Identification and quantification of glycoproteins by affinity electrophoresis

Preparative affinity membrane electrophoresis

Using the patented Gradiflow system in conjunction with newly developed affinity membranes, the suitability of an electrokinetic technique for affinity fractionation was investigated. Blue dextran incorporated into an affinity membrane was used to deplete a solution of horse serum of albumin, with the result that a majority of serum proteins were enriched tenfold relative to albumin. The technique, when fully developed, would offer some advantages over affinity chromatography, since to a degree it is possible to control which components of the sample are presented to the affinity matrix. Furthermore, the technique would extend the capabilities of the already multifunctional Gradiflow system.

Immobilized metal ion affinity electrophoresis: a preliminary report

The ligand "Sepharose-IDA-Cu(II)" was entrapped into an agarose gel used for affinity electrophoresis. The binding of three closely related proteins, namely alpha-chymotrypsinogen A, alpha-chymotrypsin, and alpha-chymotrypsin inactivated with diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DIFP) to the affinity gel, was investigated. When the protein having affinity for the ligand was run in the presence of small amounts of the ligand, the retention of the protein by the ligand caused "tailing" of the sample. This pattern was changed in the presence of increasing amounts of the ligand, leading to a "rocket" shape due to the stronger binding of the protein to the chelated metal ligand entrapped in the gel. The degree of retardation in the gel with the ligand is an expression of the affinity between the protein and the ligand. The migration distance of alpha-chymotrypsin and alpha-chymotrypsin treated with DIFP at a given concentration of the ligand is linearly related to the protein amount deposited on the gel. The dissociation constant for the tested proteins were calculated from the Bøg-Hansen-Takeo plot. The difference in the affinity strength of these structurally related proteins towards the ligand suggests the involvement of the surface topography of histidine residues on their binding to the ligand.

O-linked GlcNAc in serotype-2 adenovirus fibre

Serotype-2 adenovirus fibre is shown to possess an O-linked GlcNAc residue and to have affinity for wheat germ agglutinin. The cytoplasmic and nuclear fibres are both glycosylated. Glycosylation seems to take place in the cytoplasm since most of the [14C]GlcN-labelled fibre is found in this compartment, little label being associated with the microsomes. Glycosylation of the fibre was not affected by inhibitors of N- and O-glycosylation. A variation in fibre glycosylation is observed among adenovirus. Among the serotypes tested, only serotype-5 adenovirus (another subgroup C virus) also incorporated [14C]GlcN into its fibre, but did not possess affinity for wheat-germ agglutinin. The GlcNAc is located in the N-terminal two-thirds of the fibre and more probably in the N-terminal one-third. The free or penton-base-associated fibres are similarly glycosylated. These results suggest that glycosylation is not involved in viral adsorption and in assembly with the capsid penton base. Thus, glycosylation might be a characteristic feature of subgroup C viruses.

The visualization by affinity electrophoresis of a specific association between the consecutive citric acid cycle enzymes fumarase and malate dehydrogenase

Evidence is growing that the citric acid cycle, like many other metabolic pathways, might exist in vivo as a more or less tightly organized multi-enzyme cluster. The term 'metabolon' [Robinson, J. B. & Srere, P. A. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 10800-10805] was recently introduced to describe such a complex of sequential metabolic enzymes. We adopted the technique of affinity electrophoresis for the study of interactions between the cycle enzymes fumarase and malate dehydrogenase. This approach offers several advantages over our previously described affinity chromatographic technique [Beeckmans, S. & Kanarek, L. (1981) Eur. J. Biochem. 117, 527-535], one of which is the fact that the interaction can be directly visualized. The observed association is specific since both metabolically unrelated proteins and the cytoplasmic isoenzyme of malate dehydrogenase do not interact with fumarase. Several metabolites (citrate, isocitrate, 2-oxoglutarate, succinate, fumarate, malate, oxaloacetate, Pi, AMP, ADP, NAD+, NADH) were found not to affect the association between fumarase and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase. Both ATP, Mg2+ -ATP and GTP disrupt the association when they are present at 1 mM concentrations. Lower non-physiological ATP concentrations do not, however, disturb the interaction. The presence of 1 mM ADP was found to abolish the disrupting effect of 1 mM ATP. The latter findings are suggestive of an interruption of the citric acid cycle at the level of fumarase under conditions of high energy load (i.e. high ATP/ADP ratios).

