Decrease in cell surface galactose residues of Schizosaccharomyces pombe enhances its coflocculation with Pediococcus damnosus

Pediococcus damnosus can coflocculate with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and cause beer acidification that may or may not be desired. Similar coflocculations occur with other yeasts except for Schizosaccharomyces pombe which has galactose-rich cell walls. We compared coflocculation rates of S. pombe wild-type species TP4-1D, having a mannose-to-galactose ratio (Man:Gal) of 5 to 6 in the cell wall, with its glycosylation mutants gms1-1 (Man:Gal = 5:1) and gms1Delta (Man:Gal = 1:0). These mutants coflocculated at a much higher level (30 to 45%) than that of the wild type (5%). Coflocculation of the mutants was inhibited by exogenous mannose but not by galactose. The S. cerevisiae mnn2 mutant, with a mannan content similar to that of gms1Delta, also showed high coflocculation (35%) and was sensitive to mannose inhibition. Coflocculation of P. damnosus and gms1Delta (or mnn2) also could be inhibited by gms1Delta mannan (with unbranched alpha-1,6-linked mannose residues), concanavalin A (mannose and glucose specific), or NPA lectin (specific for alpha-1,6-linked mannosyl units). Protease treatment of the bacterial cells completely abolished coflocculation. From these results we conclude that mannose residues on the cell surface of S. pombe serve as receptors for a P. damnosus lectin but that these receptors are shielded by galactose residues in wild-type strains. Such interactions are important in the production of Belgian acid types of beers in which mixed cultures are used to improve flavor.     

Decrease in Cell Surface Galactose Residues of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Enhances Its Coflocculation with Pediococcus damnosus

Pediococcus damnosus can coflocculate with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and cause beer acidification that may or may not be desired. Similar coflocculations occur with other yeasts except for Schizosaccharomyces pombe which has galactose-rich cell walls. We compared coflocculation rates of S. pombe wild-type species TP4-1D, having a mannose-to-galactose ratio (Man:Gal) of 5 to 6 in the cell wall, with its glycosylation mutants gms1-1 (Man:Gal = 5:1) and gms1Δ (Man:Gal = 1:0). These mutants coflocculated at a much higher level (30 to 45%) than that of the wild type (5%). Coflocculation of the mutants was inhibited by exogenous mannose but not by galactose. The S. cerevisiae mnn2 mutant, with a mannan content similar to that of gms1Δ, also showed high coflocculation (35%) and was sensitive to mannose inhibition. Coflocculation of P. damnosus and gms1Δ (or mnn2) also could be inhibited by gms1Δ mannan (with unbranched α-1,6-linked mannose residues), concanavalin A (mannose and glucose specific), or NPA lectin (specific for α-1,6-linked mannosyl units). Protease treatment of the bacterial cells completely abolished coflocculation. From these results we conclude that mannose residues on the cell surface of S. pombe serve as receptors for a P. damnosus lectin but that these receptors are shielded by galactose residues in wild-type strains. Such interactions are important in the production of Belgian acid types of beers in which mixed cultures are used to improve flavor.     

Oligosaccharide structures of the major exoglucanase secreted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We have determined the structures of the N-linked carbohydrate chains, released by endo H, of exoglucanase II that are secreted by wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae and by the mnn1 mnn9 and mnn1 glycosylation mutants. The mnn9 mutation does not significantly affect N-linked oligosaccharides of exoglucanase II since we found almost identical structures in both mutant strains consisting of a slightly enlarged core with the basic structure shown in A (where M = mannose). Most of the molecules (77%) were phosphorylated on one of the starred mannoses (34%) or on both (43%) with a diesterified (alpha M-->P-->) or monoesterified phosphate group. In addition, some of the molecules apparently escape normal processing and retain the alpha-(1-->2)-linked mannose (italicized) and/or the three glucoses that are characteristic of the lipid-linked precursor (structure B). In the wild type, we found the same basic structure but more [formula; see text] than 90% of the molecules were modified with one to four alpha-(1-->3)-linked mannoses, which were absent in the strains bearing the mnn1 mutation (structure C). The proportion of acidic components was similar to that found in the mutants (78%), although, in this case, the monophosphorylated forms were more abundant (50%) than the diphosphorylated ones (28%). Most of the phosphate groups (69%) were diesterified by a disaccharide (alpha M-->3 alpha M-->P-->) instead of the single mannose found when the mnn1 mutation was present. In both mnn1 and wild type 10-15% of the oligosaccharides had an extra alpha-(1-->6)-linked mannose in the outer chain, a structure described in the recently isolated vrg1 mutant [Ballou, L., Hitzeman, R.A., Lewis, M. S., & Ballou, C. E. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88, 3209-3212].     

