Isolation and fractionation of glycopeptides from porcine thyroglobulin

1. Glycopeptides were isolated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-25 and Sephadex G-50 from a Pronase digest of porcine thyroglobulin. 2. Isolated glycopeptides were separated into five main fractions on a column of DEAE-Sephadex A-25. Of these fractions I to III were further purified by SE-Sephadex C-25 or DEAE-Sephadex A-25 column chromatography. Several of the purified glycopeptides were homogeneous on paper electrophoresis. 3. Based on the chemical composition and molecular weight of the fractionated glycopeptides, two distinct types of heterosaccharide chain were demonstrated. 4. One type of the heterosaccharide unit consisted of four to eight residues of mannose and two residues of glucosamine and had a molecular weight of 1000-1700. The other type of unit contained sialic acid, fucose and galactose in addition to mannose and glucosamine and had a molecular weight of about 3600. 5. Mild alkaline treatment of the glycopeptide did not result in the destruction of threonine and serine. 2-Acetamido-1-N-(4-l-aspartyl)-2-deoxy-beta-d-glucopyranosylamine was isolated from partial acid hydrolysates.     

Comparison of glycopeptides from control and virus-transformed baby hamster kidney fibroblasts

Glucosamine-labeled glycopeptides from control and virus-transformed BHK fibroblasts were characterized by size, lectin affinity, charge, and composition. As already demonstrated, on the basis of elution position on a column of Sephadex G-50, transformed cells contained a greater proportion of large glycopeptides than did control cells. Transformed cells also contained a larger proportion of glycopeptides which do not bind to Con A-Sepharose. By sequential chromatography on Sephadex G-50, Con A-Sepharose, and DEAE-Sephadex, approximately 40 individual peaks were partially or completely resolved. If sialic acid was removed from the glycopeptides prior to analysis by ion-exchange chromatography, 95% of the glycopeptides from control cells and 85% of the glycopeptides from transformed cells were no longer bound by DEAE-Sephadex. It was concluded that the DEAE-Sephadex elution properties of the glycopeptides are determined almost entirely by the sialic acid content of the molecules. A comparison of the profiles of control and transformed cell glycopeptides simultaneously eluting from columns of DEAE-Sephadex revealed that the differences between the two cells were largely quantitative; however, the possibility of the existence of qualitative differences as well cannot be excluded. In particular, there was one component present on the surface of transformed cells that was virtually absent in control cells. It was degraded by nitrous acid hydrolysis and heparinase and appeared to be heparan sulfate like material. After fractionation, each isolated glycopeptide population was analyzed for carbohydrate and, in some cases, amino acid content. The apparently larger glycopeptides, group A, the dominant population in transformed cells, were found to contain 3 to 4 mannose residues/glycopeptide when the sugars were normalized to sialic acid content. On the basis of the same criteria, group B glycopeptides contained 4-6 mannose residues/glycopeptide. The carbohydrate and amino acid compositions of the glycopeptides from transformed cells were, with a few exceptions, similar to those from control cells. Some isolated glycopeptides appeared to contain both O-glycosidic anad N-glycosidic linkages on the same oligopeptide.     

Preparation and properties of concanavalin A-binding glycopeptides derived from rat brain glycoproteins

Mannose-rich glycopeptides derived from brain glycoproteins were recovered by affinity chromatography on Concanavalin A-Sepharose. These glycopeptides, which adsorb to the lectin and are eluted with α-methylmannoside, constitute about 25–30% of the total glycopeptide material recovered from rat brain glycoproteins. They contain predominately mannose and N-acetylglucosamine (mannose/N-acetylglucosamine = 3), as well as small amounts of galactose and fucose. Approx. 65% of the Concanavalin A-binding glycopeptide carbohydrate was recovered after treatment with leucine aminopeptidase, gel filtration on Biogel P-4, and ion-exchange chromatography on coupled Dowex 50-hydrogen and Dowex 1-chrolide columns. The purified glycopeptide fraction contained six mannose and two N-acetylglucosamine residues per aspartic acid and possessed an apparent molecular weight of about 2000 as assessed by gel filtration and amino acid analysis. Galactose and fucose were absent. Treatment of the purified glycopeptides with α-mannosidase drastically reduced their affinity for Concanavalin A, suggesting the presence of one or more terminal mannose residues.     

Preparation and properties of concanavalin A-binding glycopeptides derived from rat brain glycoproteins.

