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.     

The synthesis of antigenic determinants for yeast d-mannan,and a linear (1→6)-α-d-gluco-d-mannan,and their protein conjugates

2-O-Benzoyl-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-1-O-tosyl-d-mannopyranose and 2,3,4-tri-O- benzyl-6-O-(N-phenylcarbamoyl)-1-O-tosyl-d-glucopyranose were allowed to react with partially blocked 2-[4-(p-toluenesulfonamido)phenyl]ethyl α-d-manno- and -gluco-pyranosides. Disaccharides having α-d-Manp-(1→2)-α-D-Manp, α-d-manp-(1→6)-α-d-Manp, α-d-Manp-(1→6)-α-d-Manp, and α-d-Glcp-(1→6)-α-d-Manp structures, and a branched trisaccharide having the structure α-d-Manp-(1→2)-[α-d-Manp-(1→6)]-α-d-Manp were synthesized. The oligosaccharides were deblocked with sodium in liquid ammonia to give glycopyranosides having a free primary aromatic amine which were converted into isothiocyanate derivatives with thiophosgene. The functionalized oligosaccharides were then coupled to bovine serum albumin to give protein conjugates.     

Immunochemical studies on L-rhamno-D-mannans of sporothrix schenckii and related fungi by use of rabbit and human antisera

Antisera were prepared in rabbits against the human pathogenic yeast Sporothrix schenckii (strain 1099.12) grown at two different temperatures (25° and 37°). Precipitation and inhibition data showed that the former serum had a specificity directed against α-L-Rhap-(1→2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→3)-D-Man-(1→ determinants, whereas the latter had a broad specificity in which α-L-rhamnosyl or α-L-Rhap-(1→3)-D-Man-was the immunodominant structure. These results are consistent with data on the structures of the L-rhamno-D-mannans isolated from the organism grown at the two different temperatures. Human sera from patients with sporotrichosis were shown to have different specificities resembling the specificities developed in the rabbits. The rabbit antisera were also used to examine the cross-reactivity with L-rhamno-D-mannans from species of the genus Ceratocystis, which is reputed to include the ascigerous (perfect) state of S. schenckii. Polysaccharides from four species of Ceratocystis grown at 25° reacted with the antisera in a manner resembling that of the L-rhamno-D-mannan from S. schenckii grown at 37°. This is in accord with earlier data that showed that only S. schenckii, of the species studied, produces a polysaccharide with large amounts of α-L-Rhap-(1→2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→ side-chains when grown at 25°.     

Immunochemical studies on the combining site of the d-galactopyranose and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-galactopyranose specific lectin isolated from Bauhinia purpurea alba seeds

