Configuration of the acetal carbon atom of pyruvic acid acetals in some bacterial polysaccharides

The configuration at the acetal carbon atom of pyruvic acid acetals present in some extracellular bacterial polysaccharides has been investigated. Assignment of the absolute configuration was made by comparing signals in the ¹³C- and ¹H-n.m.r. spectra of the polysaccharides with those of model substances. The S-configuration was demonstrated in eight polysaccharides in which pyruvic acid is linked to O-4 and O-6 of D-glucopyranosyl or D-mannopyranosyl residues. The R-configuration was demonstrated in four polysaccharides in which pyruvic acid is linked to O-4 and O-6 of D-galactopyranosyl residues. Consequently, in each of these acetals, which form 1,3-dioxane rings, the methyl group is equatorial and the carboxyl group axial. The S-form was further demonstrated in four polysaccharides in which the pyruvic acid is linked to O-3 and O-4 of D-galactopyranosyl groups.     

Strucrural investigation of Klebsiella serotype K7 polysaccharide

Methylation analysis of and partial hydrolysis studies on the Klebsiella K7 capsular polysaccharide and its carboxyl-reduced derivative indicated the recurrence of D-glucopyranuronic acid, D-mannopyranose, and D-glucopyranose residues, linearly linked in a specific manner, in the molecular structure. D-Galactopyranose and pyruvic acid residues are linked to the main chain on the D-mannose residues (at O-3) and the D-glucose residues (at O-4 and O-6), respectively; the simplest interpretation of this evidence is that nine sugar residues and pyruvic acid constitute a repeating unit. The sequence →3)-β-D-GlcAp-(1→2)-α-D-Manp-(1→2)-α-D-Manp-(1→3)-D-Glcp→ was demonstrated by the isolation from the polysaccharide of an aldotetraouronic acid of this structure.     

The complete structure of the trifoliin a lectin-binding capsular polysaccharide of Rhizobium trifolii 843

The complete structure of the acidic, extracellular, capsular polysaccharide of Rhizobium trifolii 843 has been elucidated by a combination of chemical, enzymic, and spectroscopic methods, confirming an earlier proposed sugar sequence and assigning the locations of the acyl substituents. The polysaccharide was depolymerized by a lyase into octasaccharide units which were uniform in carbohydrate composition and linkage. These units also contained a uniform distribution of acetyl and pyruvic acetal [O-(1-carboxyethylidene)] groups, and half of them were further acylated with d-3-hydroxybutanoyl groups. A much smaller proportion (<5%) of the oligomers was further acylated by a second d-3-hydroxy-butanoyl group. The locations of the substituents were determined chemically and by J-correlated, ¹H-n.m.r. spectroscopy, proton nuclear Overhauser effect (n.O.e.)_ measurements, doubie-resonance ¹H-n.m.r. spectroscopy, and ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy. The composition and structure of the carbohydrate chain were determined by methylation analysis using g.l.c.-m.s. fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry, and n.m.r. studies on the reduced, deacylated oligomer. Structural studies were supplemented by n.m.r. analyses on the original polymer. The oligosaccharides were found to be branched octasaccharides with four sugar residues in each branch, and the carbohydrate sequence agreed well with that expected from earlier work. In the abbreviated sequence and structure (1a), the sugar residues are labelled “a” through “h”. The main chain (a–d) is composed of a 4-deoxy-α-l-threo-hex-4-enopyranosyluronic acid group (a) that is linked to O-4 of a 3-O-acetyl-d-glucosyluronic acid residue (b) which is β-linked to O-4 of a d-glucosyl residue (c). Residue c is β-linked to O-4 of the branching d-linked to O-4 of a d-glucosyl residue (d). The side chain consists of a substituted d-galactosyl group (h) which is β-linked to O-3 of residue 9 of a β-(1→4)-linked d-glucose trisaccharide (fragment e–f–g). The reducing end of the resulting tetrasaccharide (e–f–g–h) is β-linked to O-6 of the branching d-glucose residue (d). In the native polymer, this branching residue is α-linked to O-4 of the modified d-glucuronic acid residue (a) which is the unsaturated sugar in the oligomer. A small proportion of the O-2 atoms of the acetylated d-glucosyluronic acid residues is acetylated because of ester migration. The two terminal sugars (g and h) of the branch chain bear 4,6-O-(1-carboxyethylidene) groups. The d-galactosyl groups of half of the oligomers are acylated by d-3-hydroxybutanoyl groups at O-3. About 5% of the oligomers bear a second d-3-hydroxybutanoyl group at O-2 of the d-galactosyl group (h).     

