Rat liver Golgi galactosyltransferases. Distinct enzymes for glycolipid and glycoprotein acceptor substrates.

Two enzymes that catalyse the transfer of galactose from UDP-galactose to GM2 ganglioside were partially purified from rat liver Golgi membranes. These preparations, designated enzyme I (basic) and enzyme II (acidic), utilized as acceptors GM2 ganglioside and asialo GM2 ganglioside as well as ovalbumin, desialodegalactofetuin, desialodegalacto-orosomucoid, desialo bovine submaxillary mucin and GM2 oligosaccharide. Enzyme II catalysed disaccharide synthesis in the presence of the monosaccharide acceptors N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine. The affinity adsorbent alpha-lactalbumin-agarose, which did not retard GM2 ganglioside galactosyltransferase, was used to remove most or all of galactosyltransferase activity towards glycoprotein and monosaccharide acceptors from the extracted Golgi preparation. After treatment of the extracted Golgi preparation with alpha-lactalbumin-agarose, enzyme I and enzyme II GM2 ganglioside galactosyltransferase activities, prepared by using DEAE-Sepharose chromatography, were distinguishable from transferase activity towards GM2 oligosaccharide and glycoproteins by the criterion of thermolability. This residual galactosyltransferase activity towards glycoprotein substrates was also shown to be distinct from GM2 ganglioside galactosyltransferase in both enzyme preparations I and II by the absence of competition between the two acceptor substrates. The two types of transferase activities could be further distinguished by their response to the presence of the protein effector alpha-lactalbumin. GM2 ganglioside galactosyltransferase was stimulated in the presence of alpha-lactalbumin, whereas the transferase activity towards desialodegalactofetuin was inhibited in the presence of this protein. The results of purification studies, comparison of thermolability properties and competition analysis suggested the presence of a minimum of five galactosyltransferase species in the Golgi extract. Five peaks of galactosyltransferase activity were resolved by isoelectric focusing. Two of these peaks (pI 8.6 and 6.3) catalysed transfer of galactose to GM2 ganglioside, and three peaks (pI 8.1, 6.8 and 6.3) catalysed transfer to glycoprotein acceptors.     

Purification and properties of GM2 synthase, UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine: GM3 beta-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase from rat liver

A UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine:ganglioside GM3 beta-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase which catalyzes the conversion of ganglioside GM3 to GM2 has been purified over 6300-fold from a Triton X-100 extract of rat liver particulate fractions by hydrophobic chromatography and affinity chromatography on GM3-acid-Sepharose. The purified enzyme has two identical subunits of 64,000 daltons. The enzyme has a pH optimum of pH 6.7-6.9 and requires divalent cations such as Mn2+ and Ni2+. In studies on substrate specificity GM3 containing N-acetylneuraminic acid (GM3(NeuAc] and GM3 containing N-glycolylneuraminic acid were both good acceptors for the purified enzyme. The plots of the activity of transferase as a function of GM3(NeuAc) showed sigmoidal relationships. The oligosaccharide of GM3, sialyllactose, was also a good acceptor, which indicates that the preferred acceptor substrate has the possible structure NeuAc alpha 2- or NeuGc alpha 2-3 Gal beta 1-4Glc-OR.     

Characterization, distribution and biosynthesis of the major ganglioside of rat intestinal mucosa.

The major sialic acid containing glycolipid has been isolated from rat intestinal mucosa. Characterization of this ganglioside by thin layer and gas chromatographic analysis indicates that it is an hematoside (GM3) with the major portion of the sialic acid in the N-glycolyl form. The distribution of this ganglioside was determined in villus and crypt cells isolated from rat intestine. The hematoside content of crypt cells was found to be significantly decreased when compared to villus cells. CMP-sialic acid:lactosylceramide sialyltransferase, responsible for the sialylation of lactosylceramide, was measured in differentiated villus and undifferentiated crypt cells and found to be greatly reduced in the crypt cell fraction. The present study demonstrates that marked differences in ganglioside content and biosynthesis occur in contiguous populations of cells in varying states of differentiation when isolated from normal rat intestine.     

