A new method for sequencing linear oligosaccharides on gels using charged, fluorescent conjugates

Capillary zone electrophoresis of malto-oligosaccharides derivatized with 8-aminonaphthalene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid

Malto-oligosaccharides were derivatized via their reducing end with 8-aminonaphthalene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid by reductive amination, and the separation and electrophoretic migration behavior of the labelled sugars were investigated by capillary zone electrophoresis. Series of linear malto-oligosaccharides were found particularly suitable for both the study of the effect of the operating conditions on the separation and the investigation of the relationship between the electrophoretic mobility and the molecular size of the homologues. The electrophoretic mobility of the malto-oligosaccharide conjugates was found to be a linear function of the molecular mass to the negative two-thirds power. The sugar derivatives employed here carry three negative charges due to the presence of the dissociated sulfonic acid groups even at strongly acidic pH. Therefore, the analytes can migrate in the electric field without interference by electroendosmotic flow and/or wall adsorption in uncoated silica capillaries at low pH. As a result, the separation of these carbohydrate conjugates can be carried out under such conditions with high speed and efficiency in free solution, i.e., without an anticonvective medium such as a gel or a viscous polymer solution. Appropriate use of triethylammonium phosphate buffer, pH 2.5, as the background electrolyte improves not only the reproducibility, but also the efficiency and speed of the separation. The labelled sugars allow monitoring of the separation by UV detector or laser-induced fluorescence detector with concomitant enhancement of analytical sensitivity.

Endothelial cells interact with the core protein of basement membrane perlecan through beta 1 and beta 3 integrins: an adhesion modulated by glycosaminoglycan

Aortic endothelial cells adhere to the core protein of murine perlecan, a heparan sulfate proteoglycan present in endothelial basement membrane. We found that cell adhesion was partially inhibited by beta 1 integrin-specific mAb and almost completely blocked by a mixture of beta 1 and alpha v beta 3 antibodies. Furthermore, adhesion was partially inhibited by a synthetic peptide containing the perlecan domain III sequence LPASFRGDKVTSY (c-RGD) as well as by GRGDSP, but not by GRGESP. Both antibodies contributed to the inhibition of cell adhesion to immobilized c-RGD whereas only beta 1-specific antibody blocked residual cell adhesion to proteoglycan core in the presence of maximally inhibiting concentrations of soluble RGD peptide. A fraction of endothelial surface-labeled detergent lysate bound to a core affinity column and 147-, 116-, and 85-kD proteins were eluted with NaCl and EDTA. Polyclonal anti-beta 1 and anti-beta 3 integrin antibodies immunoprecipitated 116/147 and 85/147 kD surface-labeled complexes, respectively. Cell adhesion to perlecan was low compared to perlecan core, and cell adhesion to core, but not to immobilized c-RGD, was selectively inhibited by soluble heparin and heparan sulfates. This inhibition by heparin was also observed with laminin and fibronectin and, in the case of perlecan, was found to be independent of heparin binding to substrate. These data support the hypothesis that endothelial cells interact with the core protein of perlecan through beta 1 and beta 3 integrins, that this binding is partially RGD-independent, and that this interaction is selectively sensitive to a cell-mediated effect of heparin/heparan sulfates which may act as regulatory ligands.

An electrophoresis-based assay for glycosyltransferase activity

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) were used to measure the activity of glycosyltransferases. Acceptor molecules were prepared by reductive amination of the monopotassium 7-amino-1,3-naphthalenedisulfonic acid (AGA) Schiff base with sugars. The resulting sugar conjugates were purified by gradient PAGE and recovered using semidry electrotransfer into a positively charged nylon membrane. The beta(1----4)galactosyltransferase was shown, by PAGE analysis, to transfer a beta-galactosyl residue to the AGA conjugate of beta-D-GlcNAc-(1----4)-beta-D-GlcNAc-(1----4)-D-GlcNAc (compound 4). Similarly, alpha(1----2)fucosyltransferase isolated from porcine submaxillary glands was shown to transfer fucose from GDP-fucose to the AGA conjugate of beta-D-Gal-(1----4)-beta-D-GlcNAc-(1----6)-D-Gal (compound 5). This conjugate (compound 5) was also an acceptor for the alpha(1----3/4)fucosyltransferase partially purified from human milk. The latter reaction was followed by both gradient PAGE and CZE, having sensitivities of 200 pmol and 80 fmol, respectively.

Lectin affinity electrophoresis for the separation of fluorescently labeled sugar derivatives

Lectin affinity electrophoresis was applied to the separation of charged, fluorescent conjugates of disaccharides. Four fluorescent conjugates were prepared by reductive amination of alpha-D-Man-(1----3)-D-Man, alpha-D-Gal-(1----4)-D-Glc, alpha-D-Gal-(1----6)-D-Glc, and beta-D-Gal-(1----4)-D-Glc in the presence of 7-amino-1,3-naphthalenedisulfonic acid. These charged fluorescent-disaccharide conjugates all have identical molecular weight and in the absence of conconavalin A lectin failed to separate either by agarose or by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In the presence of either free or immobilized concanavalin A, agarose gel electrophoresis and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis could separate the fluorescent conjugate of alpha-D-Man-(1----3)-D-Man from that of alpha-D-Gal-(1----4)-D-Gal, alpha-D-Gal-(1----6)-D-Glc, and beta-D-Gal-(1----4)-D-Glc.