Mannose-rich glycopeptides derived from brain glycoproteins were recovered by affinity chromatography on Concanavalin A-Sepharose. These glycopeptides, which adsorb to the lectin and are eluted with alpha-methylmannoside, constitute about 25--30% of the total glycopeptide material recovered from rat brain glycoproteins. They contain predominately mannose and N-acetylglucosamine (mannose/N-acetylglucosamine = 3), as well as small amounts of galactose and fucose. Approx. 65% of the Concanavalin A-binding glycopeptide carbohydrate was recovered after treatment with leucine aminopeptidase, gel filtration on Biogel P-4, and ion-exchange chromatography on coupled Dowex 50-hydrogen and Dowex 1-chloride columns. The purified glycopeptide fraction contained six mannose and two N-acetylglucosamine residues per aspartic acid and possessed an apparent molecular weight of about 2000 as assessed by gel filtration and amino acid analysis. Galactose and fucose were absent. Treatment of the purified glycopeptides with alpha-mannosidase drastically reduced their affinity for Concanavalin A, suggesting the presence of one or more terminal mannose residues.     

N-linked oligosaccharides of the murine transferrin receptor from a plasmacytoma cell line. Comparison with total cellular N-glycans

The N-linked oligosaccharides synthesised by the murine plasmacytoma cell line NS-1 have been analysed by lectin affinity chromatography on columns of immobilised concanavalin A (Con A), Lens culinaris (lentil), Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA) and leuko-phytohemagglutinin (L-PHA). The majority of complex N-glycans in this transformed cell line were branched structures with only a low level of biantennary complex chains detected. The analysis showed the major complex N-glycan fraction consisted of a minimum sialylated triantennary structure. [3H]Mannose-labelled transferrin receptor was isolated from NS-1 cells by immunoprecipitation followed by electroelution from SDS polyacrylamide gels. The isolated receptor was digested with Pronase and the 3H-labelled glycopeptides analysed by lectin affinity chromatography. Analysis by Con A-Sepharose indicated that approx. 50% of the labelled glycopeptides were branched complex N-glycans (unbound fraction) while the remainder were oligomannose structures (strongly bound). The presence of tri and/or tetraantennary structures in the Con A unbound fraction was further suggested by the interaction of 61% of the fraction with L-PHA. The lectin profiles obtained for the complex N-glycans of the transferrin receptor glycopeptides were similar to those for the total cellular glycopeptides of NS-1 cells. Reverse-phase HPLC analysis of tryptic glycopeptides of the isolated [3H]mannose-labelled transferrin receptor gave three 3H-labelled peaks, indicating that all three potential N-glycosylation sites on the receptor are utilised. The Con A-Sepharose profiles of the three fractions indicated the presence of branched complex N-glycans and high mannose chains at each site. The profiles of two of the tryptic glycopeptide fractions were very similar, while the third had a higher content of oligomannose oligosaccharides.     

The isolation and characterization of the glycopeptides from horseradish peroxidase isoenzyme C.

The purity of horseradish peroxidase isoenzyme C was demonstrated using isoelectric focusing, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at two pH values and cellulose acetate electrophoresis at two pH values. The glycopeptides obtained upon trypsin digestion were isolated using the plant lectin, concanavalin A, and were resolved using paper electrophoresis. The carbohydrate content of the native peroxidase was 86% accounted for by the carbohydrate content of the glycopeptides thus suggesting little loss of carbohydrate during glycopeptide isolation and purification. In each of the seven glycopeptides isolated glucosamine was associated with asparagine, thus suggesting the carbohydrate chains are covalently bound to the peptide chain through N-glycosidic linkages. The purity of each glycopeptide was demonstrated by the sequential release of single amino acid residues by Edman degradation. As six glycopeptides had unique amino acid sequences, it was concluded that the carbohydrate prosthetic group was distributed in at least six units along the protein backbone. Five glycopeptides possessed the amino acid sequence about the point of carbohydrate attachment of Asn-X-(Ser, Thr) where X is any amino acid. The size of the carbohydrate units ranged from 1600 to 3000 daltons. The predominant carbohydrate residues in each glycopeptide were mannose and glucosamine with lesser and varying amounts of fucose, xylose, and arabinose. There was no apparent correlation of the carbohydrate composition with the amino acid sequence.     