In vitro biosynthesis of sialosylgalactosylceramide (G7) by mouse brain microsomes.

A sialytransferase activity which catalyzes the synthesis of sialosylgalactosylceramide (G7) from added galactocerebroside and CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid has been demonstrated in mouse brain microsomes. The enzyme reaction shows a pH optimum of 6.3 and requires detergents. Both Mn2+ and Ca2+ inhibited the reaction, whereas Mg2+ had no effect. The apparent Km for galactocerebroside leading to G7 was estimated to be 8.7 X 10(-4) M. The same microsomal preparation also synthesized hematoside when ceramide lactoside was the glycolipid acceptor. The apparent Km for ceramide lactoside was about one-tenth that for galactocerebroside. When the preparations were partially inactivated by heat the synthesis of G7 and of hematoside was reduced at approximately the same rate. Liver appeared to have the highest activity for G7 synthesis (as well as of hematoside), followed by brain. The synthesis of B7 by mouse brain microsomes in vitro demonstrates a new pathway for brain ganglioside synthesis.     

Purification and properties of two enzymes catalyzing galactose transfer to GM2 ganglioside from rat liver Golgi

An enzyme activity which catalyzed the transfer of galactose from UDP-galactose to GM2 ganglioside was demonstrated in rat liver homogenate and enriched 38-fold in specific activity by preparation of Golgi membranes. This activity could be solubilized from Golgi membranes by sonication and extraction with 1% Triton X-100. The solubilized activity catalyzed the formation of GM1 ganglioside and was completely dependent upon the addition of acceptor. The rate of galactose incorporation was constant for up to 5 h at 30 degrees C. This enzyme activity was further purified by gel filtration on Sepharose CL-6B and ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose. The elution position on gel filtration corresponded to a molecular weight for the enzyme of 38,000 which was in good agreement with that obtained by sedimentation velocity studies. Ion exchange chromatography resolved GM2 ganglioside galactosyltransferase into two species. The more basic enzyme (I) comprising 28% of the recovered activity was not retarded by the column, whereas enzyme II was eluted from the resin following the application of a salt gradient. Net purification was 120- to 140-fold for each enzyme with a total recovery of 42%. Unlike the activity in the Golgi extract, the purified enzymes I and II were labile to freezing and could be stored at -20 degrees C only in the presence of 50% glycerol. Both enzymes I and II had similar molecular weights and Michaelis constants and both had a strict requirement for Mn2+. Properties which distinguish the two enzymes included pH optima (enzyme I 7.0, enzyme II 6.0) and surfactant requirements. Neither enzyme was active following removal of Triton X-100 from the preparation. Among a series of glycolipids tested for ability to serve as substrates for galactose transfer only GM2 and asialo-GM2 ganglioside served as acceptors.     

Effects of lectin activation on sialyltransferase activities in human lymphocytes

The effects of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation on the activities of sialyltransferase 1 (SAT-1), and sialyltransferase 3 (SAT-3), in human lymphocytes were investigated in vitro. For SAT-1 and SAT-3, respectively, the apparent Km values with variable CMP-NeuAc concentrations were 0.19 and 0.015 mM and with variable LacCer were 0.075 and 0.17 mM. Progressive increases in the activities of SAT-1 and SAT-3 were detected in lymphocytes stimulated with PHA, whereas no increase was observed in control lymphocytes incubated in culture medium alone. These increased activities occurred within 18-36 h of incubation and preceded optimum lymphocyte proliferation. Intact lymphocytes were needed for the lectin-stimulated increase of sialyltransferase activities because neither concanavalin A nor phytohemagglutinin added to the broken cell preparation modulated SAT-1 activity. The glycolipid products formed as a result of these enzymatic reactions in the presence of endogenous and exogenous acceptors were tentatively identified by thin-layer chromatography and autofluorography. The addition of exogenous LacCer to the SAT-1 assay resulted in the radiolabeling of a small amount of ganglioside GM1b (3.4%), but GM3 was the major labeled product (96%). When GgOse4Cer was added to the SAT-3 assay, 32% GM3 and 24.6% GM1b were detected while 44% consisted of glycolipids not labeled in assays performed without exogenous acceptors. Of the radioactivity transferred to endogenous acceptors, 81.3% was in GM3 and 14.6% in GM1b. These results demonstrate that the modulation of sialyltransferase activity occurs earlier than cellular activation.     

