Glycolipid glycosyl transferases of a hamster cell line in culture. I. Kinetic constants, substrate and donor nucleotide sugar specificities

Characterization of a glycosphingolipid beta-N-acetylgalactosaminyl-transferase activity in cultured hamster (nil) cells

The activity of a glycosphingolipid N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (GalNAc transferase) in cultured hamster fibroblasts (NIL-8) was characterized with respect to substrate binding, acceptor specificity, pH optimum and detergent requirements. Of the glycosphingolipid acceptors tested, transferase activity was observed only with globotriaosylceramide. The apparent Km values for uridinediphosphate-N-acetylgalactosamine and globotriasylceramide were 0.14 and 0.42 mM, respectively. The enzyme required Mn2+ for maximum activity (4 mM), and Mg2+ was not able to replace Mn2+. Of the detergents tested, sodium taurodeoxycholate gave the greatest activation of the enzyme at 1 mg/ml. A broad pH optimum (4.5-8.0) was obtained, with maximum activity at pH 6.0 in 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid. Globotetraosylceramide and II3-alpha-N-acetylneuraminyl-lactosylceramide inhibited transferase activity with globotriaosylceramide as substrate, but lactosylceramide had no effect on the activity with this acceptor. The major product of the assay was shown to be a tetraglycosylceramide with a terminal beta-N-acetylgalactosamine moiety by co-migration with authentic globotetraosylceramide on TLC plates and by cleavage of the labeled N-acetylgalactosamine from the product by jack bean beta-hexosaminidase.

Glycolipid glycosyl transferases of a hamster cell line in culture. II. Subcellular distribution and the effect of culture age and density

The activities of two galactosyl transferases catalysing the formation of di- and tri-glycosyl ceramides in NIL-2 hamster cells have been studied with respect to culture age and density, subcellular distribution, and transformation of cells by virus. The activity of the transferases was found to increase considerably as culture density increased, although maximal activities were found before appreciable cell contact occurred. The highest transferase activities were found in the endoplasmic reticulum. Virus transformation reduces the activity of the transferase catalysing triglycosyl ceramide synthesis, while the transferase catalysing diglycosyl ceramide synthesis is slightly increased. There is no evidence that the transformed cells produce a dialysable soluble inhibitor of transferase activities.