Glycoprotein-bound large carbohydrates of early embryonic cells: structural characteristic of the glycan isolated from F9 embryonal carcinoma cells

The high-molecular-weight glycopeptides characteristic of early embryonic cells were isolated from F9 embryonal carcinoma cells grown in vitro and also from the cells grown in vivo as subcutaneous tumors. The two preparations had similar carbohydrate compositions. The major components were galactose and N-acetylglucosamine (molar ratio 1:0.86) in the glycan isolated from the cultured cells. In addition, small amounts of fucose, N-acetylgalactosamine and mannose were present. The glycan from the in vitro grown cells was found to have a molecular weight of more than 10,000 by gel filtration after mild alkaline treatment or hydrazinolysis. The structural characteristics of the core portion of the glycan were studied by using the radioactively labeled glycopeptide from the in vitro grown cells. Methylation analysis provided the following informations. 1) The glycan was highly branched at galactosyl residues. 2) Large numbers of galactosyl residues were also present at non-reducing termini. 3) Monosubstitution of galactose occurred at C-3. 4) Glucosamine residues were mainly monosubstituted. That the disaccharide GlcNAc-Gal was the major structural unit of the glycan was suggested by the isolation of the deacetylated disaccharide after alkaline thiophenol cleavage followed by acid hydrolysis. Furthermore, methylation analysis of the glycan from the in vivo grown tumors indicated that monosubstitution of glucosamine occurred at C-4 and that disubstitution of galactose occurred at least mainly at C-3 and C-6. We propose that the basic structural unit of the core portion is 4GlcNAc 1 leads to 3Gal, and that the galactosyl residue serves as a branching point at C-6. Thus, the structural unit of the core portion of the large glycan appears to be the same as that of lactosaminoglycans found in adult cells.     

Inhibition of carbohydrate incorporation in transformed cells by a cancer-associated galactosyltransferase acceptor (CAGA)

The effect of cancer-associated galactosyltransferase acceptor (CAGA) on incorporation of a variety of macromolecular precursors has been studied in transformed and nontransformed cells. Incorporation of [3H]-mannose, [3H]-galactose, and [3H]-glucosamine into acid precipitable material after one-hour pulse was inhibited more than 70% within four hours after exposure to CAGA in polyoma-transformed BHK cells and within eight hours after exposure in chick embryo fibroblasts infected with a temperature-sensitive RSV mutant (Ts68) grown at the permissive temperature (CEF-RSV 37 degrees C). Initial short-term rate of uptake (less than one minute) and total long-term uptake (one hour) of the labelled carbohydrates (acid-soluble and acid-insoluble material) was inhibited less than 15% over this period. Incorporation of 14C-leucine, 3H-serine, 3H-uridine, and 3H-thymidine into acid-precipitable material was also inhibited greater than 85% in transformed cells, but more than 12-hour exposure to CAGA was required before maximal inhibition was detected. Uptake of these labelled precursors was inhibited less than 20% up to eight hours after exposure to CAGA. In nontransformed cells (BHK and CEF) incorporation of labelled monosaccharides as well as protein and nucleic acid precursors into acid-precipitable material was reduced less than 25% up to 12 hours following exposure to CAGA. Infected CEF grown at the nonpermissive temperature (CEF-RSV 41 degrees C) were affected to an extent similar to other nontransformed cells. These data suggest that the specific action of CAGA on transformed cells may be due to inhibition of glycoconjugate synthesis.     

The monosaccharide composition and sequence of the carbohydrate moiety of human serum low density lipoproteins.

Human serum low density lipoprotein (d = 1.027-1.045) was delipidated with organic solvents and the apoprotein digested with thermolysin. The digest was fractionated by gel filtration and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Two glycopeptides were obtained. One of the glycopeptides (GP-I) contained 2 residues of N-acetylglucosamine and 6 residues of mannose per mole of the glycopeptide, while the other contained 2 sialic acid, 5 mannose, 2 galactose, and 3 N-acetylglucosamine residues per mole of glycopeptide. The results of sequential enzymatic digestion with purified glycosidases, periodate oxidation, and partial acid hydrolysis lead us to propose the following sturctures for the two glycopeptides: (see article). These glycopeptides represent at least 50% of the carbohydrate moiety of LDL.     

Synthesis of complex saccharides by synchronized NIL-8 hamster cells.