Glycolipids modulate glycosyl transfer to endogenous protein acceptors

Regulation by gangliosides of glycosylation of endogenous membrane glycoproteins is indicated from in vitro studies in which incorporation of radioactive sugars into endogenous protein acceptors was measured and from in vitro studies where transferase activities of membranes were correlated with ganglioside content during hepatic tumorigenesis. Galactosyl transfer from UDP galactose exhibited a complex response pattern and was stimulated by lactosyl ceramide and the ganglioside N-acetylgalactosaminyl-(N-acetylneuraminyl)-galactosylglucosylceramide (GM2) but was inhibited by higher gangliosides. Except for N-acetylneuraminylgalactosylglucosylceramide (GM3), which had no effect, inhibition was proportional to ganglioside complexity. Inhibition of glycosylation of the exogenous acceptor, ovomucoid, by ganglioside was slight by comparison. While marked structure-linked latency was observed with the high molecular weight exogenous acceptor, no latency was observed for incorporation into endogenous acceptors suggesting that the membranes were permeable to sugar nucleotides. Membrane disruption with detergents lessened rather than enhanced inhibition by gangliosides. Sialyl transfer from CMPsialic acid, on the other hand, was unaffected or stimulated by gangliosides. Stimulation by galactosyl-N-acetylgalactosaminyl-(N-acetylneuraminyl)-galactosylglucosylceramide (GM1) was proportional to concentration and reached 2-fold at 240 micrograms/mg protein. The results suggest that the ganglioside content of membrane may affect glycosylation of membrane glycoproteins.     

Ganglioside composition of normal and leukemic bovine lymphocytes

The ganglioside composition of bovine peripheral lymphocytes was shown to change sharply under lymphoid leukemia. In normal lymph, lymph nodes, spleen and blood lymphocytes the major ganglioside is N-glycolylhematoside, whereas in calf thymus lymphocytes appreciable amounts of more polar components (GM1- and GD1a-like gangliosides) were found. In leukemic lymphocytes isolated from the same tissues the hematoside content is decreased, while the amount of more polar gangliosides is increased. Possible causes of the altered ganglioside pattern in leukemic lymphocytes are discussed.     

The biosynthesis of gangliosides. The incorporation of galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine and N-acetylneuraminic acid into endogenous acceptors of subcellular particles from rat brain in vitro

Gangliosides bound to subcellular particles from rat brain were labelled by incubation of the particles (i) with CMP-N[(3)H]-acetylneuraminic acid and (ii) simultaneously, with CMP-N[(3)H]-acetylneuraminic acid and UDP-N-acetyl-[(14)C(1)]galactosamine or with CMP-N[(3)H]-acetylneuraminic acid and UDP-[U-(14)C]-galactose. Analysis of the labelled gangliosides showed that in (i), (a) the labelling was mostly in the neuraminidase-labile sialyl groups, (b) rigid relationships exist between the enzymes and the sialyl acceptors; the enzymes are not free to interact with all the specific substrates present in the preparation and (c) the precursor of the trisialoganglioside was the major disialoganglioside with a sialyl 2-->8 sialyl group. In (ii), (a) precursor-product relationships between the main pools of each ganglioside apparently do not exist, (b) for the labelling of Tay-Sachs ganglioside the amount formed from hematoside was at least 2.5 times that from aminoglycolipid and (c) the major monosialoganglioside was the precursor for the major disialoganglioside with a sialyl 2-->8 sialyl group.     

Ganglioside GM3 sialidase activity in fibroblasts of normal individuals and of patients with sialidosis and mucolipidosis IV. Subcellular distribution and and some properties.