Bis(2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-β-D-glucopyranosyl)amine obtained by a fusion reaction

A unique, alkali-soluble polysaccharide has been isolated from the cell walls of the basidiomycete Coprinus macrorhizus microsporus. The polysaccharide, which is primarily a glucan, contains a large proportion of α-(1→4)-linked d-glucose residues and a smaller amount of β-(1→3) and (1→6) linkages, as suggested by methylation, partial acid hydrolysis, periodate oxidation, and enzymic studies. Hydrolysis of the methylated polysaccharide gave equimolar amounts of 2,4-di- and 2,3-di-O-methyl-d-glucose; no 2,6-di-O-methyl-d-glucose was identified, indicating the absence of branch points joined through O-1, O-3, and O-4. The isolation and identification of 2-O-α- glucopyranosylerythritol from the periodate-oxidized polysaccharide suggests that segments of the a-(1→4)-linked d-glucose residues are joined by single (1→3)-linkages. An extracellular enzyme-preparation from Sporotrichum dimorphosporum (QM 806) containing both β-(1→3)- and α-(1→4)-d-glucanohydrolase activity released 76% of the reducing groups from the polysaccharide. The polysaccharide also contains minor proportions of xylose, mannose, 2-amino-2-deoxyglucose, and amino acids.     

Carbohydrate adducts with zinc-group-metal ions. Interactions of β-d-fructose with Zn(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) cations,and the effects of metal-ion coordination on the sugar isomer binding

Interaction of β-d-fructose with hydrated salts of zinc-group-metal has been studied in aqueous solution and solid adducts of the type M(d-fructose)X₂·nH₂O, where M = Zn(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) ions, X = Cl⁻ or Br⁻, and n = 0–2, have been isolated, and characterized by means of F.t.-i.r. spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and molar conductivity measurements. The marked spectral similarities observed with the Mg(d-fructose)X₂·4 H₂O (X = Cl⁻ or Br⁻) compounds indicated that the Zn(II) and Cd(II) ions are six-coordinated, binding to two d-fructose molecules through O-2, O-3 of the first d-fructose, and O-4, O-5 of the second, as well as to two H₂O. The Hg(II) ion binds to two sugar moieties in the same fashion as do the Zn(II) and Cd(II) ions, resulting in four-coordination geometry around the mercury ion. The crystalline sugar is in the β-d-fructopyranose form, and the coordination of the of the Ca(II) ion takes place through the β-d-fructopyranose isomer, whereas the binding of the Mg(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Hg(II), and UO²⁺₂ cations could be via the β-d-fructopyranose and the β-d-fructofuranose structures.     

13C n.m.r. studies of the carbohydrate portion of glucoamylase from Aspergillus oryzae

Proton-decoupled, natural abundance ¹³C n.m.r. spectroscopy was used to investigate the carbohydrate structure and content of glucoamylase from Aspergillus oryzae. We found α-d-mannopyranose was the dominant sugar present (⋍91 residues). The Elson-Morgan assay showed that hexosamine was also present as a minor component (2.6% of the total carbohydrate). The intermannose linkages appear to be random. Integration data suggest that 41 α-d-mannopyranose residues are O-2 and O-3 glycosylated and 17 α-d-mannopyranose residues are involved in O-4 glycosylation. Treatment of glucoamylase with α-mannosidase appeared to remove all the carbohydrate residues present.     