The combining site of the Bauhinia purpurea alba lectin was studied by quantitative precipitin and precipitin inhibition assays. Of 45 blood group substances, glycoproteins, and polysaccharides tested, 35 precipitated over 75% of the lectin. Precursor blood group substances with I activity (Cyst OG 10% from 20% and Cyst OG 20% from 10%), desialized fetuin, and desialized ovine salivary glycoprotein, in which more than 75% of the carbohydrate side chains have dGalN Ac linked through α1 → to the OH group of Ser or Thr of a protein core, completely precipitated the lectin. The poorly reactive blood group substances after mild acid hydrolysis or Smith degradation, as well as sialic acid-containing glycoproteins after removal of sialic acid, had substantially increased activity so that more than 80% of the lectin was precipitated. Precipitability with various blood group substances and glycoproteins is ascribable to the terminal nonreducing dGalNAc, dGalβ1 → 3dGalNAc, dGalβ1 → 3 or 4dGlcNAc, and dGalβ1 → 3 or 4dGlcNAcβ1 → 3dGal determinants on the carbohydrate moiety. Of the monosaccharides tested for inhibition of precipitation, dGalNAc and its p-nitrophenyl and methyl α-glycosides were best. These compounds were four to five times better than the corresponding dGal compounds but methyl βDGalNAcp was only about 40% more active than methyl βdGalp. The α-anomers of p-nitrophenyl DGalNAcp and dGalp, were twice as active as the corresponding β-anomers. Methyl αDGalNAcp was four times as active as the β-anomer but the inhibitory power of the methyl α- and β-anomers of dGal were about equal. Among the oligosaccharides tested, dGalβ1 → 3dGalNAc and its tosyl derivatives were most active, the tosyl glycosides being about twice as active as dGalβ1 → 3dGalNAc, which was somewhat more active than dGalNAcα1 → 6dGal and dGalNAc, and 2.5 and 5 times as active as dGalNAcα1 → 3dGalβ1 → 3dGlcNAc and dGalNAcαl → 3dGa1, respectively (blood group A specific). These findings suggest that a subterminal dGalNAc β-linked and substituted on carbon 3 plays an important role in binding. Consistent with this inference are the findings that dGalβ1 → 3dGlcNAc and dGalβ1 → 6dGal were poorer inhibitors although dGalβ1 → 3dGlcNAc was two to three times as active as glycosides of dGal. Oligosaccharides with terminal nonreducing dGal and subterminal α-linked dGal were as active or less active than dGal. dGalβ1 → 3dGlcNAcβ1 → 3dGalβ1 → 4dGlc (lacto-N-tetraose) and dGalβ1 → 3dGlcNAcβ1 → 3dGal-β1-O-(CH₂)₈COOCH₃ were equally active and 1.5 times as potent as dGalβ1 → 3dGlcNAc whereas dGalβ1 → 3dGlcNAcβ1 → 6dGal was only 40% as potent as dGalβ1 → 3dGlcNAc suggesting that a third sugar may be part of the determinant. Substitution of dGalβ1 → 3dGlcNAcβ1 → 3dGalβ1 → 4dGlc on the subterminal dGlcNAc by lFucα1 → 4 in lacto-N-fucopentaose II reduced activity fourfold; if the nonreducing dGal is substituted by lFucα1 → 3 as in lacto-N-fucopentaose I its activity is almost completely abolished. This suggests that a terminal nonreducing dGal as well as subterminal dGlcNAc are contributing to binding. The β → 3 linkage of the terminal dGal to the subterminal amino sugar is significant since dGalβ1 → 4dGlcNAc is a poorer inhibitor. Although the available data suggest that the combining site of the lectin Bauhinia purpurea alba may be most complementary to the structure dGalβ1 → 3dGalNAcβ1 → 3dGal, several other possibilities remain to be tested when suitable oligosaccharides become available.     

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.     

Isolation and some properties of extracellular d-glucosyltransferases and d-fructosyltransferases from Streptococcus mutans serotypes c, e, and f

Extracellular d-glucosyltransferases (GTase) and d-fructosyltransferases (FTase) were isolated from Streptococcus mutans IB (serotype c), B14 (e), and OMZ175 (f) by chromatofocusing, followed by hydroxyapatite column chromatography. The GTases isolated from serotypes c, e, and f are basic proteins (pI 7.4). The serotype c and e enzymes have two protein components having M_r 173 000 and 158 000 and the enzyme of the serotype f one component having M_r 156 000. The GTases of all the serotypes showed a K_m value for sucrose of 10–14mm and an optimum pH 5.5–6.0 for enzyme activity, and their activities were enhanced by the presence of primer Dextran T10. The α-d-glucans synthesized by the purified GTases are water soluble and primarily consist of (1→6)-α-d-glucosidic linkage (41–66 mol/100 mol) and α-d-(1→3,6)-branch linkage (6–20 mol/100 mol), but significant proportions of α-d-(1→3), α-d-(1→4), and α-d-(1→3,4) linkages (11, 6, and 14 mol/100 mol, respectively) were detected in the serotype c α-d-glucan. The isolated FTases of the serotypes c, e, and f are acidic enzymes (pI 4.6) and consist of two components having M_r 84 000 and 76 000 for the serotype c enzyme, and 106 000 and 84 000 for the serotypes e and f enzymes, respectively. The K_m value for sucrose was 6, 10, and 17mm for the serotypes c, e, and f enzymes, respectively, and the optimum pH of enzymic activity 5.5–6.0. Reactivity with Concanavalin A, susceptibility to acid hydrolysis, and paper chromatography of the hydrolyzates suggested that the water-soluble β-d-fructans synthesized by the purified FTases were of the inulin-type and had chemical structures somewhat different among the serotypes.     

