Alkali-labile oligosaccharides from glycoproteins of different erythrocyte and milk fat globule membranes

Phenol extraction of horse, sheep, cow, pig and human erythrocyte membranes and human milk fat globule membranes gave glycoprotein fractions, all of which were shown by gas chromatography to contain the reduced disaccharide β-d-galactosyl $\text{(1?3)-N-}\text{acetyl}\text{-}\text{d}\text{-}\text{galactosaminital}$ after treatment with alkaline borohydride. Cow and pig erythrocyte membrane glycoproteins were found however to contain much lower amounts than the erythrocyte membrane glycoproteins of the other species tested. After gel filtration, a tetrasaccharide was isolated from horse and sheep glycoproteins containing the disaccharide plus two molecules of sialic acid. Periodate oxidation together with paper chromatography of alkaline degraded fragments showed these two molecules of sialic acid to be linked to positions C3 and C6 of the galactosyl and N-acetylgalactosamine residues respectively. Evidence was obtained for a similar structure from pig and cow erythrocyte glycoproteins and human milk fat globule membrane glycoproteins although the complete structure was not elucidated.In all native glycoprotein fractions, the unsubstituted disaccharide β-d-galactosyl $\text{(1?3)-N-}\text{acetyl}\text{-}\text{d}\text{-}\text{galactosamine}$ was found to be present to different extents.Haemagglutination inhibition tests against human anti-T serum, Arachis hypogoea and Vicia graminea by desialylated glycoproteins showed the presence of the T-antigen, confirming the chemical findings. Inhibition was found to be proportional to the chemically detected amounts of disaccharide in each fraction. Evidence for a second carbohydrate chain in horse, sheep and human erythrocyte glycoproteins with a sialic acid substituted N-acetylgalactosamine residue as the terminal sequence was obtained using the agglutinin from Helix pomatia.     

Incorporation of the human erythrocyte sialoglycoprotein into recombined membranes containing cholesterol

Summary Glycophorin, the major sialoglycoprotein from the human erythrocyte membrane, has been isolated and recombined with phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol. Sucrose density gradient analysis of the recombinants shows that it is possible not only to recombine this protein with phospholipid, but also with phospholipid-cholesterol mixtures. Surprisingly, by the same analysis, it was possible to make a recombinant with cholesterol and glycophorin, only, in the absence of added phospholipid. The accessibility of the protein to trypsin was tested in each of these recombinants. In all the recombinants which contained either phospholipid, or phospholipid and cholesterol, the protein was protected from extensive hydrolysis. This is consistent with closed vesicles and incorporation of the protein into the recombinant membrane. Extensive hydrolysis of the protein occurred in the cholesterol-glycophorin recombinant indicating some differences in structure. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy of the phospholipid and the phospholipid-cholesterol recombinants showed mostly unilamellar vesicles, 1000 to 5000 Å in diameter. Intramembranous particles were observed on both fracture faces, and the fracture planes were those expected for phospholipid bilayers. The glycophorin-cholesterol recombinants also showed fracture planes consistent with bilayers, and revealed intramembranous particles. Pieces of membrane-like structures as well as apparent vesicular structures were observed. Finally in the recombinants of glycophorin with phospholipid and cholesterol, cholesterol is shown to reduce the population of the motionally restricted phospholipid headgroup environment, in proportion to the mole percent cholesterol content.     

Photolabeling of staphylococcal alpha-toxin from within rabbit erythrocyte membranes

Intrinsic membrane proteins of rabbit red blood cells were labeled with the photoreactive amphipatic reagent 12-(4-azido-2-nitrophenoxy) stearoyl (1-14C) glucosamine, which inserts into the hydrophobic membrane region and generates a reactive nitrene upon ultraviolet irradiation. Photolabeling of membrane-bound staphylococcal alpha-toxin after lysis of probe-treated rabbit red blood cells by this toxin implies its penetration into the hydrophobic region of the outer leaflet of the membrane. In contrast clostridial theta-toxin and staphylococcal delta-toxin were not labeled, but extraction of intrinsic membrane proteins by delta-toxin was evidenced.     