Detection of a conformational change in G gamma upon binding G beta in living cells

The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe attaches an outer chain containing mannose and galactose to the N-linked oligosaccharides on many of its glycoproteins. We identified an S. pombe och1 mutant that did not synthesize the outer chains on acid phosphatase. The S. pombe och1(+) gene was a functional homolog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae OCH1, and its gene product (SpOch1p) incorporated alpha-1,6-linked mannose into pyridylaminated Man(9)GlcNAc(2), indicating that och1(+) encodes an alpha-1,6-mannosyltransferase. Our results indicate that SpOch1p is a key enzyme of outer chain elongation. The substrate specificity of SpOch1p was different from that of S. cerevisiae OCH1 gene product (ScOch1p), suggesting that SpOch1p may have a wider substrate specificity than that of ScOch1p.     

New mannose-specific lectins from garlic (Allium sativum) and ramsons (Allium ursinum) bulbs.

Two new mannose-binding lectins were isolated from garlic (Allium sativum, ASA) and ramsons (Allium ursinum, AUA) bulbs, of the family Alliaceae, by affinity chromatography on immobilized mannose. The carbohydrate-binding specificity of these two lectins was studied by quantitative precipitation and hapten-inhibition assay. ASA reacted strongly with a synthetic linear (1----3)-alpha-D-mannan and S. cerevisiae mannan, weakly with a synthetic (1----6)-alpha-D-mannan, and failed to precipitate with galactomannans from T. gropengiesseri and T. lactis-condensi, a linear mannopentaose, and murine IgM. On the other hand, AUA gave a strong reaction of precipitation with murine IgM, and good reactions with S. cerevisiae mannan and both synthetic linear mannans, suggesting that the two lectins have somewhat different binding specificities for alpha-D-mannosyl units. Of the saccharides tested as inhibitors of precipitation, those with alpha-(1----3)-linked mannosyl units were the best inhibitors of ASA, the alpha-(1----2)-, alpha-(1----4)-, and alpha-(1----6)-linked mannobioses and biosides having less than one eighth the affinity of the alpha-(1----3)-linked compounds. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of ASA exhibits 79% homology with that of AUA, and moderately high homology (53%) with that of snowdrop bulb lectin, also an alpha-D-mannosyl-binding lectin.     

Yeast mannan structure necessary for co-aggregation with Lactobacillus plantarum ML11-11

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Lactobacillus plantarum ML11-11, an isolate from Fukuyama pot vinegar, and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae form significant mixed-species biofilm with direct cell-cell contact. Co-aggregation of L. plantarum ML11-11 and S. cerevisiae cells, mediated by the interaction between surface protein(s) on L. plantarum ML11-11 cells and surface mannan of S. cerevisiae cells, contributes significantly to mixed-species biofilm formation. In this study, co-aggregation activities of yeast mutants that were deleted of genes related to mannan biosynthesis were investigated to clarify the mannan structures essential for interaction with L. plantarum ML11-11. Among the 12 deletion mutants which had various incomplete mannan structures, only the mnn2 mutant lost the co-aggregation activity. In the mnn2 mutant, the gene coding the activity of attaching first branching mannose residue to mannan main chain is deleted and therefore the mnn2 mutant has unbranched mannan. From this result, it is clarified that the specific structure, consisted of mannan main chain to which are attached side chains containing one or more mannose residues, is critical for co-aggregation with L. plantarum ML11-11.     

Cell Surface Galactosylation Is Essential for Nonsexual Flocculation in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

We have isolated fission yeast mutants that constitutively flocculate upon growth in liquid media. One of these mutants, the gsf1 mutant, was found to cause dominant, nonsexual, and calcium-dependent aggregation of cells into flocs. Its flocculation was inhibited by the addition of galactose but was not affected by the addition of mannose or glucose, unlike Saccharomyces cerevisiae FLO mutants. The gsf1 mutant coflocculated with Schizosaccharomyces pombe wild-type cells, while no coflocculation was found with galactose-deficient (gms1Δ) cells. Moreover, flocculation of the gsf1 mutant was also inhibited by addition of cell wall galactomannan from wild-type cells but not from gms1Δ cells. These results suggested that galactose residues in the cell wall glycoproteins may be receptors of gsf1-mediated flocculation, and therefore cell surface galactosylation is required for nonsexual flocculation in S. pombe.     