Complex saccharide synthesis by synchronized NIL-8 cells was studied by metabolic labeling with [³H]glucosamine. Hyaluronic acid, a chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate are produced during G 1, S and G 2/M but the latter is absent or altered in media during G 2/M. Glucosamine is the sole amino sugar in cetylpyridinium bromide precipitable glycopeptides except for G 1 cell associated material; CPB-soluble glycopeptides contained label in both glucosamine and galactosamine in contrast to products of NIL-8 cells transformed by hamster sarcoma virus (HSV) in which galactosamine was absent from the glycopeptide fractions. The transformed cells synthesized hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate in amounts comparable to those found in the NIL-8 line.     

Carbohydrate Structure of Sindbis Virus Glycoprotein E2 from Virus Grown in Hamster and Chicken Cells

Sindbis virus was used as a probe to examine glycosylation processes in two different species of cultured cells. Parallel studies were carried out analyzing the carbohydrate added to Sindbis glycoprotein E2 when the virus was grown in chicken embryo cells and BHK cells. The Pronase glycopeptides of Sindbis glycoprotein E2 were purified by a combination of ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. Four glycopeptides were resolved, ranging in molecular weight from 1,800 to 2,700. Structures are proposed for each of the four glycopeptides, based on data obtained by quantitative composition analyses, methylation analyses, and degradation of the glycopeptides using purified exo- and endoglycosidases. The largest three glycopeptides (S1, S2, and S3) have similar structures but differ in the extent of sialylation. All three contain N-acetylglucosamine, mannose, galactose, and fucose, in a structure similar to oligosaccharides found on other glycoproteins. Glycopeptide S1 has two residues of sialic acid, whereas glycopeptides S2 and S3 contain 1 and 0 residues of sialic acid, respectively. The smallest glycopeptide, S4, contains only N-acetyglucosamine and mannose, and is also similar to mannose-rich oligosaccharides found on other glycoproteins. Each of the complex glycopeptides (S1, S2, or S3) from virus grown in BHK cells is indistinguishable from the corresponding glycopeptides derived from virus grown in chicken cells. Glycopeptide S4 is also very similar in size, composition, and sugar linkages from virus derived from the two hosts. These results suggest that chicken cells and BHK cells have similar glycosylation mechanisms and glycosylate Sindbis glycoprotein E2 in nearly identical ways.     

Biosynthesis of plasma membrane components by SV40-virus-transformed 3T3 mouse cells temperature sensitive for expression of some transformed cell properties.

We have studied the plasma membranes of an SV40-transformed 3T3 cell line temperature sensitive for the transformed growth phenotype (ts H6-15 cells), and have found that they vary little as a function of temperature of cultivation. Analysis by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was performed on plasma membranes prepared from ts H6-15 cells cultured at the permissive (32 degrees C) and non-permissive (39 degrees C) temperatures and radioactively-labelled in several ways. No significant differences were seen when the electrophoretic patterns of polypeptides of the plasma membranes of ts H6-15 cells, grown through 3-4 generations in medium containing radioactive leucine (32 degrees C and 39 degrees C temperatures) were compared. Plasma membranes derived from cells similarly grown in medium with radioactive glucosamine indicated that extensive alterations in the intrinsic glycopeptides occurred in association with alteration in growth phenotype. A shift towards decreased synthesis of large molecular weight (congruent to 100 000-160 000) glycopeptides occurred in cells grown at the temperature of non-transformed growth (39 degrees C). A decrease in amount of a 120 000 molecular weight glycopeptide at 39 degrees C was the most prominent of these alterations. We have studied the surface exposure of polypeptides and glycopeptides of intact cells grown at 32 and 39 degrees C, using lactoperoxidase-catalyzed iodination, NaBH4 reduction of galactose oxidase-treated cells, and metabolic-labelling with glucosamine of trypsin-sensitive molecules. We found no major qualitative differences between whole cell extracts or between plasma membrane preparations of cells cultivated at the permissive and non-permissive temperatures. Of special interest was the observation that the formation and surface exposure of a trypsin-sensitive, 240 000 molecular weight polypeptide appeared not to be ts in ts H6-15 cells. The significance of these observations will be discussed.     