Structure of l-arabino-d-galactan-containing glycoproteins from radish leaves

Two l-arabino-d-galactan-containing glycoproteins having a potent inhibitory activity against eel anti-H agglutinin were isolated from the hot saline extracts of mature radish leaves and characterized to have a similar monosaccharide composition that consists of l-arabinose, d-galactose, l-fucose, 4-O-methyl-d-glucuronic acid, and d-glucuronic acid residues. The chemical structure features of the carbohydrate components were investigated by carboxyl group reduction, methylation, periodate oxidation, partial acid hydrolysis, and digestion with exo- and endo-glycosidases, which indicated a backbone chain of (1→3)-linked β-d-galactosyl residues, to which side chains consisting of α-(1→6)-linked d-galactosyl residues were attached. The α-l-arabinofuranosyl residues were attached as single nonreducing groups and as O-2- or O-3-linked residues to O-3 of the β-d-galactosyl residues of the side chains. Single α-l-fucopyranosyl end groups were linked to O-2 of the l-arabinofuranosyl residues, and the 4-O-methyl-β-d-glucopyranosyluronic acid end groups were linked to d-galactosyl residues. The O-α-l-fucopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-l-arabinofuranosyl end-groups were shown to be responsible for the serological, H-like activity of the l-arabino-d-galactan glycoproteins. Reductive alkaline degradation of the glycoconjugates showed that a large proportion of the polysaccharide chains is conjugated with the polypeptide backbone through a 3-O-d-galactosylserine linkage.     

Separation procedure and sugar composition of oligosaccharides in the surface glycoprotein of friend murine leukemia virus

The sugar composition of the surface glycoprotein from Friend murine leukemia virus was determined by gas-liquid chromatography of the alditol acetates and by the thiobarbituric acid method, respectively. N-Acetylglucosamine, mannose, galactose, sialic acid and fucose were found in a molar ratio around 15.2:11.6:7.4:3.3:1.0. Ten ogligosaccharide fractions were obtained from glycoprotein preparations by a suitable sequence of degradation (with pronase, endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase H, neuraminidase, and by hydrazinolysis) and separation procedures (concanavalin A-affinity chromatography and gel filtration). The qualitative sugar composition of these fractions was analyzed by in vivo labelling with D-[6-³H]glucosamine, D-[2-³H]mannose, D-[6-³H]galactose, or L-[6-³H]fucose, and their molecular weights were estimated from the gel elution volumina. Four fractions of N-glycosidically linked oligosaccharides of the oligomannosidic (‘high mannose’) type oligomannosidic₇-oligomannosidic₁₀, about seven to ten sugar residues), two of the mixed (M₁₁ and M₁₂), and four of the N-acethyllactosaminic (‘complex’) type (N-acetyllactosaminic₉, probably nine sugar residues; (N-acetyllactosaminic_a-N-acetyllactosaminic_c, size unknown) were thus identified.     

Some structural features of the d-glucan from the seed of Mirabilis jalapa

The cotyledon of the seed of Mirabilis jalapa was found to contain a d-glucan. Methylation, periodate oxidation, and graded and enzymic hydrolysis studies were conducted to elucidate its structure. For every 38 d-glucosyl residues therein, 34 are (1→4)- and 3 are (1→3)-linked; the d-glucosyl unit at the branch point is linked through O-1, O-2, and O-4. In some places in the chain, there are at least three (1→3)-linked d-glucosyl residues in a sequence. Both α- and β-d-glucosidic linkages are present in the polysaccharide, the former preponderating. The d-glucan gave with iodine a faint blue color that had λ_max 420 nm.     