Photosensitized Oxygenation Reactions of β-Thujaplicin (Hinokitiol): Formation of a New Carbon Skeleton,Tetracyclo[7.3.2.02,8.04,14]tetradecane

N-Linked oligosaccharides were elongated by glycosylation with mannose and galactose residues in the secretory pathway of Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The wild-type S. pombe cells were agglutinated by the additions of not only concanavalin A lectin, which is specific for mannose residues, but also PNA (from Arachis hypogaea) and RCA (Ricinus communis) lectins, which are specific for terminal galactose residues. By PNA-binding selection, we isolated an S. pombe mutant defective in protein glycosylation. The mutant cells, named gmsl, were not agglutinated by PNA or RCA. In contrast, agglutination of the gmsl cells by the addition of concanavalin A was markedly increased. Structural studies on N-linked oligosaccharides from gmsl mutant cells showed that the number of x-l,2-linked galactose residues wes markedly reduced, and unsubstituted x-l,6-linked polymannose outer chains were attached to the core oligosaccharides.     

Localization of alpha 1----3-linked mannoses in the N-linked oligosaccharides of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mnn mutants

Neutral and phosphorylated N-linked oligosaccharides were isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae mnn9 and mnn9 gls1 mutant mannoproteins and separated into homologues that differed in the number of terminal alpha 1----3-linked mannoses. In each type of oligosaccharide, the addition of such mannose was shown to occur in an ordered rather than a random fashion. The results confirm and extend an earlier report that dealt with the N-linked oligosaccharides from yeast invertase [Trimble, R.B., & Atkinson, P.H. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 9815-9824], and they suggest that the postulated processing pathway can be generalized to include phosphorylated and glucose-containing N-linked oligomannosides. We conclude that this processing pathway is identical for the analogous oligosaccharides from the mnn9 and wild-type strains of S. cerevisiae. Analysis of the mnn2 mnn10 mannoprotein revealed that a similar modification occurred at the branched terminus of the outer chain as well as in the core in this mutant.     

Coexpression of alpha1,2 galactosyltransferase and UDP-galactose transporter efficiently galactosylates N- and O-glycans in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We have studied in vivo neo-galactosylation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and analyzed the critical factors involved in this system. Two heterologous genes, gma12(+) encoding alpha1, 2-galactosyltransferase (alpha1,2 GalT) from Schizosaccharomyces pombe and UGT2 encoding UDP- galactose (UDP-Gal) transporter from human, were functionally expressed to examine the intracellular conditions required for galactosylation. Detection by fluorescence labeled alpha-galactose specific lectin revealed that 50% of the cells incorporated galactose to cell surface mannoproteins only when the gma12(+) and hUGT2 genes were coexpressed in galactose media. Integration of both genes in the Delta mnn1 background cells increased galactosylation to 80% of the cells. Correlation between cell surface galactosylation and UDP-galactose transport activity indicated that an exogenous supply of UDP-Gal transporter rather than alpha1,2 GalT played a key role for efficient galactosylation in S.cerevisiae. In addition, this heterologous system enabled us to study the in vivo function of S. pombe alpha1,2 GalT to prove that it transfers galactose to both N - and O -linked oligosaccharides. Structural analysis indicated that this enzyme transfers galactose to O -mannosyl residue attached to polypeptides and produces Galalpha1,2-Man1-O-Ser/Thr structure. Thus, we have successfully generated a system for efficient galactose incorporation which is originally absent in S. cerevisiae, suggesting further possibilities for in vivo glycan remodeling toward therapeutically useful galactose containing heterologous proteins in S. cerevisiae.      