Asparagine-linked oligosaccharides in murine tumor cells: comparison of a WGA-resistant (WGAr) nonmetastatic mutant and a related WGA-sensitive (WGAs) metastatic line

MDW40, a wheat germ agglutinin-resistant (WGAr) mutant of the highly metastatic tumor cell line called MDAY-D2, is restricted to local growth at the subcutaneous site of inoculation. The WGAr tumor cells acquire metastatic ability by fusing spontaneously with a normal host cell followed by chromosome segregation, a process accompanied by reversion of the WGAr phenotype (i.e., WGAs). Since lectin-resistant mutant cell lines often have oligosaccharide alterations that may affect membrane function and consequently metastatic capacity, we compared the major Asn-linked glycopeptides in WGAr and WGAs cell lines. [2-3H]mannose-labeled glycopeptides were separated into four fractions on a DEAE-cellulose column and then further fractionated on a concanavalin A-Sepharose column. Glycopeptide structures were determined by: (a) sequential exoglycosidase digestion followed by chromatography on lectin/agarose and Bio-Gel P-4 columns and (b) proton nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. The metastatic WGAs cells had a sialylated poly-N-acetyllactosamine-containing glycopeptide which was absent in the nonmetastatic mutant cell line. Unique to the mutant was a neutral triantennary class of glycopeptide lacking sialic acid and galactose; the WGAr lesion therefore appeared to be a premature truncation of the antennae of the poly-N-acetyllactosamine-containing glycopeptide found in the WGAs cells. High mannose glycopeptides containing five to nine mannose residues constituted a major class in both WGAr and WGAs cells. Lysates of both wild-type and mutant cells had similar levels of galactosyltransferase activity capable of adding galactose to the N-acetylglucosamine-terminated glycopeptide isolated from mutant cells; the basis of the WGAr lesion remains to be determined.     

Protein-bound oligosaccharides of Semliki Forest virus.

Semliki Forest virus was grown in BHK cells and labeled in vivo with radioactive monosaccharides. Pronase digests of the virus chromatographed on Bio-Gel P6 revealed glycopeptides of A-type and B-type. (For the nomenclature see Johnson, J. and Clamp, J.R. (1971) Biochem. J. 123, 739-745.) The former was labeled with [3H]fucose, [3H]galactose, [3H]mannose and [14C]glucosamine, the latter only with [3H]mannose and [14C]glucosamine. The three envelope glycoproteins E1, E2 and E3 were isolated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and subjected to pronase digestion. The glycoproteins E1 and E3 revealed glycopeptides of A-type. E2 revealed glycopeptides of B-type. E2 yielded additionally a glycopeptide (Mr3100) which was heavily labeled from [3H]galactose, but only marginally from [14C]glucosamine, [3H]fucose and [3H]mannose. Whether this glycopeptide belongs to the A-type or not remains uncertain. The apparent molecular weights of the A-type units measured by gel filtration were 3400 in E1 and 4000 in E3; the B-type unit of E2 had an apparent molecular weight of 2000. Combined with the findings of our earlier chemical analysis these data suggest that E1 and E3 contain on the average one A-type unit; E2 probably contains one 3100 dalton unit plus one or two B-type units.     

Embryonal lactosaminoglycan. The structure of branched lactosaminoglycans with novel disialosyl (sialyl alpha 2----9 sialyl) terminals isolated from PA1 human embryonal carcinoma cells

Lactosaminoglycan glycopeptides were isolated from human PA1 embryonal carcinoma cells and their structures were elucidated. The glycopeptides were digested by Escherichia freundii endo-beta-galactosidase before and after the modifications by exoglycosidases. The core glycopeptides and oligosaccharides thus obtained and the intact glycopeptides were analyzed by methylation, fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Based on these experiments, the structures of PA1 lactosaminoglycans were found to have the following unique features. 1) Three lactosaminoglycan fractions of different molecular weights were isolated by Sephadex G-50 gel filtration. Lactosaminoglycans of the highest molecular weight (GpI) have tetra-antennary cores, those of intermediate molecular weight (GpII) have triantennary cores and those of low molecular weight (GpIII) have triantennary and tetra-antennary cores. 2) GpI is composed of 22-26 lactosaminyl units and 7-9 branched galactose residues, GpII is composed of 16-22 lactosaminyl units and 5-7 branched galactose residues, and GpIII is composed of 12-16 lactosaminyl units and 3-4 branched galactose residues. 3) Each branch is short and is composed of the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----6 structure. 4) Sialic acid is preferentially linked to nonreducing terminal regions and a significant amount of the novel disialosyl structure, NeuNAc alpha 2----9NeuNAc alpha 2----3/6Gal, is present at the terminals of the longer polylactosaminyl side chains. 5) These lactosaminoglycans are carried by cell surface glycoproteins of Mr = 80,000 approximately 120,000, as evidenced by lectin-agarose chromatography.     