The structure of a dextran produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1397: the linkages and length of the branches

The structure of a dextran produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1397 has been investigated in relation to its immunological properties. The methylated dextran yielded on acid hydrolysis 2,3,4,6-tetra-, 2,3,4-tri-, 3,4,-di-, and 2,4-di-O-methyl-d-glucose, in the molar ratio of 1.0:3.1:0.7:0.2, together with a trace of 2,4,6-tri-O-methyl-dglucose, indicating that the branches occur mainly at O-2 and the remainder at O-3. A carboxyl-dextran, obtained by catalytic oxidation of the dextran to convert the terminal, non-reducing d-glucose residues d-glucuronic acid residues, was partially hydrolyzed with acid. Fractionation gave 2-O-(α-d-glucopyranosyluronic acid) d-glucose (major), 6-O-(α-d-glucopyranosyluronic acid)-d-glucose, and mixtures of aldotri-, aldotetra-, and aldopentaouronic acid that contain both (1 → 6)- and (1 → 2)-d-glucosidic linkages. It is concluded that the branches at O-2 are mainly single d-glucose units, whereas those occurring at O-3 may be longer than two glucose units, forming a highly branched structure having an average repeating- unit of 5 sugar residues.     

Analysis of linkage positions in saccharomyces cerevisiaed-mannans by the reductive-cleavage method

The positions of linkage in the d-mannans derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae X2180 and its mutants, mnn1, mnn2, and mnn4, were established by perethylation and subsequent reductive cleavage with triethylsilane in the presence of boron trifluoride etherate (BF₃ · Et₂O) or trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate. With the latter as the catalyst, all glycosidic carbon-oxygen bonds were cleaved, to produce a mixture of ethylated 1,5-anhydro-d-mannitol derivatives. With BF₃ · Et₂O as the catalyst, 2-, 3-, and 6-linked residues were incompletely cleaved, and residues linked at both O-2 and O-6 were not cleaved at all. It was concluded that reductive cleavage is an attractive method for determination of the structure of polysaccharides.     

Occurrence of cellobiose residues directly linked to galacturonic acid in pectic polysaccharides

The study carried out in this work concerns the structural characterization of pectic polysaccharides from plum (Prunus domestica L.) and pear (Pyrus communis L.) cell walls and commercial pectic polysaccharides, obtained from Citrus. The α-(1 → 4)-d-galacturonic acid backbone was submitted to a selective hydrolysis with endo-polygalacturonase (EPG) and the fractions with low molecular weight (<1 kDa) obtained by size-exclusion chromatography were analysed by mass spectrometry using electrospray ionisation (ESI-MS). The ESI-MS spectra obtained revealed the presence of several [M+Na]⁺ ions of pectic oligosaccharides identified as belonging to different series, including oligosaccharides constituted only by galacturonic acid residues (GalA_n, n = 1-5) and galacturonic acid residues substituted by pentose residues (GalA₃Pent_n, n = 1-2). Surprisingly, it was also observed the occurrence of galacturonic acid residues substituted by hexose residues (GalA_nHex_m, n = 2-4, m = 1-2). The fragmentation of the observed [M+Na]⁺ ions, obtained under ESI-MS/MS and MSⁿ allowed to confirm the proposed structures constituent of these pectic oligosaccharides. Furthermore, the ESI-MSⁿ spectra of the ions that could be identified as GalA_nHex_m (n = 2-4, m = 1-2) confirmed the presence of Hex or Hex₂ residues linked to a GalA residue. Methylation analysis showed the presence, in all EPG treated samples, of terminally linked arabinose, terminally and 4-linked xylose, and terminally and 4-linked glucose. The occurrence of GalA substituted by Glc, and Glc-β-(1 → 4)-Glc are structural features that, as far as we know, have never been reported to occur in pectic polysaccharides.     

On the phosphate linkages and the structure of a disaccharide unit of the type-specific polysaccharide of pneumococcus type XIX

The structure of the capsular polysaccharide (S-XIX) of Pneumococcus Type XIX, which contains residues of d-glucose, l-rhamnose, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy- d-mannose, and phosphate, has been investigated by acid hydrolysis, treatment with acid phosphatase, mass spectrometry, and ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy. Phosphoric esters in S-XIX were largely resistant to hydrolysis (4M HCl, 100°, 3 h). With M or 2M HCl at 100° for 3 h, 4-O-(2-amino-2-deoxy-β-d-mannopyranosyl)-d-glucose 4′-phosphate was liberated. More-drastic hydrolysis of S-XIX gave 2-amino-2-deoxy-d-mannose 3-, 4-, and 6-phosphates, and 4-O-(2-amino-2-deoxy-d-mannopyranosyl)-d-glucose and its 4′-phosphate.     