Polyphosphoinositide synthesis in rabbit erythrocyte membranes

Incubation of rabbit erythrocyte ghosts at 25 °C with 1 mm [γ-³²P]ATP and MgCl₂ results in incorporation of ³²P into diphosphoinositide and triphosphoinositide with initial rates of 15.6 and 1.8 nmol ³²P/mg/h, respectively. Incorporation of ³²P into diphosphoinositide plateaus after 20 min whereas incorporation into triphosphoinositide did not plateau until after 80 min. Diphosphoinositide and triphosphoinositide, prelabeled with ³²P, did not undergo significant breakdown when incubated at 25 °C for 15 to 20 min. Turnover of ³²P-labeled diphosphoinositide and triphosphoinositide was insignificant in the presence of MgCl₂ and cold ATP. Diphosphoinositide is not phosphorylated to triphosphoinositide in the presence of Mg-ATP under conditions in which synthesis of these polyphosphoinositides can occur. In the presence of neomycin and Mg-ATP, labeled diphosphoinositide was rapidly phosphorylated to triphosphoinositide. Neomycin had no effect on labeled di- and triphosphoinositide content in the absence of ATP. Freeze-thawing the ghosts or the addition of Triton X-100 does not produce the same effect as neomycin. The results of this investigation suggest that diphosphoinositide and triphosphoinositide are normally synthesized from endogenous phosphatidylinositol in rabbit ghosts by separate enzymatic pathways. Neomycin an aminoglycoside which interacts with polyphosphoinositides may perturb the organization of substrates and kinase activities involved in polyphosphoinositide metabolism and alter these pathways.     

A revision of the N-terminal structure of sialoglycoprotein D (glycophorin C) from human erythrocyte membranes

The amino-acid sequence of the N-terminal tryptic glycopeptide of a minor sialoglycoprotein (component D, glycophorin C) from human erythrocyte membranes was re-investigated and revised at the positions 12, 44, 47 and 48. Based on these and previous (Dahr, W. et al., Eur. J. Biochem. 125, 57-62, 1982) studies, the fragment exhibits the following structure (one-letter-code for amino acids, + = glycosylation): (Formula: see text).     

Structural studies of O-glycosidic oligosaccharide units of dog erythrocyte glycophorin

Dog glycophorin, the major sialoglycoprotein of dog erythrocyte membranes, contains either N-acetyl- or N-glycolylneuraminic acid, depending upon the strain of dog. Glycolipids also contained the same sialic acid as those found in glycophorin when both materials are prepared from erythrocyte membranes of individual dogs. The O-glycosidic oligosaccharides were released from glycophorin, prepared from individual dogs, by alkaline borohydride treatment, and purified by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. The structures of the reduced oligosaccharides were determined by methylation analysis and gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The O-glycosidic oligoscharides identified were one tetrasaccharide - Neu5Ac(2→3)Gal)1→3)[Neu5Ac(2→6)[GalNAcol - two trisaccharides - Neu5Ac(2→3)Gal1→3)GaINAcol and Gal(1→3)[Neu5Ac(2→6)]GalNAcol.     

Characterization of the oligosaccharide units of the bovine erythrocyte membrane glycoprotein.

The major glycoprotein of the bovine erythrocyte membrane was purified by extraction of the ghosts with lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylate followed by phenol-water extraction and acidification. The glycoprotein contains 20% protein and 80% carbohydrate by weight and gives a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels with an estimated molecular weight of 230000 daltons. The carbohydrate composition of the glycoprotein was determined to be (in residues relative to sialic acid): sialic acid, 1.0; fucose, less than 0.01; mannose, 0.1; galactose, 3.3; N-acetylgalactosamine, 0.9; and N-acetylglucosamine, 2.4. Pronase digestion of the isolated glycoprotein followed by Sephadex G-75 gel filtration resulted in the separation of a small pool of glycopeptides (pool III), which included all of the mannose-containing glycopeptides, from the bulk of the glycopeptide material which was in the void fractions of the column (pool I). Alkaline borohydride treatment released over 95% of the oligosaccharide units in pool I and approximately 30% of the oligosaccharide units in pool III. These oligosaccharides were isolated by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. The oligosaccharides released from pool I had molecular weights of 1100-1400 daltons and contained sialic acid, galactose, and N-acetylglucosamine in molar ratios of 0.5-1:3:2 as well as a partial residue of N-acetylgalactosaminitol. The oligosaccharides released from pool III by alkali had molecular weights of 1300-1600 daltons and contained sialic acid, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine and N-ACETYLgalactosaminitol in molar ratios of 1-2:2:1:1:1. These data indicate that the majority of the oligosaccharide units of the bovine erythrocyte glycoprotein are linked O-glycosidically to the peptide backbone of the molecule.     