The application of lectins to the characterization and isolation of mammalian cell populations

Mammalian cells invariably contain a vast array of glycosylated moieties, both inside the cell and on the cell surface. There is an increasing awareness of the utility of these carbohydrates in delineating the phenotype or function of many populations of cells. To this end lectins are extremely useful reagents. Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins and glycoproteins of non-immune origin derived from numerous plants and animals. A wide variety of lectins with many distinct carbohydrate specificities have been isolated. Historically the most common laboratory techniques utilizing lectins have been agglutination, mitogen stimulation, and fluorescence techniques. Recent advances in the development and conjugation procedure for labels and matrices have led to the creation of numerous novel lectin-based assays. Lectins are currently used not only to identify cells with specified carbohydrate groups, but also to quantitate the carbohydrate groups or to isolate the carbohydrate-bearing cells or structures.

Nonenzymatically glycosylated proteins

Nonenzymatic glycosylation takes place in all proteins with a free-reacting lysine or valine in the presence of glucose. The formation of glycosylated plasma albumin, hemoglobin (Hb A1c), and skin collagen provides a diagnostic index of short- to long-term time-concentration of glucose in vivo. A wide range of assay methods are available, with affinity chromatographic, isoelectric focusing, and spectrophotometric methods providing the best accuracy and versatility. Glycosylated hemoglobin assays indicate glucose pressure over the previous 2 to 3 months and are of diagnostic value in general diabetic control, while glycosylated plasma albumin determinations are preferable in acute episodes in the life of a diabetic (e.g., pregnancy, infection, stress, trauma, surgery), since they provide an overview of changing blood glucose values of the previous 2 to 4 weeks. Glycosylated collagen estimations reflect tissue aging and are relevant in healing processes. Glycosylation alters the biologic activity of proteins, and these may relate to the manifold complications concomitant on the lifelong elevation of blood and tissue glucose in the diabetic (C6a). Assays for glycosylated hemoglobin have been routinely performed in clinical chemistry laboratories for a decade, and convenient determination for other nonenzymatically glycosylated proteins is proceeding apace.

Glycosylation of human thyroglobulin and characterization by lectin affinity electrophoresis

Thyroglobulin, a 660 kDa glycoprotein, is the major product of protein synthesis in the thyroid gland. It has been suggested that modifications of thyroglobulin glycosylation occur in various thyroid disorders. In order to study possible changes in glycosylation of tissue thyroglobulin associated with thyroid disease, we have developed a lectin affinity electrophoresis system which allows characterization of small (less than 1 microgram) quantities of thyroglobulin. Human thyroglobulin was extracted and purified. Agarose gels were cast containing concanavalin A, Ricinus communis agglutinin, L-phytohaemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen at various concentrations. Purified human thyroglobulin was serially diluted, loaded onto lectin gels and electrophoresed. Concanavalin A, R. communis agglutinin and phytohaemagglutinin all bound thyroglobulin in a concentration-dependent manner. Pokeweed mitogen did not bind thyroglobulin. Purified thyroglobulin was treated with neuraminidase and endoglycosidase H. Two-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis revealed the migration of thyroglobulin to be modified by neuraminidase but not by endoglycosidase H. Lectin affinity electrophoresis of purified human thyroglobulin with and without enzyme treatment indicated the presence of: oligomannose structures as shown by concanavalin A reactivity and modification by endoglycosidase H, and complex oligosaccharides as shown by affinity for R. communis agglutinin and modification by neuraminidase. These structures are in keeping with the proposed patterns of glycosylation of human thyroglobulin and indicate suitability of the method for characterizing the glycosylation of small quantities of thyroglobulin.

Crossed affinity immunoelectrophoresis of the Escherichia coli pyruvate dehydrogenase complex

The crossed immunoelectrophoretic pattern obtained with the intact pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of Escherichia coli can be modified when this technique is combined with affinity gel electrophoresis using reactive dyes coupled to agarose as ligands. The patterns that arise have been interpreted with respect to localization of the three component enzymes. This was realized by using antibodies with different specificity, active enzyme staining and E2-E3 subcomplex behaviour. Dissociation of E1 subunits occurs more easily than that of E3 but remains incomplete in this system. The free reactive Procion Blue-MX dyes tested inactivate the complex even at neutral pH. The dyes react with all three components but E3 (80%) and E2 (15-20%) retain part of their catalytic activity. Modification leads to an enhanced dissociation of E1.