Synthesis of L-fucose 2-, 3-, and 4-Sulphates

Treatment of L-fucose with an excess of pyridine-sulphur trioxide gave an equilibrium mixture of mono-, di-,and tri-sulphates. L-Fucose was sulphated under optimal conditions for monosulphate formation, and the monoester fraction was isolated by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The isomeric L-fucose 2-, 3-, and 4-sulphates (1-3) were separated on a DEAE-cellulose column by elution with borate buffer. The structures of 1-3 were established by electrophoresis, colour tests, periodate oxidation, and, for the 2-isomer, by comparison with a specimen of 1 that had been definitively synthesised via methyl 3,4-O-isopropylidene-α-L-fucopyranoside (6) and methyl α-L-fucopyranoside 2-(barium sulphate) (5). The latter was rapidly hydrolysed in hot, dilute acetic acid to 1 and methyl α-L-fucopyranoside (4).     

Proton magnetic resonance spectra of D-gluco-oligosaccharides and D-glucans

The p.m.r. spectra of some D-gluco-oligosaccharides and D-glucans in deuterium oxide were studied with respect to the anomeric proton. In (1→2)-linked glucobioses, the effect of change in configuration of the hydroxyl group at C-1 on the chemical shifts of the glycosidic proton is noted. Equilibrium mixtures of (1→2)-linked glucobioses contained more α-anomer than did the other examples, despite the cis configuration of substituents at C-1 and C-2. Some D-glucans were investigated with regard to the degree of branching, although solubility was a limitation.     

Structure of an α-D-galactosaminoglycan from Physarum polycephalum Spherule walls

The spherule walls Physarum polucephalum have been reexamined and found to contain 88% of galactosamine (as anhydrogalactosamine), 6.80% of protein, 4.7% of phosphate groups, and a small proportion of acetyl groups (0.5%). Methylation studies indicated that the spherule-wall polysaccharide is a long-chain galactosamino- glycan linked exclusively (1→4) and without phosphate linkages. The specific optical rotation of this unique glycan. [x]_D, + 118° (6_M HCI), indicated that it is α-D-linked.     

A synthesis of l-ristosamine and a derivative of its C-4 epimer

A synthesis of l-ristosamine from l-rhamnal is described, involving the sequence of reactions: methoxymercuration, tosylation, azide displacement, and reduction, which gave methyl α-l-ristosaminide (10). Acid hydrolysis then afforded l-ristosamine hydrochloride. Trifluoroacetylation of the hydrochloride of 10 followed by saponification and oxidation with ruthenium tetraoxide gave methyl 2,3,6-tri-deoxy-3-trifluoroacetamido-α-l-erythro-hexopyranosid-4-ulose (17). Borohydride reduction of 17 gave a separable, 1:1 mixture of methyl 2,3,6-trideoxy-3-trifluoroacetamido-α-l-ribo- and α-l-xylo-hexopyranoside.     

The structure of the neutral polysaccharide gum secreted by Rhizobium strain cb744

A previous investigation of the structure of the extracellular polysaccharide gum from the nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium strain cb744 (a member of the slow-growing Cowpea group) indicated that there were two β-(1→4)-linked d-glucopyranosyl residues for each α-(1→4)-linked d-mannopyranosyl residue, and that each mannose was substituted at O-6 by a β-d-galactopyranosyl residue having 71% of the galactose present as 4-O-methylgalactose. The present study shows that, although the gum appeared to have a simple tetrasaccharide repeating unit, it is composed of two closely associated components. One is a (1→4)-linked α-d-mannan substituted at each O-6 by a β-d-galactopyranosyl residue (71% 4-O-methylated). The second component is a (1→4)-linked β-d-glucan. The existence of the two polysaccharides was established by separation of the β-d-galactosidase-treated gum on a column of concanavalin A-Sepharose 4B. The d configurations were determined and the anomeric attribution of the linkages confirmed by the use of enzymes. The interaction between the two gum components is discussed.     