Isolation of a sperm membrane sialoglycoprotein autoantigen from rabbit testes.

A single rabbit sperm membrane autoantigen has been isolated from rabbit testes by immunoadsorbent chromatography, agarose chromatography, and electrophoresis. This rabbit sperm autoantigen (RSA-1) is located in the sperm plasma membrane and blocks the sperm cytotoxic (immobilizing) activity of autoantisera. RSA-1 is a sialoglycoprotein, approximately 40% carbohydrate and containing 0.2 micrograms sialic acid/microgram protein. Its m.w. is estimated at 13,000 +/- 1200 by SDA-PAGE. RSA-1 can self-aggregate into higher m.w. forms. Approximately 0.6 mg of RSA-1 can be isolated from 100 rabbits testes. The isolated RSA-1 shows a 300-fold increase in specific cytotoxic (immobilizing) inhibitory activity over the starting testis pellet material.     

Hybrid glycophorins from human erythrocyte membranes. Isolation and complete structural analysis of the novel sialoglycoprotein from St(a+) red cells

Human red cells from donor Pj carry the Sta blood group antigen and an unusual sialoglycoprotein of 24 kDa molecular mass tentatively identified as a hybrid molecule of the anti-Lepore type [Blanchard et al. (1982) Biochem. J. 203, 419-426]. This component is resistant towards proteinase treatment and was purified from trypsin-treated and chymotrypsin-treated Pj erythrocytes. The molecule is composed of 99 amino acid residues whose alignment was established following manual and automatic sequencing of cyanogen bromide, trypsin, chymotrypsin and V8 proteinase peptides. The polypeptide chain comprises residues 1-26/28 of glycophorin B and residues 59/61-131 of glycophorin A. The sugar composition resembles that of glycophorin B, indicating the absence of an N-glycosidic chain. Identical sequences were obtained from analyses of the 24-kDa component purified from unrelated St(a+) donors. These results support the hypothesis that glycoprotein Pj represents a B-A hybrid molecule which is encoded by a new gene product resulting from an unequal crossing-over between the genes coding for the polypeptide chains of the glycophorins A and B. The novel molecule carries both N and Sta blood group antigens. The N activity is clearly understandable from the sequence of the five N-terminal residues (Leu and Glu at positions 1 and 5 respectively). Inhibition studies with the untreated and chemically modified hybrid glycoprotein indicate that the Sta determinant is located within residues approximately 25-30 of the molecule, which corresponds to the newly formed sequence found neither in glycophorin A nor in glycophorin B.     

Cryptic I antigen activity andMycoplasma pneumoniae-receptor activity associated with sialoglycoprotein GP-2 of bovine erythrocyte membranes

The 250-kDa sialoglycoprotein of bovine erythrocyte membranes, GP-2, has been found to be an exception-ally rich source of branched sialo-oligosaccharides of poly-N-acetyllactosamine (I antigen) type with receptor activity for the human pathogenMycoplasma pneumoniae.Desialylated GP-2 is the most potent I-active substance thus far tested. Since this gtyco-protein is hydrophobic and can be readily re-incorporated into cell membranes, it should be useful in future studies of the mechanism of production of auto-antibodies to the I antigen which commonly arise following human infection withM. pneumoniae.     