Affinity electrophoresis of human serum alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes in agarose gel containing lectin

Separation of alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes using affinity electrophoresis in agarose gel containing lectin is described. The bone and biliary isoenzymes precipitate during electrophoresis and are clearly separated from the liver isoenzyme. The liver, intestinal and placental alkaline phosphatases are essentially not affected by the lectin. The migration distances of the precipitating bone and biliary fractions vary with their alkaline phosphatase activity. The bone isoenzyme is more heterogeneous than the biliary isoenzyme with respect to interaction with lectin forming both insoluble and soluble complexes. Affinity electrophoresis in agarose gel containing lectin can be used for quantitation by densitometry of liver and bone isoenzymes in sera containing only these two fractions but must be combined with conventional electrophoresis, preferably in agar gel, if biliary, intestinal, or placental isoenzymes are also present.

Glycosylation of yeast aspartyl-tRNA synthetase. Affinity labelling by glucose and glucose 6-phosphate

Several lines of evidence establish that the crystallizable aspartyl-tRNA synthetase from Baker's yeast contains some covalently bound glucose: (i) a positive staining of the enzyme was obtained after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by the concanavalin A-peroxidase test which is specific for glucose and mannose containing proteins; (ii) thin-layer chromatography and gas-liquid chromatography revealed the presence of glucose in enzyme hydrolysates; (iii) immunoaffinoelectrophoresis in agarose gels containing concanavalin A and antibodies raised against aspartyl-tRNA synthetase showed that the enzyme was able to precipitate entirely in the lectin. Finally incubation of the enzyme with [14C]glucose or [14C]glucose 6-phosphate led to the incorporation of radioactivity into trichloroacetic acid-precipitable protein. Indeed immunoprecipitation of [14C]glucose-labelled aspartyl-tRNA synthetase with specific antibodies using the rocket method followed by autoradiography gave a radioactive peak. This last result also demonstrates the possibility of in vitro glycosylation of yeast aspartyl-tRNA synthetase.

Neuraminidase in Bacteroides fragilis

A neuraminidase from Bacteroides fragilis was purified 542-fold by isoelectric focusing, adsorption chromatography on Affi-Gel 202, and gel filtration chromatography on Sephadex G-200. On isoelectric focusing the neuraminidase was resolved into three differently charged fractions with pI values of 6.8, 7.1, and 7.4. The major component of pI 7.1 was used for further purification. The purified enzyme had optimal activity at pH 6.4 with N-acetylneuraminlactose as the substrate. Its molecular weight, determined by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography, was 92,000. The neuraminidase hydrolyzed terminal neuraminic acid residues from N-acetylneuraminlactose, fetuin, bovine submaxillary mucin, and porcine stomach lining mucin. A new method for the detection of neuraminidase activity is described which is based on rocket affinoelectrophoresis. It utilizes the differences in the interaction of sialylated and desialylated mucin with Helix pomatia lectin, enzymatic activity being detected by formation of affinorockets after incubation of the neuraminidase with bovine submaxillary mucin.

Determination of salivary ABH-blood group antigens by rocket affinoelectrophoresis

A rocket affinoelectrophoretic assay system was used to detect and quantify the human salivary ABH-blood group antigens of 155 individuals. In this system blood group antigens precipitated as rockets in agarose gels containing different lectins, with the rocket height being correlated to the antigen concentration. This technique was compared with the classical hemagglutination inhibition method for determination of salivary blood group antigens, and it was demonstrated that salivary A, B and H blood group antigens were detected with the lectins from helix pomatia, Bandeiraea simplicifolia and Ulex europeus, respectively. The technique was rapid and sensitive, with a detection limit of 0.1 microliters saliva. This technique can also be used for determination of blood group antigens derived from other body fluids, tissues and cells.

Affinity electrophoresis of glycoproteins

Affinity electrophoresis is based on the reaction between interacting components during electro phoresis. In this review is given the general analytical technology. The main advantages of the analytical electrophoresis approach appear to be: 1. It can separate macromolecules that interact with a specific ligand from those that do not. 2. It can be used for studies of interacting macromolecules. 3. It is not necessary to purify interacting components. 4. A multitude of proteins reacting with the same ligand may be studied simultaneously. 5. It can be generalized to interactions other than those between lectins and glycoproteins.

Purification of the variant antigens of Trypanosoma congolense: a new approach to the isolation of glycoproteins

We describe a new and rapid method for the isolation and purification of the variant antigens of Trypanosoma congolense. The procedure consists of (a) partial lysis of trypanosomes with dioxane, (b) lectin-affinity-chromatography with Con A-Sepharose, (c) electrophoretic desorption and concomitant separation of Con A-Sepharose-bound glycoproteins in a granulated electrofocusing gel, (d) electrophoretic elution of focused proteins from the granulated gel particles. The efficiency of each step was followed quantitatively by affinity electrophoresis. 73% of the variant antigens originally present in a trypanosomal lysate could be recovered. From 10(10) trypanosomes 2 mg of pure variant antigen were obtained. The variant antigen of the trypanosome clone used exhibits heterogeneity in molecular weight as well as in electric charge.

