A high-performance liquid chromatography method for the assay of cytidine monophosphate-sialic acid synthetase

Enzymatic glycosylation involving fluorinated carbohydrates

Fluorinated carbohydrates, where one (or more) fluorine atom(s) have been introduced into a carbohydrate structure, typically through deoxyfluorination chemistry, have a wide range of applications in the glycosciences. Fluorinated derivatives of galactose, glucose, N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylglucosamine, talose, fucose and sialic acid have been employed as either donor or acceptor substrates in glycosylation reactions. Fluorinated donors can be synthesised by synthetic methods or produced enzymatically from chemically fluorinated sugars. The latter process is mediated by enzymes such as kinases, phosphorylases and nucleotidyltransferases. Fluorinated donors produced by either method can subsequently be used in glycosylation reactions mediated by glycosyltransferases, or phosphorylases yielding fluorinated oligosaccharide or glycoconjugate products. Fluorinated acceptor substrates are typically synthesised chemically. Glycosyltransferases are most commonly used in conjunction with natural donors to further elaborate fluorinated acceptor substrates. Glycoside hydrolases are used with either fluorinated donors or acceptors. The activity of enzymes towards fluorinated sugars is often lower than towards the natural sugar substrates irrespective of donor or acceptor. This may be in part attributed to elimination of the contribution of the hydroxyl group to the binding of the substrate to enzymes. However, in many cases, enzymes still maintain a significant activity, and reactions may be optimised where necessary, enabling enzymes to be used more successfully in the production of fluorinated carbohydrates. This review describes the current state of the art regarding chemoenzymatic production of fluorinated carbohydrates, focusing specifically on examples of the enzymatic production of activated fluorinated donors and enzymatic glycosylation involving fluorinated sugars as either glycosyl donors or acceptors.

CMP-Sialic Acid Synthetase: The Point of Constriction in the Sialylation Pathway

Sialoglycoconjugates form the outermost layer of animal cells and play a crucial role in cellular communication processes. An essential step in the biosynthesis of sialylated glycoconjugates is the activation of sialic acid to the monophosphate diester CMP-sialic acid. Only the activated sugar is transported into the Golgi apparatus and serves as a substrate for the linkage-specific sialyltransferases. Interference with sugar activation abolishes sialylation and is embryonic lethal in mammals. In this chapter we focus on the enzyme catalyzing the activation of sialic acid, the CMP-sialic acid synthetase (CMAS), and compare the enzymatic properties of CMASs isolated from different species. Information concerning the reaction mechanism and active site architecture is included. Moreover, the unusual nuclear localization of vertebrate CMASs as well as the biotechnological application of bacterial CMAS enzymes is addressed.

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of CMP-sialic acid derivatives by a one-pot two-enzyme system: comparison of substrate flexibility of three microbial CMP-sialic acid synthetases

Three C terminal His6-tagged recombinant microbial CMP-sialic acid synthetases [EC 2.7.7.43] cloned from Neisseria meningitidis group B, Streptococcus agalactiae serotype V, and Escherichia coli K1, respectively, were evaluated for their ability in the synthesis of CMP-sialic acid derivatives in a one-pot two-enzyme system. In this system, N-acetylmannosamine or mannose analogs were condensed with pyruvate, catalyzed by a recombinant sialic acid aldolase [EC 4.1.3.3] cloned from E. coli K12 to provide sialic acid analogs as substrates for the CMP-sialic acid synthetases. The substrate flexibility and the reaction efficiency of the three recombinant CMP-sialic acid synthetases were compared, first by qualitative screening using thin layer chromatography, and then by quantitative analysis using high performance liquid chromatography. The N. meningitidis synthetase was shown to have the highest expression level, the most flexible substrate specificity, and the highest catalytic efficiency among the three synthetases. Finally, eight sugar nucleotides, including cytidine 5'-monophosphate N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-Neu5Ac) and its derivatives with substitutions at carbon-5, carbon-8, or carbon-9 of Neu5Ac, were synthesized in a preparative (100-200 mg) scale from their 5- or 6-carbon sugar precursors using the N. meningitidis synthetase and the aldolase.