Structural studies of the capsular polysaccharide from streptococcus pneumoniae type 1

The capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae type 1 is composed of D-galactopyranosyluronic acid residues and 2-acetamido-4-amino-2,4,6-trideoxy-D-galactopyranosyl residues. The latter sugar, previously unknown in Nature, was not isolated but was identified from the products obtained on deamination of the polymer. Using n.m.r. spectroscopy, methylation analysis, and Smith degradation as the principal methods of structural investigation, it is concluded that the polysaccharide is composed of trisaccharide repeating-units having the structure: →3)-α-Sugp-(1→)-α-D-GalpA-(1→3)-α-D-GalpA-(1→, in which Sug denotes the new sugar.     

Structural studies of the Rhizobium trifolii extracellular polysaccharide

The structure of the extracellular polysaccharide of Rhizobium trifolii has been investigated. Methylation analysis, sequential degradations by oxidation and elimination of oxidized residues, uronic acid degradation, and degradation by oxidation of the acetylated polysaccharide with chromium trioxide in acetic acid were the main methods used. It is proposed that the polysaccharide is composed of heptasaccharide repeating-units having the following structure:

An unusual feature is that some of the repeating units are incomplete and lack the terminal β-d-galactopyranosyl group. The polysaccharide contains O-acetyl groups (somewhat more than 1 mol. per unit), linked to O-2 and O-3 of 4-O-substituted d-glucopyranosyl chain-residues. A previous finding that the polysaccharide contains 2-deoxy-d-arabino-hexose (2-deoxy-d-glucose) residues is erroneous.     

Structural studies of the Vibrio cholerae o-antigen

The dominant part of the O-antigen of Vibrio cholerae is a homopolysaccharide composed of (1→2)-linked 4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-α-d-mannopyranosyl (perosaminyl) residues, the amino groups of which are acylated by 3-deoxy-l-glycero-tetronic acid. Most of the amino sugar is decomposed during acid hydrolysis. Treatment of the polymer with anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, which cleaves the glycosidic linkages but does not cause N-deacylation, followed by acid hydrolysis under mild conditions, produced the monomer in good yield. Treatment of the N-deacylated polysaccharide with nitrous acid caused deamination with concomitant rearrangements, typical of 4-amino-4-deoxyhexopyranosyl residues in which the amino group occupies an equatorial position.     

Structure of a new galactomannan from the ascocarps of Cordyceps cicadae shing

A water-soluble galactomannan (C-3), [α]_D²⁰ +30°, isolated from the rod-like ascocarps of Cordyceps cicadae, was determined to be homogeneous, and the molecular weight was estimated by gel filtration to be 27,000. The polysaccharide is composed of d-mannose and d-galactose in the molar ratio of 4:3. The results of methylation analysis, Smith degradation, stepwise hydrolysis with acid, and ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy indicated that the polysaccharide is of highly branched structure, and composed of α-d-(1→2)-linked and α-d-(1→6)-linked mannopyranosyl residues in the core; some of these residues are substituted at O-6 and O-2 with terminal β-d-galactofuranosyl and α-d-mannopyranosyl groups, and with short chains of β-d-(1→2)-linked d-galactofuranosyl units.     

The structure of the O-glycosylically-linked oligosaccharide chains of LPG-I,a glycoprotein present in articular lubricating fraction of bovine synovial fluid