The use of specific antiserum induced by lectin-antigen complexes to investigate the outer membrane antigens of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Extracts of gonococcal surface antigens, examined by crossed affinity electrophoresis (CAE) with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), yielded a single antigen-lectin precipitate in agarose gels. This precipitate induced in rabbits a potent antiserum specific for the gonococcal antigen which reacted with WGA. Immune electron microscopy on whole gonococci showed that this antiserum reacted with outer membrane vesicles. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) purified by phenol-water extraction of whole gonococci reacted with WGA and also with the antiserum to the WGA-antigen complex. This indicated that the antiserum was specific for antigen(s) of the outer membrane complex.

Study of the interaction between NADP-dependent dehydrogenase and immobilized adenosine 2'-monophosphate by means of affinity electrophoresis

A water-soluble 8-substituted adenosine 2'-monophosphate-polyacrylamide (8-sub-2'-AMP-PA) was prepared as a new affinity ligand for the determination of the dissociation constants of the interactions between immobilized 8-sub-2'-AMP and NADP-dependent dehydrogenases (NADP-dependent DH), NAD-dependent dehydrogenases (NAD-dependent DH) and phosphorylase by means of affinity electrophoresis. From the dissociation constants, it was found that NADP-dependent DH had a much stronger affinity to immobilized 8-sub-2'-AMP than did NAD-dependent DH and phosphorylase. On the other hand, NADP-dependent DH had a much weaker affinity to immobilized 8-sub-5'-AMP than did NAD-dependent DH. The effects of NADP+ and NAD+ on the interaction between immobilized 8-sub-2'-AMP and NADP-dependent DH were also investigated by means of affinity electrophoresis. NADP+ inhibited the interaction specifically, but NAD+ did not inhibit the interaction. These results indicate that 8-sub-2'-AMP binds to the coenzyme binding site of NADP-dependent DH, while other compounds, such as 8-sub-5'-AMP and NAD+, do not bind to NADP-depenndent DH. Such a difference suggests that the phosphate group at position 2' in 2'-AMP and NADP+ is important for the binding at the coenzyme binding site of NADP-dependent DH.

Study of the interaction between L-lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes and immobilized 8-substituted adenosine 5'-monophosphate by means of affinity electrophoresis

A water-soluble 8-substituted adenosine 5'-monophosphate-polyacrylamide (8-sub-5'-AMP-PA) was prepared as an affinity ligand for the affinity electrophoresis of L-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). According to the principles of affinity electrophoresis, the dissociation constants of the interaction between immobilized 8-sub-5'-AMP and rabbit LDH isoenzymes [LDH-1(H4), LDH-2(H3M), LDH-3(H2M2), LDH-4(HM3) and LDH-5(M4)], beef LDH-1(H4) and LDH-5(M4) and pig LDH-1(H4) were calculated. Both rabbit and beef LDH-5 (muscle-type isoenzymes) had approximately a 35-fold stronger affinity to immobilized 8-sub-5'-AMP than has their LDH-1 (heart-type isoenzymes). The effects of free nucleotides on the interaction between immobilized 8-sub-5'-AMP and LDH isoenzymes were also investigated by affinity electrophoresis. NAD+ has a stronger affinity to LDH-5(M4) than had 5'-AMP and 5'-IMP, while NMN, adenosine and fructose 6-phosphate had no affinity.

An investigation of the possible immunological relationship between allergen extracts from birch pollen, hazelnut, potato and apple

In a retrospective study on selected group of patients, the coincidence of birch pollen allergy and a clinically relevant positive prick test reaction to apples and potatoes was confirmed. Immunochemical comparison using the crossed line immunoelectrophoresis technique (CLIE) confirmed partial identity between birch pollen and hazelnut. By the same method no partial immunological identity between birch pollen and extracts and fresh peel from apples and potatoes was found. However, both apples and potatoes gave rise to non-immunological affinity precipitates. On this basis it is discussed, whether the active agents from apples and potatoes were extremely labile allergens, plant lectins, or low molecular weight substances with a direct or indirect histamine release effect.

A set of analytical electrophoresis experiments to predict the results of affinity chromatographic separations: fractionation of allergens from cow's hair and dander

Analytical affinity electrophoresis experiments are described as analogues of column and batch affinity experiments. The are based on crossed immunoelectrophoresis with included affinity, here concanavalian A (con A) and con A-Sepharose. Reactions with serum proteins and allergens from cow's hair and dander are described, and a purification scheme for the latter is described.