Kinetic properties of the acylneuraminate cytidylyltransferase from Pasteurella haemolytica A2

Neuroinvasive and septicaemia-causing pathogens often display a polysialic acid capsule that is involved in invasive behaviour. N-Acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc) is the basic monomer of polysialic acid. The activated form, CMP-Neu5Ac, is synthesized by the acylneuraminate cytidylyltransferase (ACT; EC 2.7.7.43). We have purified this enzyme from Pasteurella haemolytica A2 to apparent homogeneity (522-fold). The protein behaved homogeneously on SDS/PAGE as a 43 kDa band, a size similar to that of Escherichia coli, calf, mouse and rat. Specific activity in crude lysate displayed one of the highest values cited in the literature (153 m-units/mg). We have studied the steady-state kinetic mechanism of the enzyme by using normalized plot premises. The catalysis proceeds through a Ping Pong Bi Bi mechanism, with CTP as the first substrate and CMP-NeuAc as the last product. The true Km values were 1.77 mM for CTP and 1.82 mM for NeuAc. The nucleotides CDP, UTP, UDP and TTP, and the modified sialic acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid were also substrates of the ACT activity. The enzyme is inhibited by cytidine nucleotides through binding to a second cytidyl-binding site. This inhibition is greater with nucleotides that display a long phosphate tail, and the genuine inhibitor is the substrate CTP. At physiological concentrations, ATP is an activator, and AMP an inhibitor, of the ACT activity. The activated sugar UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acts as an inhibitor, thus suggesting cross-regulation of the peptidoglycan and polysialic acid pathways. Our findings provide new mechanistic insights into the nature of sialic acid activation and suggest new targets for the approach to the pathogenesis of encapsulated bacteria.

Determination of Nucleotides and Sugar Nucleotides Involved in Protein Glycosylation by High-Performance Anion-Exchange Chromatography: Sugar Nucleotide Contents in Cultured Insect Cells and Mammalian Cells

We have developed a simple and highly sensitive HPLC method for determination of cellular levels of sugar nucleotides and related nucleotides in cultured cells. Separation of 9 sugar nucleotides (CMP-Neu5Ac, CMP-Neu5Gc, CMP-KDN, UDP-Gal, UDP-Glc, UDP-GalNAc, UDP-GlcNAc, GDP-Fuc, GDP-Man) and 12 nucleotides (AMP, ADP, ATP, CMP, CDP, CTP, GMP, GDP, GTP, UMP, UDP, and UTP) was examined by reversed-phase HPLC and high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC). Although the reversed-phase HPLC, using an ion-pairing reagent, gave a good separation of the 12 nucleotides, it did not separate sufficiently the sugar nucleotides for quantification. On the other hand, the HPAEC method gave an excellent and reproducible separation of all nucleotides and sugar nucleotides with high sensitivity and reproducibility. We applied the HPAEC method to determine the intracellular sugar nucleotide levels of cultured Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) and Trichoplusia ni (High Five, BTN-TN-5B1-4) insect cells, and compared them with those in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells. Sf9 and High Five cells showed concentrations of UDP-GlcNAc, UDP-Gal, UDP-Glc, GDP-Fuc, and GDP-Man equal to or higher than those in CHO cells. CMP-Neu5Ac was detected in CHO cells, but it was not detected in Sf9 and High Five cells. In conclusion, the newly developed HPAEC method could provide valuable information necessary for generating sialylated complex-type N-glycans in insect or other cells, either native or genetically manipulated.

Identification of free deaminated sialic acid (2-keto-3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-nononic acid) in human red blood cells and its elevated expression in fetal cord red blood cells and ovarian cancer cells