Sensitive assays for the determination of the ganglioside sialidase activity of fibroblast homogenates were established using ganglioside GM3, 3H-labelled in the sphingosine moiety, as a substrate. Ganglioside GM3 sialidase activity was greatly stimulated by the presence of the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100 and was further enhanced by salts such as NaCl; the optimal pH was 4.5. The subcellular localization of this activity was determined by fractionation using free-flow electrophoresis and found to be exclusively associated with the marker for the plasma membrane, but not with that for lysosomes. This Triton-stimulated ganglioside sialidase activity was selectively inhibited by preincubating intact cells in the presence of millimolar concentrations of Cu2+, suggesting that the activity resides on the external surface of the plasma membrane. In normal fibroblasts homogenates, ganglioside GM3 sialidase was also greatly stimulated by sodium cholate. In contrast to the Triton X-100-activated reaction, however, it was not diminished by prior incubation of intact cells in the presence of Cu2+. Only after cell lysis was Cu2+ inhibitory. the cholate-stimulated ganglioside sialidase activity thus paralleled the behaviour of the lysosomal 4-methylumbelliferyl-alpha-D-N-acetylneuraminic acid (4-MU-NeuAc) sialidase. In fibroblasts from sialidosis patients, the cholate-stimulated ganglioside GM3 sialidase activity, but not that of the Triton-activated enzyme, was profoundly diminished. In fibroblasts from patients with mucolipidosis IV (ML IV), both the Triton X-100- and the cholate-stimulated ganglioside GM3 sialidase activities were in the range of normal controls. The Triton-activated enzyme was associated with the plasma membrane in the same manner as in normal cells. Our findings suggest that, in human fibroblasts, there exist two sialidases that degrade ganglioside GM3: one on the external surface of the plasma membrane, and another that is localized in lysosomes and seems identical with the activity that acts on sialyloligosaccharides and 4-MU-NeuAc. As neither activity was found to be deficient in ML IV fibroblasts, our results argue against the hypothesis of a primary involvement of a ganglioside GM3 sialidase in the pathogenesis of ML IV.     

Occurrence of a new hematoside in the kidney of guinea pig

We have isolated a new hematoside from guinea pig kidney. Like the usual hematoside (II3NeuAc LacCer), isolated from human erythrocytes, this new hematoside contained glucose, galactose, and N-acetylneuraminic acid in an equimolar proportion. By thin-layer chromatography (TLC), however, it migrated faster than the usual hematoside. After mild alkaline hydrolysis the TLC mobility of this ganglioside became identical to that of the usual hematoside. The sialic acid in this ganglioside was susceptible to Clostridial neuraminidase. Based on TLC mobility and the results of periodate oxidation, the sialic acid of the new hematoside was identified as 9-O-acetyl-N-acetylneuraminic acid. Therefore, the structure of this new hematoside is 9-O-Ac-NeuAc alpha 2 leads to 3Gal beta 1 leads to 4GLc beta 1 leads to 1'Cer.     

Distribution in spleen subcellular organelles of sialidase active towards natural sialogylcolipid and sialoglycoprotein substrates.

A procedure was devised for the preparation of enriched populations of subcellular organelles from homogenized bovine spleen. The fractions obtained were characterized for arylsulfatase, succinate dehydrogenase, UDPgalactosyltransferase and 5'-nucleotidase activities. The distribution of sialidase (acylneuraminyl hydrolase, EC 3.2.1.18) activity directed towards either endogenous substrate or exogenous ganglioside substrate suggests that it is enriched in the plasma membrane/microsomal fractions. Sialidase activity towards exogenous sialoglycoproteins, isolated from erythrocyte membrane, was enriched in the least dense of the plasma membrane/microsomal-containing fractions. The endogenous sialidase substrates were primarily the sialoglycolipids, hematoside and disialogangliosides. At the pH optimum, 3.8, and 37 degrees C, release of endogenous sialic acid was linear with time for 3 h. At the end of this time, 85% or more of the available endogenous substrate was hydrolyzed.     

Lipolytic action of cholera toxin on fat cells. Re-examination of the concept implicating GM1 ganglioside as the native membrane receptor.