Periodate oxidation of LPG-1 established that N-acetylneuraminic acid residues are linked preponderantly α-(2→3) to D-galactose residues. The resistance of 2-acetamido-2-deoxyD-galactose residues to periodate oxidation suggests that they are linked at either O-3 or O-4 to D-galactose residues. After treatment of LPG-I with alkaline sulfite, ≈80% of 2-acetamido-2-deoxygalactose was recovered as the sulfonic acid derivative. The Gal→GalNAc disaccharide released from sialic-acid-free LPG-I by digestion with endo-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-D-galactosidase (which suggests an α-D-GalNAc→-L-Ser or -L-Thr linkage) gave a high color-yield in the Morgan—Elson reaction, indicating that 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose residues are linked at C-3 to D-galactose residues. The migration of the released Gal-GalNAc disaccharide was the same as that of a standard sample of O-β-D-galactosyl-(1→3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose. Treatment of sialic acid-free LPG-I with Streptococcus pneumoniae β-D-galactosidase, which hydrolyzes only galactosides linked β-D-(1→4) gave no free D-galactose, whereas treatment of LPG-I with bovine testes β-D-galactosidase released > 90% of D-galactose. These results provide evidence for β-D-Galp-(1→3)-α-D-GalNAcp-(1→3)-L-Ser or -L-Thr and α-NeuAc-(2→3)-β-D-Galp-(1→3)-α-D- GalNAcp-(1→3)-L-Ser or -L-Thr structures. The sensitivity of the methods used and the recovery of constituents following treatment of LPG-I do not rule out the occurrence of small amounts of other tri- or tetra-saccharide chains.     

Fluorescence studies on the interaction of some ligands with carcinoscorpin,the sialic acid specific lectin,from the horseshoe crab,Carcinoscorpius rotundacauda

The binding affinities of some ligands towards the sialic acid-specific lectin carcinoscorpin, from hemolymph of the horseshoe crabCarcinoscorpius rotundacauda have been determined by protein fluorescence quenching in presence of ligands. Among the ligands studied, the disaccharide O-(N-acetylneuraminyl)-(2→6)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactitol has the highest K_a(l.15 × 10⁶ M^-1) for carcinoscorpin. Studies on the effect of pH on Ka values of disaccharide suggests the possible involvement of amino acid residues having pKa values around 6.0 and 9.0 in the binding activity of carcinoscorpin. There were distinct changes in the accessibility of the fluorescent tryptophan residues of carcinoscorpin by ligand-binding as checked through potassium iodide quenching.     

Oxygen-coupled Redox Regulation of the Skeletal Muscle Ryanodine Receptor/Ca2+ Release Channel (RyR1): SITES AND NATURE OF OXIDATIVE MODIFICATION*

In mammalian skeletal muscle, Ca²⁺ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) through the ryanodine receptor/Ca²⁺-release channel RyR1 can be enhanced by S-oxidation or S-nitrosylation of separate Cys residues, which are allosterically linked. S-Oxidation of RyR1 is coupled to muscle oxygen tension (pO₂) through O₂-dependent production of hydrogen peroxide by SR-resident NADPH oxidase 4. In isolated SR (SR vesicles), an average of six to eight Cys thiols/RyR1 monomer are reversibly oxidized at high (21% O₂) versus low pO₂ (1% O₂), but their identity among the 100 Cys residues/RyR1 monomer is unknown. Here we use isotope-coded affinity tag labeling and mass spectrometry (yielding 93% coverage of RyR1 Cys residues) to identify 13 Cys residues subject to pO₂-coupled S-oxidation in SR vesicles. Eight additional Cys residues are oxidized at high versus low pO₂ only when NADPH levels are supplemented to enhance NADPH oxidase 4 activity. pO₂-sensitive Cys residues were largely non-overlapping with those identified previously as hyperreactive by administration of exogenous reagents (three of 21) or as S-nitrosylated. Cys residues subject to pO₂-coupled oxidation are distributed widely within the cytoplasmic domain of RyR1 in multiple functional domains implicated in RyR1 activity-regulating interactions with the L-type Ca²⁺ channel (dihydropyridine receptor) and FK506-binding protein 12 as well as in “hot spot” regions containing sites of mutation implicated in malignant hyperthermia and central core disease. pO₂-coupled disulfide formation was identified, whereas neither S-glutathionylated nor sulfenamide-modified Cys residues were observed. Thus, physiological redox regulation of RyR1 by endogenously generated hydrogen peroxide is exerted through dynamic disulfide formation involving multiple Cys residues.