Chemical studies have shown the occurrence of the deaminated sialic acid 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-nononic acid (KDN) in paired samples of blood obtained from mothers and newborns of healthy human individuals. Most of the KDN was found in red blood cells, although low levels were detected in mononuclear cells. No N-glycolylneuraminic acid was detected. Unexpectedly, nearly all of the KDN in fetal cord and matched maternal red blood cells was present as the free sugar and comparatively little occurred conjugated or as cytidine 5'-KDN phosphate. The amount of free KDN in fetal newborn red blood cells was 2.4-fold higher than in red blood cells from the mothers or from healthy nonpregnant women. Free KDN was also identified in normal human ovaries, in ovarian tumors, and in ascites cells obtained from ovarian cancer patients. Importantly, as in fetal cord red blood cells, a distinguishing feature of KDN expression in ovarian tumor cells was an elevated level of free KDN compared with normal controls. A positive correlation was found between an increase in the ratio of free KDN/N-acetylneuraminic acid in ovarian adenocarcinomas and the stage of malignancy. This was particularly evident in tumor cells isolated from the ascites fluid. The central importance of these new findings is 2-fold. First, they show that free KDN is a minor but ubiquitous sialic acid in human red blood cells and that its elevated expression in red blood cells from fetal cord blood compared with maternal red blood cells may be developmentally related to blood cell formation during embryogenesis. Second, the enhanced expression of KDN in ovarian cancer cells suggests that this sialic acid, like the alpha2,8-linked polysialic acid glycotope, may be an oncofetal antigen in these tumors and thus could be an "early warning" signal for onset of disease and/or a marker for detection of recurrence of disease. These new findings highlight the importance of elucidating the role that KDN and KDN-containing glycoconjugates may play in normal development and malignancy.

Purification, cloning, and expression of a cytidine 5'-monophosphate N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase from Haemophilus ducreyi

An N-acetylneuraminic acid cytidylyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.43) (CMP-NeuAc synthetase) was isolated from a Haemophilus ducreyi strain 35000 cell lysate and partially characterized. The enzyme catalyzes the reaction of CTP and NeuAc to form CMP-NeuAc, which is the nucleotide sugar donor used by sialyltransferases. Previous studies have shown that the outer membrane lipooligosaccharides of H. ducreyi contain terminal sialic acid attached to N-acetyllactosamine and that this modification is likely important to its pathogenesis. Therefore, to investigate the role of sialic acid in H. ducreyi pathogenesis, the gene encoding the CMP-NeuAc synthetase was cloned using degenerate oligonucleotide probes derived from NH2-terminal sequence data, and the nucleotide sequence was determined. The derived amino acid sequence of the CMP-NeuAc synthetase gene has homology to other CMP-NeuAc synthetases and to a lesser extent to CMP-2-keto-3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid synthetases. The gene was cloned into a T7 expression vector, the protein expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified to apparent homogeneity by anion exchange, Green 19 dye, and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The final step yielded 20 mg of pure protein/liter of culture. The protein has a predicted molecular mass of 25440.6 Da, which was confirmed by electrospray mass spectrometry (Mexpt = 25439.9 +/- 1.4 Da). The enzyme appears to exist as a dimer by size exclusion chromatography. In contrast to other bacterial CMP-NeuAc synthetases, the H. ducreyi enzyme exhibited a different substrate specificity, being capable of also using N-glycolylneuraminic acid as a substrate.

Determination of enzyme activity by high-performance liquid chromatography

The application of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in the study of enzymatic reactions is reviewed. The rationale for using HPLC is given and whether the components of the reaction mixture should be derivatized prior to or after HPLC. An alphabetical list of enzymes assayed by HPLC is given. Substrate and product are included as well the derivatization reagent, detection method and biological matrix. Specific examples of these assays in a complex biological matrix viz. faeces are given. Future prospects are the detection of new enzymes using synthetic substrates and implementation of mass spectrometry to elucidate enzyme specificities.

Assay of sialyltransferase activity by reversed-phase ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography

Sialyltransferases (CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid:glycoprotein sialyltransferases, EC 2.4.99.1) are involved in the transfer of a sialic acid moiety from CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-NeuAc) to an oligosaccharide side-chain of an acceptor, asialoglycoprotein (AGP), according to the following reaction: CMP-NeuAc + AGP----NeuAc-O-AGP + CMP. This enzyme occurs in elevated levels in the sera of patients with a wide variety of neoplastic diseases and its assay might be useful in monitoring treatment. Radioactive CMP-NeuAc has been used in assays and the radioactive sialylated product separated and counted by liquid scintillation spectrometry. This study shows that a simple, rapid, non-radiochemically based high-performance liquid chromatographic method developed for the analysis of CMP-sialic acid synthetase can be used for the quantitation of sialyltransferase activity by monitoring simultaneously the utilization of CMP-NeuAc and the release of CMP. We describe the application of this method to assay of commercially available sialyltransferase activity and to activities from synovial, ascites and gastric fluids.

