Q nucleosides isolated from rabbit liver tRNA are known to have sugars (mannose or galactose) linked to their cyclopentene diol moiety. A Q nucleoside containing mannose (manQ) was synthesized by a cell-free system from rat liver, using purified E. coli tRNAAsp as an acceptor and GDP-mannose as a donor molecule. The novel mannosyltransferase catalyzing this reaction was purified from a particulate-free soluble enzyme fraction and found to be strictly specific for tRNAAsp. These results, together with the anomeric configuration of mannose in Q nucleoside, indicate that no lipid intermediate is involved in the biosynthesis of Q nucleoside.     

Partial purification and characterization of an aldohexose 1-P phosphatase from pig skeletal muscle

An enzyme with a molecular weight of 54,000 which possesses phosphatase activity acting on glucose 1-P, galactose 1-P and mannose 1-P has been partially purified and characterized from pig skeletal muscle. The enzyme is free of phosphoglucomutase and galactokinase activities, and it possesses a neutral optimum pH. Pi acts as an inhibitor; glucose, galactose and mannose do not produce any effect. Divalent cations are required for activity, Mg2+ being the most effective activator. Micromolar levels of fluoride and millimolar levels of chloride act as inhibitors; however, vanadate does not produce any effect. The enzyme may have an important role when galactose accumulates in tissues; for example, in galactosemic patients and in young animals ingesting high-galactose diets.     

Mono-ADP-ribosylation of Gs by an eukaryotic arginine-specific ADP-ribosyltransferase stimulates the adenylate cyclase system

An arginine-specific ADP-ribosyltransferase, named ADP-ribosyltransferase A, was partially purified from human platelets using polyarginine as an ADP-ribose acceptor. When human platelet membranes were incubated with the transferase A in the presence of NAD+, Gs, a stimulatory guanine nucleotide-binding protein of the adenylate cyclase was specifically mono-ADP-ribosylated. ADP-ribose transfer to Gs by this enzyme was suppressed when membranes were pre-ADP-ribosylated by cholera toxin. Incubation of membranes with the transferase A resulted in activation of the adenylate cyclase system. This stimulatory effect of the transferase A on the adenylate cyclase system was inhibited by the presence of polyarginine. These results indicate a role of ADP-ribosyltransferase A in regulation of the adenylate cyclase system via endogenous mono-ADP-ribosylation of Gs.     

Uridine 5'-diphosphate galactose: glycoprotein galactosyl transferase activity in exfoliated bladder epithelial cells in rats fed N-(4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl) formamide.

Urine samples of normal male Fischer rats or rats fed 0.2% N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide for 6,8 or 30 weeks were collected and centrifuged 50 weeks after beginning treatment. After being sonicated and assayed (with purified desialylated ovine submaxillary mucin as acceptor glycoprotein), the exfoliated bladder cells obtained from the urines of treated rats showed uridine 5'-diphosphate galactose:glycoprotein transferase activity. The specific enzymatic activity of the enzyme from cells of 30-week-treated rats was about 10 times higher than from normal rats. The enzyme from cells of hyperplastic rats (treated 6 or 8 weeks) was only slightly higher in specific activity than that of normal rats. A similar was obtained at a later stage of bladder tumor induction, when the urines from 30-week-treated rats contained blood. A correction was made for protein contributed by the blood clot. The possibility that the blood clot contributed galactosyl transferase activity was excluded. Activity of the enzyme was detected in normal rat bladder tissue and in normal human urine.     

Biosynthesis of blood group I and i antigens in rat tissues. Identification of a novel beta 1-6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase.

The beta-galactoside beta 1-6- and beta 1-3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases (beta 1-6GnT and beta 1-3GnT) that synthesize blood group I and i antigens were identified in rat tissues, using pyridylaminated lacto-N-neotetraose (Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4Glc-PA) as an acceptor. The products of the transferase reactions were separated on high performance liquid chromatography. The products of the transferase reactions were identified by 1H NMR as (formula; see text) and GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4Glc-PA. The product for beta 1-6GnT was also identified by methylation analysis. Kinetic experiments were carried out using rat serum for beta 1-3GnT and partially purified enzyme from rat intestine for beta 1-6GnT. beta 1-3GnT has a pH optimum of 7.5 and requires Mn2+ for optimal activity. beta 1-6GnT has a pH optimum of 7.0 and does not require Mn2+. Studies on the substrate specificity of each enzyme indicated that the preferred substrate for beta 1-3GnT had the general structure Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc-OR and, for beta 1-6GnT, Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal-OR where R = sugar. This is the first demonstration that the beta 1-6GnT acts on an internal galactose of lacto-N-neotetraose and paragloboside, and the enzyme appears to be a novel enzyme in terms of substrate specificity.     

Localization in the Golgi apparatus of rat liver UDP-Gal:glucosylceramide beta 1----4galactosyltransferase

The presence and subcellular localization of UDP-Gal:glucosylceramide beta 1----4galactosyltransferase (GalT-2) was investigated in rat liver. For this purpose, purified Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, and plasma membrane fractions were prepared from the liver and used as the enzyme source for detecting GalT-2. A pure Golgi apparatus, highly enriched in many glycosyltransferases, was the only fraction where GalT-2 was measurable. The reaction product formation rate under appropriate assay conditions, which requires high detergent concentration and Mn2+, was low but comparable with that of other glycosyltransferases. The product formation was stimulated by exogenously added acceptor GlcCer, donor UDP-Gal, and Golgi protein. The reaction product was a single spot that was identified by chromatographic behavior, sensitivity to beta-galactosidase, and permethylation studies as Gal beta 1----4Glc beta 1----1'Cer (lactosylceramide). A metabolic experiment, performed by determining the glycosphingolipids which became radioactive in the above subcellular fractions prepared from the liver of animals treated with glucose-labeled glucosylceramide, further indicated that the in vivo glycosylation of glucosylceramide takes place in the Golgi apparatus.     