Characterization of structurally similar neutral and acidic tetrasaccharides obtained from the enzymic hydrolyzate of a 4-O-methyl-D-glucurono-D-xylan

Two similar tetrasaccharides, one neutral and one acidic, were isolated from the products released by the attack of a xylanase on the in situ reduced 4-O-methyl-D-glucurono-D-xylan from aspen (Populus tremuloides). Paper chromatography, gel filtration behavior, methylation followed by reduction, and mass spectrometry showed that the oligosaccharides were O-(4-O-methyl-α-D-glucopyranosyluronic acid)-(1→2)-D-xylotriose and-O-(4-O-methyl-α-D-glucopyranosyluronic acid)-(1→2)-D-xylotriose. Independent of the acidic or neutral substituent on the present xylan chain, the enzymic cleavage led preferentially to oligosaccharides substituted at the nonreducing end. The existence, in wood, of a few uronic acid substituents of the D-xylan in the esterified form was confirmed, and their linkage to lignin postulated.     

Enzymic cleavage of the α-linkages in agarose,to yield agaro-oligosaccharides

An α-agarase was isolated from a Gram-negative marine bacterium that liquefies agar. The enzyme was purified by chromatography on diethylaminoethyl-cellulose (HO^? form) buffered at pH 7.2. The purified enzyme specifically cleaves (1 →3)-α-L-linkages in agarose, yielding a homologous series of agaro-oligosaccharides. Agarotetraitol and agarohexaitol were characterized.     

Growth-inhibitory activity of the d-mannan of saccharomyces cerevisiae X2180-1A-5 mutant strain against mouse-implanted sarcoma 180 and ehrlich-carcinoma solid tumor

The d-mannan of Saccharomyces cerevisiae X2180-1A-5 mutant strain, which possesses a main chain composed of α-(1→6) linked d-mannopyranosyl residues and a small proportion of branches composed of α-(1→2)- and α-(1→3)-linked d-mannopyranosyl residues, showed strong growth-inhibitory activity against mouse-implanted Sarcoma 180 and Ehrlich-carcinoma solid tumor. The observation that the level of this activity was nearly identical with that of the d-mannan of a wild-type strain of bakers' yeast, which possesses a high proportion of branches composed of α-(1→2)- and α-(1→3)-linked d-mannopyranosyl residues, suggests that the branches are not essential for antitumor activity. The partial acid-degradation products of both d-mannans, the molecular weight of which was one-third of that of each parent d-mannan, had only one half of the antitumor activity of the parent d-mannans. This suggests that molecular size is the most important factor for the differences in activity of the polysaccharides of wild and mutant strains.     

Preparation of some acylated D-arabino-hexopyranosuloses and 4-deoxy-D-glycero-hex-3-enopyranosuloses

Oxidation of 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl-α- and β-D-glucopyranose gave the tetra-O-benzoyl-α- and -β-D-arabino-hexopyranosuloses (3α and β), from which benzoic acid was readily eliminated to give the anomeric tri-O-benzoyl-4-deoxy-D-glycero-hex-3-enopyranosuloses (4α and β). The anomeric 1-O-acetyl-tri-O-benzoyl-D-arabino-hexopyranosuloses (7α and β) were obtained as very unstable syrups which readily lost benzoic acid. Treatment of tetra-O-benzoyl-2-O-benzyl-D-glucopyranose (1) with hydrogen bromide gave 3,4,6-tri-O-benzoyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl bromide (5) in one step.     

Synthesis and diazomethane-catalysed 1→2 acyl migration of the l-arabinosyl esters of N-acylamino acids

The fully benzylated α- and β-l-arabino-pyranosyl (1 and 2) and -furanosyl esters (3 and 4) of N-acetyl-d-alanine and N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-l-phenylalanine have been synthesised. Catalytic hydrogenation of 3 and 4 gave both anomers of 1-O-(N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-l-phenylalanyl)-l-arabino-pyranose (5) and -furanose (6), which were characterised as the triacetates 7 and 8, respectively. Treatment of the cis-oriented β-anomers of 5 and 6 with 0.5 equiv. of diazomethane at 0° for 1 h led to the 1→2 acyl rearrangement, with pyranose—furanose interconversion and anomerisation, to give, upon acetylation, a mixture of 1,3,4- and 1,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-2-O-(N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-l-phenylalanyl)-α,β-l-arabino-pyranose and -furanose, the structures of which were determined by ¹H- and ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy. The 1→2 acyl-migration step in the l-arabino series is immediately followed by isomerisation into the four possible forms.     