The oligosaccharide units of rabbit immunoglobulin G. Multiple carbohydrate attachment sites

The carbohydrate structure of rabbit immunoglobulin G isolated from pooled sera was investigated. Amino sugar analysis of fragments of the molecule allowed three oligosaccharides to be located at separate sites on the H-chain. The corresponding glycopeptides were isolated. The average composition of the C1-oligosaccharide was 2 glucosamine, 1 mannose and 2 galactose residues. It appeared to be present in approx. 15% of the H-chains; the carbohydrate was coupled through the amide group of asparagine in a peptide containing asparagine, glycine and threonine within the Fd fragment of the molecule. The average composition of the C2-oligosaccharide was 1 galactosamine, 1 galactose and either 1 or 2 sialic acid residues. It was present on approx. 40% of the H-chains and was attached glycosidically to the OH group of threonine in a peptide Ser-Lys-Pro-Thr-Cys-Pro-Pro-Glu-Leu in the hinge region of the molecule. The average composition of the C3-oligosaccharide was 5 glucosamine, 2 galactose, 5 mannose, 1 fucose and 1 sialic acid residue. It appeared to be present in all the H-chains and was linked through the amide group of asparagine in a peptide Gln-Gln-Phe-Asn-Ser-Thr-Ile-Arg within the Fc fragment of the molecule.     

Properties of phosphatidylinositol kinase activities in rabbit erythrocyte membranes

Properties of phosphatidylinositol kinase activities in rabbit erythrocyte membranes were studied by measuring 32P incorporation into di- and triphosphoinositide from Mg-[gamma-32P]ATP. The Km's for 32P incorporation into di- and triphosphoinositide were 110 and 48 microM ATP, respectively. The optimal temperature for 32P incorporation into diphosphoinositide was at 32 degrees C, whereas the optimum for triphosphoinositide labeling occurred at 43 degrees C. Differences in the effects of pH on the rate of 32P incorporation into di- and triphosphoinositide were also found. At 37 degrees C but not at 25 degrees C 32P-labeled diphosphoinositide was phosphorylated to triphosphoinositide in the presence of Mg-ATP. Triton X-100 partially inhibited 32P incorporation into diphosphoinositide but completely inhibited the synthesis of triphosphoinositide. At physiological concentrations, 0.4 mM MgCl2 half-maximally activated di- and triphosphoinositide synthesis. Higher concentrations of MgCl2 (5 to 50 mM) decreased 32P incorporation into diphosphoinositide and greatly enhanced 32P incorporation into triphosphoinositide. NaCl or KCl (less than or equal to 100 mM) did not have any effects on polyphosphoinositide synthesis, whereas 150 to 300 mM NaCl or KCl decreased synthesis of diphosphoinositide and increased synthesis of triphosphoinositide. Further studies showed that 50 mM MgCl2 and 200 mM NaCl or KCl stimulate kinase-mediated phosphorylation of diphosphoinositide to triphosphoinositide. Triton X-100 inhibited the ability of 50 mM MgCl2 and neomycin to stimulate phosphorylation of diphosphoinositide to triphosphoinositide. The pathways for synthesis of di- and triphosphoinositides in erythrocyte membranes are discussed.     

Reconstitution of the L-lactate carrier from rat and rabbit erythrocyte plasma membranes.

1. Rat and rabbit erythrocyte plasma-membrane proteins were solubilized with decanoyl-N-methylglucamide and reconstituted into liposomes. The procedure includes detergent removal by gel filtration, followed by a freeze-thaw step. 2. The rate of [1-14C]pyruvate uptake into these vesicles was inhibited by approx. 70% by alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate and p-chloromercuribenzenesulphonate. The extent of uptake at equilibrium was not affected by the presence of these inhibitors, but was dependent on the osmolarity of the suspending medium. 3. Reconstituted bovine erythrocyte membranes, which have no lactate carrier, showed a much slower time course of pyruvate uptake, with no inhibitor-sensitive component. 4. L- but not D-lactate competed for alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate-sensitive [1-14C]pyruvate uptake.     