Purification and properties of glutamine synthetase from the non-N2-fixing cyanobacterium Phormidium laminosum.

Soluble glutamine synthetase activity (L-glutamate:ammonia ligase, ADP forming, EC 6.3.1.2) was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from the filamentous non-N2-fixing cyanobacterium Phormidium laminosum (OH-1-p.Cl1) by using conventional purification procedures in the absence of stabilizing ligands. The pure enzyme showed a specific activity of 152 mumol of gamma-glutamylhydroxamate formed.min-1 (transferase activity), which corresponded to 4.4 mumol of Pi released.min-1 (biosynthetic activity). The relative molecular mass of the native enzyme was 602 kilodaltons and was composed of 12 identically sized subunits of 52 kilodaltons. Biosynthetic activity required the presence of Mg2+ as an essential activator, although Co2+ and Zn2+ were partially effective. The kinetics of activation by Mg2+, Co2+, and Zn2+ were sigmoidal, and concentrations required for half-maximal activity were 18 mM (h = 2.2), 6.3 mM (h = 5.6), and 6.3 mM (h = 2.45), respectively. However, transferase activity required Mn2+ (Ka = 3.5 microM), Cu2+, Co2+, or Mg2+ being less effective. The substrate affinities calculated for L-Glu, ammonium, ATP, L-Gln, and hydroxylamine were 15, 0.4, 1.9 (h = 0.75), 14, and 4.1 mM, respectively. Optimal pH and temperature were 7.2 and 55 degrees C for biosynthetic activity and 7.5 and 45 degrees C for transferase activity. The biosynthetic reaction mechanism proceeded according to an ordered three-reactant system, the binding order being ammonium, L-Glu, and ATP. The presence of Mn2+ or Mg2+ drastically affected the thermostability of transferase and biosynthetic activities. Heat inactivation of biosynthetic activity in the presence of Mn2+ obeyed first-order kinetics, with an Ea of 76.8 kcal (ca. 321 kJ) mol-1. Gly, L-Asp, L-Ala, L-Ser and, with lower efficiency, L-Lys and L-Met, L-Lys, and L-Glu inhibited only transferase activity. No cumulative inhibition was observed when mixtures of amino acids were used. Biosynthetic activity was inhibited by AMP (Ki= 7 mM), ADP (Ki= 2.3 mM), p-hydroxymercuribenzoate (Ki= 25 microM), and L-methionine-D, L-sulfoximine (Ki= 2 microM). The enzyme was not activated in vitro by chemically reduced Anabaena thioredoxin. This is the first report of glutamine synthetase activity purified from a filamentous non-N2-fixing cyanobacterium.     

Porcine A blood group-specific N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase.

Porcine A blood group-specific N-acetylgalactosaminyl-transferase required either Mn2+, Cd2+, or Zn2+ for activity and 2'-O-alpha-fucosylgalactosides as acceptor substrates. The presence of detergent stabilizes the enzyme but is not essential for catalysis. To obtain information about the kinetic mechanism of the transferase reaction, initial rate parameters have been determined using 2'-fucosyllactose or A--mucin as acceptors, and Mn2+ or Cd2+ as cosubstrates. 2'-Fucosyllactose is a competitive inhibitor with respect to A--mucin and a noncompetitive inhibitor with respect to UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine. UDP inhibits noncompetively with respect to acceptor; thus UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine or acceptor can bind to the transferase via an equilibrium random pathway. The transferase converts human O blood type erythrocytes of A blood types. After exhaustive glycosylation, 3 X 10(6) N-acetylgalactosaminyl residues were incorporated per cell. Gel electrophoretic analysis of the labeled erythrocyte membranes indicates that glycoproteins with apparents molecular weights from 30,000 to 100,000 have been glycosylated; glycolipids account for only 15% of the labeled material, although pure H-glycolipid is a good acceptor. The transferase, with its strict acceptor specificity, can thus be used as a tool to study the biosynthesis and function of glycolipids and glycoproteins.     

Purification to homogeneity and enzymatic characterization of an alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminide alpha 2 leads to 6 sialyltransferase from porcine submaxillary glands.

By means of affinity chromatography on CDP-hexanolamine-agarose, a CMP-N-acetylneuraminate: alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminide alpha 2 leads to 6 sialyltransferase (EC 2.4.99.1) has been purified 117,000-fold to homogeneity from Triton X-100 extracts of porcine submaxillary glands. The enzyme consists of several electrophoretic forms that can be partially resolved by chromatography on Sephadex G-200, the largest of which has a molecular weight of approximately 160,000 as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis. Periodate oxidation studies show that the linkage formed by this enzyme with ovine submaxillary asialo-mucin as the acceptor substrate is NeuAc alpha 2 leads to 6GalNAc alpha 1 leads to O-Thr/Ser. On the basis of initial rate studies and the patterns of inhibition observed with alternate acceptor substrates, the transferase is proposed to have either a random equilibrium kinetic mechanism or an ordered steady state mechanism with the acceptor substrate binding first. Among a wide variety of oligosaccharides, glycoproteins, and simple glycosides (including p-nitrophenyl-alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminide), the only acceptor substrates for this enzyme are those glycoproteins containing the structure, R leads to 3GalNAc alpha 1 leads to O-Thr/Ser, where R may be H or a beta-galactoside.