The possible role of galactosyl-N-acetylgalactosaminyl-[N-acetylneuraminyl]-galactosylglucosylceramide (GM1) ganglioside in the lipolytic activity of cholera toxin on isolated fat cells has been examined. Analyses of the ganglioside content and composition of intact fat cells, their membranous ghosts, and the total particulate fraction of these cells indicate that N-acetylneuraminylgalactosylglucosylceramide (GM3) represents the major ganglioside, with substantial amounts of N-acetylgalactosaminyl-[N-acetylneuraminyl]-galactosylglucosylceramide (GM2) and smaller amounts of other higher homologues also present. Native GM1 was not detected in any of these preparations. Examination of the relative capacities of various exogenously added radiolabeled sphingolipids to bind to the cells indicated that GM2 and glucosylsphingosine were accumulated by the cells to extents comparable to GM1. Galactosylsphingosine and sulfatide also exhibited significant, although lesser, binding affinities for the cells. The adipocytes appeared to nonspecifically bind exogenously added GM1; saturation of binding sites for GM1 could not be observed up to the highest concentration tested (2 X 10(-4) M), wherein about 7 X 10(9) molecules were associated with the cells. Essentially all of this exogenously added GM1 was found bound to the plasma membrane "ghost" fraction. Investigation of the biological responses of the cells confirmed their sensitivities to both cholera toxin and epinephrine-stimulated lipolysis, as well as the lag period displayed during the toxin's action. While we could confirm that the toxin's lipolytic activity can be enhanced by prior treatment of the fat cells with GM1, several of the observed characteristics of this phenomenon differ from earlier reported findings. Accordingly, added GM1 was able to enhance only the subsequent rate, but not the extent, of toxin-stimulated glycerol release (lipolysis) from the cells. We also were unable to confirm the ability of GM1 to enhance the toxin's activity at either saturating or at low toxin concentrations. The limited ability of added GM1 to enhance the toxin's activity appeared in a unique bell-shaped dose-response manner. The inability of high levels of GM1 to stimulate a dose of toxin that was ineffective on native cells suggests that the earlier reported ability of crude brain gangliosides to accomplish this was due to some component other than GM1 in the crude extract. While several glycosphingolipids and some other carbohydrate-containing substances that were tested lacked the ability to mimic the enhancing effect of GM1, 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-galactoside exhibited an effect similar to, although less pronounced than, that of GM1. The findings in these studies are unable to lend support to the earlier hypothesis that (a) GM1 is cholera toxin's naturally occurring membrane receptor on native fat cells, and (b) the ability of exogenously added GM1 to enhance the toxin's lipolytic activity represents the specific creation of additional natural receptors on adipocytes...     

Lysosomal and plasma membrane ganglioside GM3 sialidases of cultured human fibroblasts. Differentiation by detergents and inhibitors

Cultured human fibroblasts contain two sialidases that degrade gangliosides such as GM3: a lysosomal activity that appears identical with the activity towards water-soluble substrates and that is deficient in the genetic lysosomal disorder sialidosis, and another enzyme that seems localized on the external surface of the plasma membrane. In this report we show that both enzymes can be differentiated in the presence of each other by choice of the detergent used for activation, and also by the inhibitory action of some polyanionic compounds such as sulphated glycosaminoglycans. The lysosomal ganglioside GM3 sialidase is greatly stimulated by sodium glycodeoxycholate and, to lesser degrees, by sodium glycocholate and sodium cholate. The ganglioside GM3 sialidase of the plasma membrane is not measurably active under the conditions of the lysosomal enzyme but is specifically activated by the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100. The glycodeoxycholate-stimulated, but not the Triton-activated, ganglioside GM3 sialidase activity was profoundly diminished in cell lines from patients with the lysosomal disorders sialidosis and galactosialidosis; however, both activities were normal in fibroblasts from patients with mucolipidosis IV, previously thought to be a ganglioside sialidase deficiency disorder. Both the lysosomal and the plasma membrane ganglioside GM3 sialidases were inhibited by sialic acids, suramin, dextran sulphate and sulphated glycosaminoglycans. Among the latter, heparin and heparan sulphate showed a much higher inhibitory potency towards the plasma membrane ganglioside GM3 sialidase than towards the lysosomal onw.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Evidence supporting a late Golgi location for lactosylceramide to ganglioside GM3 conversion