Biosynthesis of yeast mannan. Properties of a mannosylphosphate transferase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A homogenate of mechanically broken, freshly grown Saccharomyces cerevisiae X2180 cells catalyzes the transfer of mannosylphosphate units from guanosine diphosphate mannose to reduced alpha1 leads to 2-[3H]mannotetraose to yield reduced mannosylphosphoryl [3H]-mannotetraose. The product is analogous in structure to the phosphorylated mannan side chains, which suggests that the enzymic activity is involved in mannoprotein biosynthesis in the intact cell. The mannosylphosphate transferase activity, localized in a membrane fraction obtained by differential centrifugation at 100,000 x g, was solubilized by Triton X-155 and purified 250-fold by ammonium sulfate precipitation and by ion exchange and gell filtration chromatographies. The enzyme requires MN2+ OR Co2+ ions for activity and is stimulated by various detergents. The mnn2 and mnn3 mannan mutants of S. cerevisiae possess normal levels of mannosylphosphate transferase activity, whereas the mnn4 mutant cells contain very low, if any, activity. This is consistent with a previous conclusion that the mnn4 mutation affects the mannosylphosphate transferase activity, whereas the mnn2 and mnn3 strains possess phosphate-deficient mannans because they are unable to synthesize the appropriate side chain precursors. A new mannan mutant class with the mnn4 chemotype was isolated, but the mutation proved to be recessive and nonallelic with the mnn4 locus. This new locus is designated mnn6.     

Different composition of the cell wall polysaccharides in Saccharomyces cerevisiae S288 and in an osmosis sensitive mutant]

Determination of the polysaccharide contents and structural studies on the mannan by acetolysis and permethylation analysis shows an altered polysaccharide biosynthesis of the osmotic-sensitive mutant VY 1160 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae S 288. The mutant contains more glucan, less mannan, and less alkali-soluble glycogen. Its mannan is characterized by more short side chains and less long side chains. Its main chain is 1 leads to 6-linked, but its side chains consist of more 1 leads to 3- than 1 leads to 2-linked mannose units.     

A new Saccharomyces cerevisiae mnn mutant N-linked oligosaccharide structure

We find that the N-linked Man8GlcNAc2- core oligosaccharide of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mnn mutant mannoproteins is enlarged by the addition of the outer chain to the alpha 1----3-linked mannose in the side chain that is attached to the beta 1----4-linked mannose rather than by addition to the terminal alpha 1----6-linked mannose. This conclusion is derived from structural studies on a phosphorylated oligosaccharide fraction and from mass spectral fragment analysis of neutral core oligosaccharides.     

The genes for the Golgi apparatus N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase and the UDP-N-acetylglucosamine transporter are contiguous in Kluyveromyces lactis

The mannan chains of Kluyveromyces lactis mannoproteins are similar to those of Saccharomyces cerevisiae except that they lack mannose phosphate and have terminal alpha(1-->2)-linked N-acetylglucosamine. Previously, Smith et al. (Smith, W. L. Nakajima, T., and Ballou, C. E. (1975) J. Biol. Chem. 250, 3426-3435) characterized two mutants, mnn2-1 and mnn2-2, which lacked terminal N-acetylglucosamine in their mannoproteins. The former mutant lacks the Golgi N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase activity, whereas the latter one was recently found to be deficient in the Golgi UDP-GlcNAc transporter activity. Analysis of extensive crossings between the two mutants led Ballou and co-workers (reference cited above) to conclude that these genes were allelic or tightly linked. We have now cloned the gene encoding the K. lactis Golgi membrane N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase by complementation of the mnn2-1 mutation and named it GNT1. The mnn2-1 mutant was transformed with a 9.5-kilobase (kb) genomic fragment previously shown to contain the gene encoding the UDP-GlcNAc transporter; transformants were isolated, and phenotypic correction was monitored after cell surface labeling with fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated Griffonia simplicifolia II lectin, which binds terminal N-acetylglucosamine, and a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. The above 9.5-kb DNA fragment restored the wild-type lectin binding phenotype of the transferase mutant; further subcloning of this fragment yielded a smaller one containing an opening reading frame of 1,383 bases encoding a protein of 460 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 53 kDa, which also restored the wild-type phenotype. Transformants had also regained the ability to transfer N-acetylglucosamine to 3-0-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl-D-mannopyranoside. The gene encoding the above transferase was found to be approximately 1 kb upstream from the previously characterized MNN2 gene encoding the UDP-GlcNAc Golgi transporter. Each gene can be transcribed independently by their own promoter. To our knowledge this is the first demonstration of two Golgi apparatus functionally related genes being contiguous in a genome.     

