Synthesis of polyprenol-monophosphate- beta -galactose by acetobacter xylinum

Galactosyltransferase activities in mitochondrial outer membrane: biosynthesis of dolichylmonophosphate-galactose

Mitochondrial outer membranes were prepared from mouse liver homogenates by swelling purified mitochondria in phosphate buffer and were purified on a discontinuous sucrose gradient. Assays for marker enzymes and controls in electron microscopy confirmed the purity and homogeneity of this subfraction. Mitochondrial outer membranes had significant galactosyltransferase activity when incubated with UDP-[14C]galactose: 14C-labelling was found in products extractable with organic solvents and in a residual precipitate. Addition of exogenous dolichylmonophosphate loaded into phosphatidylcholine liposomes strongly enhanced the incorporation of [14C]galactose into chloroform/methanol (2:1, v/v) -extractable products. Thin-layer chromatography of these 2:1 extracts showed that the increase of [14C]galactose incorporation was attributable to the synthesis of a new galactosylated lipid, 'lipid L'. This 'lipid L' has been purified on silicic acid columns by elution with chloroform/methanol (1:1, v/v). The purified 'lipid L' was labile in acid and released [14C]galactose. It had the same chromatographic behaviour as dolichylmonophosphate-mannose in neutral, acid and alkaline solvent systems. Upon incubation in presence of [3H]dolichylmonophosphate and UDP-[14C]galactose, purified 'lipid L' contained both 3H- and 14C-labelling. 'Lipid L', synthesized by mitochondrial outer membranes, was therefore characterized as dolichylmonophosphate-galactose.

A biochemical chimera suggesting the existence of at least two dolichol-P-glucose:dolichol-P-P-oligosaccharide glucosyltransferases

As previously reported, incubation of liver dolichol-P, UDP-[14C]Gal, and a particulate preparation of Acetobacter xylinum leads to the synthesis of dolichol-P-[14C]Gal (P. Romero, R. Garcia, and M. Dankert (1977) Mol. Cell. Biochem. 16, 205-212). It is now reported that upon incubation of the latter with rat liver microsomes, [14C-galactose]-Gal1Man9GlcNAc2-P-P-dolichol and [14C-galactose]Gal1Glc1Man9GlcNAc2-P-P-dolichol are formed. The galactosyl residues appeared to be (1,3)-linked in the same positions as the glucose units in the respective physiological compounds. No lipid-linked Gal1Glc2Man9GlcNAc2 was formed, thus strongly suggesting the presence of at least two dolichol-P-Glc:dolichol-P-P-oligosaccharide glucosyltransferases, only one of which is able to use dolichol-P-Gal as substrate. Incubation of the galactosylated dolichol-P-P derivatives with rat liver microsomes led to the transfer of the oligosaccharides to microsomal proteins. No endogenous, membrane-bound glycosidases were able to remove the galactose residues but mannose units were excised by endogenous neutral mannosidases.

Galactosyltransferases: physical, chemical, and biological aspects

Galactosyltransferases (GTs) are one of the members of a family of enzymes called glycosyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of complex carbohydrates. These enzymes catalyze the transfer of galactose from UDP-galactose to an acceptor (glycoprotein, glycolipid) containing terminal N-acetylglucosamine or N-acetylgalactosamine residue. GTs occur in soluble (milk, serum, effusions, etc.) and insoluble (membrane) forms. The GT activities on the outer surface of the cells have been correlated with a host of cellular interactions, including fertilization, cell migration, embryonic induction, chondrogenesis, contact inhibition of growth, cell adhesion, hemostasis, intestinal cell differentiation, and immune recognition. GTs have been purified to homogeneity using affinity chromatography. Most GTs are found active in the pH range 6 to 8 and at temperatures between 35 to 40 degrees C. Manganese is an essential co-factor for GT activity. Isoenzymes of GT have been recognized, especially in tumor tissues, malignant effusions, and sera of cancer patients using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence and absence of SDS. Depending on the source of the enzyme, the molecular weights of GTs range between 40,000 to 80,000 daltons. Carcinoma-associated GT isoenzyme has been reported to have a higher molecular weight than the normal GT isoenzyme. Development of monoclonal antibody against the cancer-specific GT isoenzyme will provide help in the development of an immunoassay for the measurement of this isoenzyme in the sera and an aid in the radioimmunolocalization of the tumors in cancer patients.

Formation of lipid-linked sugars in mycelial and yeast-like forms of Mucor rouxii

Cell wall fragments from both yeast-like and mycelial forms of the dimorphic fungus Mucor rouxii were used as enzymatic preparations to study the synthesis and role of prenyl-phospho-sugars in these systems. In the presence of GDP [14C] mannose two main products were formed. One of them was characterized as dolichol-monophosphate beta-mannose on the following basis: solubility in organic solvents, behaviour upon paper chromatography, DEAE cellulose column chromatography, mild acid hydrolysis, alkali treatment, catalytic reduction and phenol degradation. The other product was identified as a glycoprotein containing a single mannose unit linked to a serine or threonine residue. It was degraded with pronase and by mild NaOH-NaBH4 treatment all the radioactivity was released as free mannitol. When UDP [14C] glucose was employed as sugar donor two butanol soluble components were isolated. One of them (25%) was characterized as dolichol-monophosphate-beta-glucose on the basis of the same criteria as described above. The other one (75%) was neutral and was not studied in detail. Mycelial enzymes were about 40 times more active in the synthesis of the dolichol derivatives. In addition, large amounts of glycogen were detected. The role that both dolichol derivatives might play in glycoprotein biosynthesis is discussed.

The biosynthetic pathway of the asparagine-linked oligosaccharides of glycoproteins

This review deals with the structure and addition of the different types of oligosaccharides to asparagine residues in proteins. This process occurs in several steps, first an oligosaccharide which contains N-acetylglucosamine mannose and glucose is built up joined to dolichyl diphosphate. The oligosaccharide is then transferred to a polypeptide chain, loses its glucose, and is modified by removal of some monosaccharides and addition of others giving rise to a variety of saccharides.

Biosynthesis of polysaccharides in Acetobacter xylinum. Sequential synthesis of a heptasaccharide diphosphate prenol

The sequential synthesis in vitro of a heptasaccharide diphosphate prenol, containing glucose, mannose, glucuronic acid and rhamnose in the ratio 4:1:1:1 is described. The enzyme preparation consisted of EDTA-treated Acetobacter xylinum cells and UDP-glucose, GDP-mannose, UDP-glucuronic acid and TDP-rhamnose were employed as sugar donors. The compounds soluble in chloroform/methanol/water (1:2:0.3) formed from incubations carried out under different conditions in the presence of a variety of combinations of the donors labeled with 14C, 3H or 32P were analysed by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, gel filtration, partial acid hydrolysis, acetolysis, periodate oxidation, etc. The following structure is proposed for the most complex compound characterized: rhamnosyl-(1 leads to 6)-beta-glucosyl-(1 leads to 6)-alpha-glucosyl-(1 leads to 4)-beta-glucuronyl-(1 leads to 6)-beta-mannosyl-(1 leads to 3)-beta-glucosyl-(1 leads to 4)-alpha-glucosyl diphosphate prenol. The smaller oligosaccharide diphosphate prenols formed as intermediate steps are also characterized in this or in previous work [Garcia, R. C., Recondo, E. and Dankert, M. A. (1974) Eur. J. Biochem. 43, 93-105; Couso, R. O., Ielpi, L., and Dankert, M. A. (1980) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 204, 434-443]. The role of these compounds in the biosynthesis of a complex exopolysaccharide that this microorganism forms in addition to cellulose is discussed.