The side-chain conformations of N-acetyl-7-,8-,9-deoxy-, and -4,7-dideoxy-neuraminic acid and their effect on the activation of CTP:N-acylneuraminic acid cytidylyltransferase

The conformations of the deoxy side-chain analogs of N-acetylneuraminic acid and of N-acetyl-4-deoxyneuraminic acid have been studied by n.m.r. spectroscopy, which allowed us to distinguish between local minima conformations suggested by hard-sphere calculations. The conformations were correlated with the activity with CTP: N-acetylneuraminic acid cytidylyltransferase (CMPsialate synthase; EC 2.7.7.43).

Enzymatic introduction of a fluorescent sialic acid into oligosaccharide chains of glycoproteins

Aiming at the introduction of a fluorescent sialic acid into glycoconjugates, 5-acetamido-9-(3-fluoresceinylthio-ureido)-3,5,9-trideoxy-2-non ulosonic acid (9-fluoresceinyl-NeuAc) was synthesized which has an intact carbon chain. a) Despite the space-filling substituent at C-9, the fluorescent NeuAc analogue was activated to the corresponding CMP-glycoside by CMP sialic acid synthase from bovine brain. Whereas the Km value of the synthase was little affected by the modification (Km = 2.1 mM, for NeuAc Km = 1.4 mM), the V value decreased to 7.5%. b) CMP-9-fluoresceinyl-NeuAc was synthesized on a preparative scale (17% overall yield), and characterized by analytical HPLC, absorption and fluorescence spectra. c) 9-Fluoresceinyl-NeuAc was transferred onto asialo-alpha 1-acid glycoprotein by both Gal beta 1, 4GlcNAc alpha 2, 6sialyltransferase and Gal beta 1,4(3)GlcNAc alpha 2,3sialyltransferase (rat liver), and onto antifreeze glycoprotein by GalNAc alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase (porcine submaxillary glands). Using analytical HPLC, transfer was confirmed after release of the fluorescent sialic acid by Vibrio cholerae sialidase. d) Initial rate studies indicated a low Km value of Gal beta-1,4GlcNAc alpha 2,6sialyltransferase, and GalNAc alpha 2,6sialyltransferase (specific for O-linked oligosaccharide chains) for CMP-9-fluoresceinyl-NeuAc.

Activation and transfer of novel synthetic 9-substituted sialic acids

In this report several NeuAc analogues differently modified at position C-9 were tested as substrates for CMP sialic acid synthase from bovine brain: the hydroxy group at C-9 was replaced by an amino, acetamido, benzamido, hexanoylamido and azido group. The synthase was partially purified by chromatography on CDP-hexanolamine--Sepharose. CMP-glycosides synthesized were measured by analytical HPLC at 275 nm. Each NeuAc analogue was activated to the respective CMP-glycoside: Km-values varied from 0.8 mM to 4.6 mM, the Km for NeuAc was 1.4 mM. Thus affinity of the enzyme was influenced only moderately by chemical modification at C-9. CMP-glycosides were synthesized on a preparative scale with good yield and characterized by analytical HPLC. In addition, 500-MHz 1H-NMR data of CMP-9-amino-NeuAc and CMP-9-acetamido-NeuAc were obtained. Each CMP-activated NeuAc analogue was a suitable donor substrate for Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase from rat liver. Transfer was determined by the thiobarbituric acid method and by analytical HPLC at 200 nm. The results demonstrate that synthetic, not naturally occurring, non-labelled NeuAc analogues can be incorporated into glycoprotein with high yield.

On the side-chain conformation of N-acetylneuraminic acid and its epimers at C-7, C-8, and C-7,8

The side-chain conformation of N-acetylneuraminic acid and analogs has been studied by n.m.r. spectroscopy. The results of the 1H-, 13C-n.m.r.-, and 1H-nuclear-Overhauser-enhancement measurements were used to distinguish between different local-minima conformations suggested by hard-sphere calculations. Attempts were made to correlate the major conformation determined for each compound with the behavior towards activation with N-acetylneuraminic acid-CMP-synthetase.