Protein glycosylation defects in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mnn7 mutant class. Support for the stop signal proposed for regulation of outer chain elongation

Total cell mannoprotein was isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae X2180 mutants that have defects in elongation of the outer chain attached to the N-linked core oligosaccharides (mnn7, mnn8, mnn9, and mnn10) (Ballou, L., Cohen, R. E., and Ballou, C. E. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 5986-5991). Comparison of the oligosaccharides released by endoglucosaminidase H digestion confirmed that the mnn9 mutation eliminates all but two mannoses of the outer chain, whereas the mnn8 and mnn10 strains produce outer chains of variable but similar lengths. The isolate designated mnn7 was found to be allelic with mnn8. Haploid mutants of the type mnn8 mnn9 or mnn9 mnn10 had the mnn9 phenotype, which established that the mnn9 defect is dominant and presumably acts at a processing step prior to the steps affected by mnn8 and mnn10. Analysis of the mnn1 mnn2 mnn10 oligosaccharides revealed that the heterogeneous outer chain contained 6-16 alpha 1----6-linked mannose units and each was terminated by a single alpha 1----2-linked mannose unit, whereas the core lacked one such unit that was present in the mnn9 oligosaccharide. The results are consistent with and support the hypothesis (Gopal, P. K., and Ballou, C. E. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 8824-8828) that addition of such a side-chain mannose unit is associated with termination of outer chain elongation in these mutants and may serve as a stop signal that regulates outer chain synthesis in the parent wild-type strain.     

The mnn2 mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is affected in phosphorylation of N-linked oligosaccharides

We studied the phosphorylation of the inner core region of N-linked oligosaccharides in the mannan defective mutant Saccharomyces cerevisiae mnn2 which was described as unable to synthesize branches on the outer chain. We performed structural studies of the N-oligosaccharides synthesized by the strains mnn2, mnn1mnn2mnn9 and mnn1mnn9ldb8, and the results are compared with previously published structural data of mnn1mnn2mnn10 and mnn1mnn9 [Hernández, L.M., Ballou, L., Alvarado, E., Tsai, P.-K. and Ballou, C.E. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 13648-13659]. We conclude that the mnn2/ldb8 mutation is responsible for the inhibition of incorporation of phosphate to mannose A(3) (see below), a particular phosphorylation site of the inner core, while phosphorylation at the other possible site (mannose C(1)) is allowed, although it is also reduced. *Phosphorylation sites in mnn1mnn9. (see structure below)     

Glycoprotein biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Characterization of alpha-1,6-mannosyltransferase which initiates outer chain formation

A particulate fraction from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mnn1 mutant was obtained after extracting a 115,000 x g pellet with 0.75% Triton X-100. Incubation of this preparation with labeled Man8GlcNAc and Man9GlcNAc in the presence of GDP-mannose followed by high pressure liquid chromatography showed the formation of Man9GlcNAc and Man10GlcNAc, respectively. Analysis by high resolution 1H NMR of the products indicates that, in each case, the mannose residue added is alpha-1,6-linked to the alpha-1,6-mannose residue of the substrate as follows (where M represents mannose and Gn represents N-acetylglucosamine): (Formula: see text). The mannosyltransferase therefore catalyzes the first step specific to the biosynthesis of the outer chain of yeast mannoproteins. The apparent Km values for both substrates are similar: 0.39 mM for Man8GlcNAc and 0.35 mM for Man9GlcNAc. The alpha-1,6-mannosyltransferase exhibits maximum activity between pH 7.1 and 7.6 in Tris maleate buffer, has an absolute requirement for Mn2+, and also requires Triton X-100. These results indicate that removal of the alpha-1,2-linked mannose residue from Man9GlcNAc is not essential for the alpha-1,6-mannosyltransferase which initiates outer chain synthesis, at least when oligosaccharides are used as substrates in a cell-free system.     

Biosynthesis of yeast mannan. Isolation of Kluyveromyces lactis mannan mutants and a study of the incorporation of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine into the polysaccharide side chains.