Synthesis of 3-O Substituted D-Mannoses

1,2,4,6-Tetra-O-acetyl-3-O-benzyl-α-D-mannopyranose (7) was obtained in good yield from 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-1,2-O-(1-methoxyethylidene)-β-D-mannopyranose (1) by acetolysis. Hydrogenolysis of 7 afforded 1,2,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-mannopyranose which is a versatile intermediate for the preparation of other 3-O-substituted D-mannoses, such as 3-O-methyl-D-mannose and 3-O-α-D-mannopyranosyl-D-mannose. 3,4-Di-O-methyl-D-mannose was readily prepared from 1,2,6-tri-O-acetyl-3,4-di-O-benzyl-α-D-mannopyranose, which was also obtained from 1 by controlled acetolysis.     

Synthesis of acetylenic sugars and uronic acids via two-carbon chain extension of d-ribose

Treatment of methyl β-d-ribofuranoside with acetone gave methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribofuranoside (1, 90%), whereas methyl α-d-ribofuranoside gave a mixture (30%) of 1 and methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-α-d-ribofuranoside (1a). On oxidation, 1 gave methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribo-pentodialdo-1,4-furanoside (2), whereas no similar product was obtained on oxidation of 1a. Ethynylmagnesium bromide reacted with 2 in dry tetrahydrofuran to give a 1:1 mixture (95%) of methyl 6,7-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-allo- (3) and -α-l-talo-hept-6-ynofuranoside (4). Ozonolysis of 3 and 4 in dichloromethane gave the corresponding d-allo- and l-talo-uronic acids, characterized as their methyl esters (5 and 6) and 5-O-formyl methyl esters (5a and 6a). Ozonolysis in methanol gave a mixture of the free uronic acid and the methyl ester, and only a small proportion of the 5-O-formyl methyl ester. Malonic acid reacted with 2 to give methyl 5,6-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribo-trans-hept-5-enofuranosiduronic acid (7).     

Stereoselectivity of glycosylation with derivatives of 2-azido-2-deoxy-d-galactopyranose. The synthesis of a determinant oligosaccharide related to blood-group a (type 1)

The stereoselective glycosylation of a model alcohol (cyclohexanol) by derivatives of 2-azido-2-deoxy-d-galactopyranose was studied under various conditions. 2-Azido-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-β-d-galactopyranosyl chloride (9) was found to be the most efficient glycosylating agent for the synthesis of oligosaccharides containing 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-d-galactopyranose residues, and gave a tetrasaccharide, which is a determinant of the blood-group A (Type 1), i.e., O-α-l-fucopyranosyl-(1→2)-[O-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-d- galactopyranosyl-(1→3)]-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-glucose, and its trisaccharide fragment, O-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→3)-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-glucose. In the course of this synthesis, the determinant trisaccharide related to the H blood-group, i.e., O-α-l-fucopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→3)-2-acetamido-2- deoxy-d-glucose, was also obtained.     

Syntheses of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-α-d-glucopyranose (n-acetylmaltosamine) and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-α-d-glucopyranose

Condensation of benzyl 2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-1-O-(N-methyl)acetimidoyl-β-D-glucopyranose gave benzyl 2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-4-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl)-α-D-glucopyranoside which was catalytically hydrogenolysed to crystalline 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-α-D-glucopyranose (N-acetylmaltosamine). In an alternative route, the aforementioned imidate was condensed with 2-acetamido-3-O-acetyl-1,6-anhydro-2-deoxy-β-D-glucopyranose, and the resulting disaccharide was catalytically hydrogenolysed, acetylated, and acetolysed to give 2-acetamido-1,3,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-4-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl)-α-D-glucopyranose Deacetylation gave N-acetylmaltosamine. The synthesis of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-α-D-glucopyranose involved condensation of benzyl 2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl bromide in the presence of mercuric bromide, followed by deacetylation and catalytic hydrogenolysis of the condensation product.