Changes in surface glycopeptides after malignant transformation of rat liver cells and during the regression of hepatoma cells

Normal liver cells, Zajdela's hepatoma cells, and regressing hepatoma cells were metabolically labeled with either radioactive glucosamine or mannose. Glycopeptides obtained by exhaustive pronase digestion of these cells were compared after fractionation by gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-6. Chemical analysis, affinity chromatography on immobilized lectins, alkaline treatment, and susceptibility toward endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and tunicamycin revealed dramatic changes in the glycopeptide patterns of transformed cells during the recovery of normal phenotype. The most prominent feature was the presence on the surface of hepatoma cells of a large glycopeptide, which was absent from normal liver cells and disappeared almost completely during the regression of hepatoma cells. This large glycopeptide had a Mr of 70,000, contained essentially O-glycosidically linked glycan chains, and did not result from a hypersialylation. N-glycosidically linked glycopeptides, high-mannose, and complex-type oligosaccharides were present in distinct proportions according to the differentiation state. Transformation of liver cells led to a reduction of high-mannose type oligosaccharides and an increase in the degree of branching of complex-type oligosaccharides. In addition, "bisected" glycopeptides were present only on hepatoma cells. The pattern of N-linked glycopeptides of normal liver cells was recovered during the regression of hepatoma cells. The origin of glycopeptide differences between normal and transformed cells and the evidence of a relation between carbohydrate changes, in particular the appearance of a large glycopeptide, and tumorigenicity are discussed.     

Characterization of glycopeptides isolated from membranes of F9 embryonal carcinoma cells

From cells of a nullipotential line of embryonal carcinoma was isolated a membrane fraction enriched in the cell surface F9 antigen. More than 40% of the radioactive fucose and galactose incorporated by cells into nondialyzable material was recovered in this membrane preparation, corresponding to an approximately 10-fold purification of the labeled material. Extreme heterogeneity of membrane glycoproteins labeled with these sugars was revealed by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. Glycopeptides prepared by extensive pronase digestion of membranes labeled with fucose or galactose showed properties similar to those already described for fucose-labeled glycopeptides from whole cells. Namely, large glycopeptides eluted near the excluded volume of Sephadex G-50 column were the predominant glycopeptide species, while complex glycopeptides of molecular weight around 2500 were minor components. Therefore, these large glycopeptides, characteristic of embryonal carcinoma cells, are derived mainly from a variety of glycoproteins closely associated with the membrane system, most probably cell-surface membrane of the cells. The large glycopeptides were also significantly labeled with glucosamine, but only slightly with mannose; major components of mannose-labeled glycopeptides from the membranes were high-mannose glycopeptides of low molecular weight. Several experiments excluded the possibility that the larg glycopeptides are mucopolysaccharides, glycolipids or mucin-type glycoproteins with short oligosaccharide chains.     

Lectin affinity fractionation of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides from normal human and chronic leukemic leukocytes

Asparagine-linked oligosaccharides were isolated from normal and chronic leukemic leukocytes (normal neutrophils, normal lymphocytes, chronic myeloid, chronic lymphoid and hairy cell leukemic leukocytes) and analyzed by sequential lectin affinity column chromatography. The neutral and sialylated glycopeptides ranged in size from 1,800 to 4,000 da. on gel filtration. Sequential lectin affinity analysis was then used to fractionate the Asn-oligosaccharides into major structural classes of high mannose, hybrid, and bi-, tri- and tetraantennary complex structures. Using lectins of well defined specificity, the sequential chromatography provided a satisfactory means of assessing the overall glycopeptide profiles of the different leukocyte types. Results from 10 patient samples show that alterations in leukocyte Asn-oligosaccharides occur during leukemogenesis. Most notable was an average twofold increase in the relative amount of high mannose glycopeptides compared to complex glycopeptides for the leukemic cells. High mannose glycopeptides comprised 8.6 percent of the total lectin-adherent glycopeptides from leukemics, and 4.2 percent in the normals. In addition, carbohydrate analysis has revealed that the total amount of neutral hexose was markedly decreased in all leukemic samples. Leukemics ranged from 10.5 to 18.8, while normals ranged from 24.2 to 49.2 nanomole of hexose per 100 micrograms protein. The sialic acid content of the leukemic glycopeptides was relatively unchanged from that of normals, resulting in an apparent increase in the sialic acid: hexose ratio for all leukemic glycopeptides. The results suggest that in the leukemic cells, high mannose structures constitute a larger proportion of the total Asn-linked oligosaccharides, while the overall level of protein glycosylation is decreased. Complex multiantennary glycopeptides, when synthesized, tended to be more fully sialylated than their normal counterparts.     