A minor sialoglycoprotein of the human erythrocyte membrane

The sialoglycoprotein periodate fuchsin sulfite 2 has about 8% of the sialic acid contained in the sialoglycoproteins of the human erythrocyte membrane. This polypeptide appears to have an apparent monomeric molecular weight of 35,000, somewhat smaller than the monomer of the major sialoglycoprotein (periodate fuchsin sulfite 1) as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacry lamide gel electrophoresis, and has frequently been confused with the monomer of the major sialoglycoprotein. Periodate fuchsin sulfite 2 is not labeled by the lactoperoxidase procedure in the intact cell, although it is accessible to neuraminidase and other hydrolases. On the other hand, this component can be labeled by lactoperoxidase on the cytoplasmic surface of open membranes or resealed ghosts. Thus, it is a trans membrane protein. Although most of the other transmembrane proteins of the human erythrocyte membrane are extracted from the membrane by 0.1% Triton X-100 in 7 mm phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, this component is not removed and may be a cytoskeletal component. Trypsin, chymotrypsin, and thermolysin peptides, as well as cyanogen bromide fragments, clearly indicate that the primary sequence of this polypeptide can be distinguished from dimeric or monomeric forms of the major sialoglycoprotein (periodate fuchsin sulfite 1).     

The oligosaccharide units of rabbit immunoglobulin G. Asymmetric attachment of C2-oligosaccharide

Two populations of immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecules were isolated from pooled rabbit serum. The first was almost devoid of galactosamine and was obtained in a yield of 7% of the total IgG; the second contained on average a single residue of galactosamine per molecule and was obtained in a yield of 30% of the total IgG. The galactosamine, which is present solely in the C2-oligosaccharide, appeared to be present on one H-chain and not the other in the four-chain structure. Evidence was obtained by the isolation of a glycopeptide linked through a disulphide bridge to a second peptide of the same sequence; the oligosaccharide attached to the first peptide was absent from the complementary peptide. Further evidence was obtained by degradation and analysis of the 5S IgG fragment, which comprises an intact half-molecule coupled through a disulphide bridge to the Fc fragment derived from the opposing half molecule (Goodman, 1965); only the intact H-chain carried the C2-oligosaccharide.     

Selectivity of action of the lipoxygenase from rabbit reticulocytes on mitochondria and erythrocyte membranes]

Whereas the lipoxygenase from rabbit reticulocytes caused a large formation of malonyl dialdehyde (MDA) with rat liver mitochondria, erythrocyte ghosts were attacked only slightly independently of their type of preparation. The formation of MDA was not enhanced by release of spectrin-actin from the ghosts. The lipoxygenase did not give rise to hemolysis of intact erythrocytes. The formation of MDA was increased by heat treatment of the ghosts. Addition of cholesterol to a phospholipid emulsion inhibited the formation of MDA by the reticulocyte lipoxygenase. These results indicate that both lipid-protein interactions and the cholesterol content of the membranes may be involved in the preferential attack of the lipoxygenase on mitochondrial membranes.     

Structural analysis of the major human erythrocyte membrane sialoglycoprotein from Miltenberger class VII cells

The major human erythrocyte membrane sialoglycoprotein (glycophorin A or MN glycoprotein) was purified from the red blood cells of an individual, homozygous for the Mi-VII gene in the Miltenberger subsystem of the MNSs blood-group system. The complete structure of a tryptic peptide comprising the residues 40-61 of glycophorin A was deduced from manual sequence analyses. The Mi-VII-specific glycophorin A was shown to exhibit an arginine----threonine and a tyrosine----serine exchange at the positions 49 and 52 respectively. The threonine-49 residue was found to be glycosylated. Inhibition assays demonstrated that one of the Mi-VII-specific antigen determinants (Anek) is located within the residues 40-61 of glycophorin A and comprises sialic acid residue(s) attached to O-glycosidically linked oligosaccharide(s). Our data contribute to an understanding of the Miltenberger system and provide an explanation at the molecular level for the previous finding that the erythrocytes from the Mi-VII homozygote lack a high-frequency antigen (EnaKT), located within the residues 46-56 of normal glycophorin A.