Ganglioside GM2 synthase and other enzymes required for complex ganglioside synthesis were localized recently to the trans Golgi network (TGN). However, there are conflicting reports as to the location of GM3 synthase; originally this enzyme was detected in the early Golgi of rat liver but a recent report localized it to the late Golgi. We have used chimeric forms of ganglioside GM2 synthase to determine if the location of lactosylceramide (LacCer) to GM3 conversion in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells was the early or late Golgi. Our approach tested whether GM3 could be utilized as a substrate by GM2 synthase chimeras which were targeted to compartments earlier than the trans Golgi, i.e., GM3 produced in the cis Golgi should be utilized by GM2 synthase located anywhere in the Golgi whereas GM3 produced in the trans Golgi should only be used by GM2 synthase located in the trans Golgi or TGN. Comparison of cell lines stably expressing these chimeras revealed that the in vivo functional activity of GM2 synthase decreased progressively as the enzyme was targeted to earlier compartments; specifically, the percentage of GM3 converted to GM2 was 83-86% for wild type enzyme, 70% for the medial Golgi targeted enzyme, 13% for the ER and cis Golgi targeted enzyme, and only 1.7% for the ER targeted enzyme. Thus, these data are consistent with a late Golgi location for LacCer to GM3 conversion in these cells.     

Binding and hemagglutinating properties of the B subunit(s) of heat-labile enterotoxin isolated from human enteroxigenic Escherichia coli

The binding and hemagglutinating activities of the B subunit(s) of the heat-labile enterotoxin (LTh-B) isolated from human enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli were investigated. The binding of 125I-labeled LTh-B to neuraminidase-treated human type B erythrocytes was most effectively inhibited by ganglioside GM1. A number of mono-, di- and polysaccharides, as well as several glycoproteins were at least 500 times less potent inhibitors. However, hemagglutination was effectively inhibited by galactose, melibiose and hog A + H but not by ganglioside GM1. Preincubation of the LTh-B with ganglioside GM1 gave much stronger hemagglutination than LTh-B alone. These results suggest that the predominant binding substance for LTh-B on neuraminidase-treated human type B erythrocytes is ganglioside GM1, but indicate that the interaction of LTh-B with ganglioside GM1 is different in hemagglutination.     

Influence of ganglioside GM3 and its breakdown products on lymphoblastic transformation and T-suppressor activity.

The influence of ganglioside GM3 and some of its breakdown products on phytohemagglutinin-induced blast transformation of human lymphocytes and concanavalin-A-induced T-suppressor activity was studied. The structures of two major hydrolysis products of GM3 were established by negative-ion fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry as neuraminyllactosylsphingosine (NeuLacSph) and neuraminyllactosylceramide (NeuLacCer). Both substances were shown to be potent inhibitors of mitogen-induced lymphoblastic transformation whereas their acetylation products NeuAcLacSphAc and GM3 did not affect the proliferative response of lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin. On the other hand, only GM3 and NeuLacSph were able to enhance concanavalin-A-induced T-suppressor activity. On the basis of these data, it is suggested that the effects of GM3 and its breakdown products on lymphoblastic transformation and T-suppressor activity must rest on different mechanisms and that N-deacylation of GM3 appears to be an essential step in conversion of the ganglioside into an inhibitor of lymphocyte blast transformation.     