Glycopeptides from rat brain glycoproteins

The lipid-free protein residue of rat brain tissue was treated with papain to solubilize the heteropolysaccharide chains of the tissue glycoproteins. The glycopeptides were separated into non-dialyzable and dialyzable glycopeptide preparations. Each preparation was then sorted out into groups of glycopeptides by means of electrophoresis and gel filtration. The quantitatively predominant glycopeptides were the alkali-stable glycopeptides (Group A) which accounted for 64% of the glycopeptide carbohydrate recovered from rat brain. Most of the group A glycopeptides appeared in the non-dialyzable preparation. The molecular weight of the glycopeptides of Group A ranged from approximately 5200–3700. The largest glycopeptide molecule in this mixture possessed the highest electrophoretic mobility and contained one fucose, four N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA), six N-acetylglucosamine, four galactose, and three mannose residues per molecule. The spectrum of glycopeptides isolated in this group showed a progressive decrease in NANA rsidues, NANA and galactose residues, and NANA, galactose, and N-acetylglucosamine residues which could be correlated with a progressive decline in molecular weight and electrophoretic mobility. Some of the glycopeptides in each fraction recovered from this group of glycopeptides contained sulfate ester groups.A second group of glycopeptides (Group C glycopeptides) accounted for 25% of the total glycoprotein carbohydrate recovered from rat brain. These were recoverd from the dialyzable glycopeptide preparation, and resolved into three fractions by column electrophoresis. These glycopeptides do not contain sulfate, are composed predominately of mannose and N-acetylglucosamine, and possess a molecular weight of approximately 3000.Several minor groups of glycopeptides were detected. Alkali-labile glycopeptides (Group B) appeared in the non-dialyzable glycopeptide preparation. The dialyzable glycopeptide preparation contained glycopeptides (Group E) which contained N-acetylgalactosamine and glucose. These had a molecular weight of approximately 2000. Group D glycopeptides recovered from the dialyzable glycopeptide preparation contained variable amounts of NANA, mannose, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, and sulfate. These possessed a molecular weight of approximately 2900.     

Processing of N-linked oligosaccharides in soybean cultured cells

Evidence, based on both in vivo and in vitro studies with suspension-cultured soybean cells, is presented to demonstrate the processing of the oligosaccharide chain of plant N-linked glycoproteins. Following a 1-h incubation of soybean cells with [2-3H]mannose, the predominant glycopeptide obtained by pronase digestion of the membrane fraction was a Man7- or Man8GlcNAc2-Asn (GlcNAc, N-acetylglucosamine). However, the major oligosaccharide isolated from the lipid-linked oligosaccharides of these cells was a Glc2- or Glc3Man9GlcNAc2. Soybean cells were incubated with [2-3H]mannose and the incorporation of mannose into Pronase-released glycopeptides was followed during a 2-h chase. During the first 10 min of labeling, the radioactivity was mostly in a large-sized glycopeptide that appeared to be a Glc1Man9GlcNAc2-peptide. During the next 60 to 90 min of chase, this radioactivity was shifted to smaller and smaller-sized glycopeptides indicating that removal of sugars (i.e., processing) had occurred. Both glucosidase and mannosidase activity was detected in membrane preparations of soybean cells. Nine different glycopeptides were isolated from Pronase digests of soybean cell membrane fractions. These glycopeptides were purified by repeated gel filtration on columns of Bio-Gel P-4. Partial characterization of these glycopeptides by endoglucosaminidase H and alpha-mannosidase digestion, and by analysis of the products, suggested the following glycopeptides: Glc1Man9GlcNAc2-Asn, Man8GlcNAc2-Asn, Man7GlcNAc2-Asn, Man6GlcNAc2-Asn, and Man5GlcNAc2-Asn.