Crystal structure of quinohemoprotein amine dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida. Identification of a novel quinone cofactor encaged by multiple thioether cross-bridges.

The crystal structure of a quinohemoprotein amine dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida has been determined at 1.9-A resolution. The enzyme comprises three non-identical subunits: a four-domain alpha-subunit that harbors a di-heme cytochrome c, a seven-bladed beta-propeller beta-subunit that provides part of the active site, and a small gamma-subunit that contains a novel cross-linked, proteinous quinone cofactor, cysteine tryptophylquinone. More surprisingly, the catalytic gamma-subunit contains three additional chemical cross-links that encage the cysteine tryptophylquinone cofactor, involving a cysteine side chain bridged to either an Asp or Glu residue all in a hitherto unknown thioether bonding with a methylene carbon atom of acidic amino acid side chains. Thus, the structure of the 79-residue gamma-subunit is quite unusual, containing four internal cross-links in such a short polypeptide chain that would otherwise be difficult to fold into a globular structure.     

The nature of sialic acids in human lymphocytes

Analysis of the sialic acids obtained by mild acid hydrolysis of B lymphocytes reveals the presence of N-acetylneuraminic acid and 9-O-acetyl-N-acetylneuraminic acid. For T lymphocytes only N-acetylneuraminic acid has been demonstrated to occur. The applied methods include quantitative colorimetry, thin-layer chromatography and combined gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.     

Roland Schauer – Obituary

Glycoconjugate Journal -     

Sialic acids in permethylation analysis: preperation and identification of partially O-methylated derivatives of methlyl N-acetyl-N-methyl-β-D-neuraminate methyl glycoside

A set of partially O-methylated derivatives of methyl N- acetyl-N-methyl-β-D-neuraminate methyl glycoside has been prepared as reference compounds for the Incorporation of acylneuraminic acids into methylation analysis. G.1.c.-m.s. data for the O-trimethylsilyl and O-acetyl derivatives of these compounds are described in detail. The various substances give rise to highly characteristic mass-spectrometric fragmentation-patterns.     

Kinetics and correlates of the neutralizing antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans

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α1–6(α1–3)-Difucosylation of the asparagine-boundN-acetylglucosamine in honeybee venom phospholipase A2

Chymotryptic glycopeptides were prepared from a honeybee (Apis mellifica) venom phospholipase A2 (E.C. 3.1.1.4) fraction, with high affinity towards lentil (Lens culinaris) lectin. Treatment of the glycopeptide mixture with peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase A, followed by HPLC fractionation, yielded two oligosaccharides, which were analysed by 500 MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy to give the following structures [formula: see text] This is the first report on a naturally occurring glycoprotein N-glycan with two fucose residues linked to the asparagine-bound N-acetylglucosamine.     

NAD- and co-substrate (GSH or factor)-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenases from methylotrophic microorganisms act as a class III alcohol dehydrogenase

Abstract The methylotrophic yeasts, Hansenula polymorpha and Candida boidinii , and the methylotrophic Gram-negative bacteria, Paracoccus denitrificans and Thiobacillus versutus (but not Methylophaga marina ), contain NAD/GSH-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase when grown on C₁-compounds. The enzymes appeared to be similar to each other and to the mammalian counterparts with respect to substrate specificity, including the ability to act as an alcohol dehydrogenase class III. The Gram-positive bacteria, Amycolatopsis methanolica and Rhodococcus erythropolis , possess NAD/Factor-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase when grown on C₁-compounds or on C₁-unit-containing substrates, respectively. These enzymes also exhibit alcohol dehydrogenase class III activity. Thus, like the mammalian ones, methylotrophic formaldehyde dehydrogenases show dual substrate specificity, suggesting that this is an inherent property of the enzyme.     

Fucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-N-glycolylneuraminic acid,a constituent of glycoproteins of the cuvierian tubules of the sea cucumber Holothuria forskali Della Chiaje

Analysis of the sialic acid fraction obtained by mild acid hydrolysis of the Cuvierian tubules of the sea cucumber Holothuria forskali Della Chiaje revealed the presence of F-glycolylneuraminic acid and fucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-N-glycolylneuraminic acid. Furthermore, methylation analysis of a pronase-digest of the tubules demonstrated that all N-glycolylneuraminic acid residues are substituted at C-4, explaining the earlier reported resistance of sialic acid in tubules to cleavage by neuraminidase.     

2-Acetamidoglucal,a new metabolite isolated from the urine of a patient with sialuria

A new metabolite, namely 2-acetamidoglucal, has been found in the urine of a patient with sialuria in addition to the metabolites N-acetylneuraminic acid, N-acetylmannosamine, N-acetylglucosamine and N-deoxy-2,3-dehydro-Nacetylneuraminic acid reported earlier. The structure has been identified by mass spectrometry and 360 MHz proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and verified by synthesis. All accumulated compounds fit into the metabolic pathway for the biosynthesis of CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid. Sialuria is discussed in terms of a failure of regulation of UDP-N-acetyl-glucosamine 2-epimerase.