Kinetics of rat liver GM2 ganglioside-beta-D-N-acetylhexosaminidase

The kinetics of beta-D-N-acetylhexosaminidase against GM2 ganglioside were examined. We used a crude preparation of rat liver as the enzyme source because purification of beta-D-N-acetylhexosaminidase results in a decrease in specific activity against GM2 ganglioside. Kinetic plots were not linear but showed a break. At substrate concentrations less than 50 microM the Vmax was 6 pmol GM2 hydrolyzed per hour per micromole 4-MU-GlcNAc hydrolyzed per hour (pmol GM2/mumol 4-MU-GlcNAc) and the Km was 5 microM.At substrate concentrations greater than 50 microM, the Vmax was 7 pmol GM2/mumol 4-MU-GlcNAc and the Km was 14 microM. The critical micelle concentration of GM2 ganglioside was 20-25 microM as determined by spectral shifts of the dye pinacyanol chloride in association with GM2, and 10-15 microM from electrical conductivity measurements which also showed the end of the monomer-micelle transition to occur at 40-50 microM GM2. The increasing excess of micellar substrate at greater than 50 microM GM2 explains the discontinuity in the kinetic plots. Sodium taurocholate had a critical micelle concentration of 9-11 mM using pinacyanol chloride and 2.5-3 mM using electrical conductivity. When included in the assay mixture at a concentration of 10 mM, sodium taurocholate produced a linear kinetic plot. This is probably due to the formation of mixed micelles of detergent and GM2 ganglioside. The Vmax was 200 pmol GM2/MUmol 4-MU-GlcNAc and the Km was 93 microM. The data suggest that ganglioside hydrolysis occurs more readily when the substrate is incorporated into a membrane-like environment.     

Purification and characterization of GM1 ganglioside beta-galactosidase from normal feline liver and brain.

GM1 ganglioside beta-galactosidase (GM1-beta-galactosidase) was purified from normal cat brain and liver by a combination of classical and affinity procedures. The final preparation of brain GM1-beta-galactosidase was enriched over 2000-fold with a 36% yield. However, the product was shown to contain several components by disc gel electrophoresis. GM1-beta-galactosidase was also purified from liver with greater than a 30 000-fold enrichment and 40% yield. The liver enzyme was judged homogeneous by disc gel electrophoresis at pH 4.3, 8.1, and 8.9 and by gel chromatography. Both liver and brain GM1-beta-galactosidase(s) eluted as sharp symmetrical peaks from Sephadex G-200 with molecular weights of 250 000 +/- 50 000. The apparent Km determined for 4-methylumbelliferyl beta-D-galactopyranoside (4-MU-Gal) using partially purified brain GM1-beta-galactosidase was 1.73 X 10(-4) M. Liver GM1-beta-galactosidase gave a Km with 4-MU-Gal of 3.25 X 10(-4) M and for [3H]GM1 ganglioside a Km of 4.51 X 10(-4) M was calculated. The pH optima of brain and liver GM1-beta-galactosidase using 4-MU-Gal was 3.8-4.5. By contrast, liver GM1-beta-galactosidase gave a sharp activity peak at pH 4.2 with [3H]GM1 ganglioside. Inhibition by mercuric chloride and sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide and persulfate suggest the involvement of a sulfhydryl in catalysis.     

Interaction of the extracellular domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor with gangliosides.

Ganglioside GM3 inhibits epidermal growth factor (EGF)-dependent cell proliferation in a variety of cell lines. Both in vitro and in vivo, this glycosphingolipid inhibits the kinase activity of the EGF receptor (EGFR). Furthermore, membrane preparations containing EGFR can bind to GM3-coated surfaces. These data suggest that GM3 may interact directly with the EGFR. In this study, the interaction of gangliosides with the extracellular domain (ECD) of the EGFR was investigated. The purified human recombinant ECD from insect cells bound directly to ganglioside GM3. The ganglioside interaction site appears to be distinct from the EGF-binding site. In agreement with previous reports on the effects of specific gangliosides on EGFR kinase activity, the ECD preferentially interacted with GM3. The order of relative binding of other gangliosides investigated was as follows: GM3 GM2, GD3, GM4 > GM1, GD1a, GD1b, GT1b, GD2, GQ1b > lactosylceramide. These data suggest that NeuAc-lactose is essential for binding and that any sugar substitution reduces binding. In agreement with the specificity of soluble ECD binding to gangliosides, GM3 specifically inhibited EGFR autophosphorylation. Identification of a ganglioside interaction site on the ECD of the EGFR is consistent with the hypothesis that endogenous GM3 may function as a direct modulator of EGFR activity.