One side chain in the cell wall mannan of the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis has the structure (see article). (Raschke, W. C., and Ballou, C. E. (1972) Biochemistry 11, 3807). This (Man)4GNAc unit (the N-acetyl-D-glucosamine derivative of mannotetroase) and the (Man)4 side chain, aMan(1 yields 3)aMan(1 yields 2)aMan(1 yields 2)Man, are the principle immunochemical determinants on the cell surface. Two classes of mutants were obtained which lack the N-acetyl-D-glucosamine-containing determinant. The mannan of one class, designated mmnl, lacks both the (Man)4GNAc and (Man)4 side chains. Apparently, it has a defective alpha-1 yields 3-mannosyltransferase and the (Man)4 unit must be formed to serve as the acceptor before the alpha-1 yields 2-N-acetyl-glucosamine transferase can act. The other mutant class, mnn2, lacks only the (Man)4GNAc determinant and must be defective in adding N-acetylglucosamine to the mannotetrasose side chains. Two members of this class were obtained, one which still showed a wild type N-acetylglucosamine transferase activity in cell-free extracts and the other lacking it. They are allelic or tightly linked, and were designated mnn2-1 mnn2-2. Protoplast particles from the wild type cells catalyzed a Mn2+-dependent transfer of N-acetylglucosamine from UDP-N-acetylglucosamine to the mannotetraose side chain of endogenous acceptors. Exogenous mannotetraose also served as an acceptor in a Mn2+-dependent reaction and yielded (Man)4GNAc. Related oligosaccharides with terminal alpha (1 yields 3)mannosyl units were also good acceptors. The product from the reaction with alphaMan(1 yields 3)Man had the N-acetylglucosamine attached to the mannose unit at the reducing end, which supports the conclusion that the cell-free glycosyltransferase activity is identical with that involved in mannan synthesis. The reaction was inhibited by uridine diphosphate. Protoplast particles from the mmnl mutants showed wild type N-acetylglucosamine transferase activity with exogenous acceptor, but they had no endogenous activity because the endogenous mannan lacked acceptor side chains. Particles from the mnn2-1 mutant failed to catalyze N-acetylglucosamine transfer. In contrast, particles from the mnn2-2 mutant were indistinguishable from wild type cells in their transferase activity. Some event accompanying cell breakage and assay of the mnn2-2 mutant allowed expression of a latent alpha-1 yields 2-N-acetylglucosamine transferase with kinetic properties similar to those of the wild type enzyme.     

Separation and characterization of two alpha 1,2-mannosyltransferase activities from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Two GDP-mannose-dependent mannosyltransferase activities (designated M1MT-I and M2MT-I) from Triton X-100 extracts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mnn1 microsomes were separated by concanavalin A lectin chromatography and partially purified. The two transferases were distinguished by differences in concanavalin A affinity and in carbohydrate acceptor specificity. Analyses of the reaction products indicate that both enzymes are alpha 1,2-mannosyltransferases. M1MT-I utilizes mannose or methyl-alpha-mannoside as acceptor while M2MT-I catalyzes the transfer of mannose from GDP-mannose to unsubstituted nonreducing alpha 1,6-linked mannose residues in the acceptor molecule. M2MT-I activity correlates with the presence of a single alpha 1,2-linked mannose residue at the nonreducing terminus of mnn2mnn9 and mnn2mnn10 outer chain oligosaccharides, and the enzyme may be involved in regulating outer chain elongation.     

Engineering of the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica for the production of glycoproteins lacking the outer-chain mannose residues of N-glycans

In an attempt to engineer a Yarrowia lipolytica strain to produce glycoproteins lacking the outer-chain mannose residues of N-linked oligosaccharides, we investigated the functions of the OCH1 gene encoding a putative alpha-1,6-mannosyltransferase in Y. lipolytica. The complementation of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae och1 mutation by the expression of YlOCH1 and the lack of in vitro alpha-1,6-mannosyltransferase activity in the Yloch1 null mutant indicated that YlOCH1 is a functional ortholog of S. cerevisiae OCH1. The oligosaccharides assembled on two secretory glycoproteins, the Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase I and the endogenous Y. lipolytica lipase, from the Yloch1 null mutant contained a single predominant species, the core oligosaccharide Man8GlcNAc2, whereas those from the wild-type strain consisted of oligosaccharides with heterogeneous sizes, Man8GlcNAc2 to Man12GlcNAc2. Digestion with alpha-1,2- and alpha-1,6-mannosidase of the oligosaccharides from the wild-type and Yloch1 mutant strains strongly supported the possibility that the Yloch1 mutant strain has a defect in adding the first alpha-1,6-linked mannose to the core oligosaccharide. Taken together, these results indicate that YlOCH1 plays a key role in the outer-chain mannosylation of N-linked oligosaccharides in Y. lipolytica. Therefore, the Yloch1 mutant strain can be used as a host to produce glycoproteins lacking the outer-chain mannoses and further developed for the production of therapeutic glycoproteins containing human-compatible oligosaccharides.