Sialyltransferase acceptor activity of "antifreeze" glycoproteins from an antarctic fish

Specificity of porcine liver gal beta (1 leads to 3)galnac-r alpha(2 leads to 3) sialyltransferase sialylation of mucin-type acceptors and ganglioside GM1 in vitro

Porcine liver microsomes are capable of transferring sialic acid from CMP-NeuAc to [14C]galactosylated ovine submaxillary asialo-mucin, porcine submaxillary asialo/afuco-mucin and ganglioside GM1. The specificity of the porcine liver sialyltransferase (CMP-N-acetylneuraminate: D-galactosyl-glycoprotein N-acetylneuraminyltransferase, EC 2.4.99.1) towards the first acceptor, [14C]Gal-GalNAc-protein, was investigated by means of methylation studies on the oligosaccharides changes cleft-off from the sialylated product glycoprotein by beta-elimination under reductive conditions. It appeared that sialic acid was transferred solely to position C-3 of galactose residues on Gal beta(1 leads to 3)GalNAc disaccharide units. Transfer to GalNAc residues was completely absent. Competition experiments and heat activation studies suggested that the same enzyme also converts ganglioside GM1 to ganglioside GD1a. Therefore, this porcine liver sialyltransferase can be designated as a Gal beta(1 leads to 3)GalNAc-R alpha(2 leads to 3) sialyltransferase.

Solubilization and stabilization of human liver glycoprotein sialyltransferase

Triton X-100 is increasingly effective in solubilizing human liver glycoprotein (asialofetuin) sialytransferase (CMP-N-acetylneuraminate:D-galactosyl-glycoprotien N-acetylneuraminyltransferase, EC 2.4.99.1) activity as its concentration is increased in the homogenizing buffer. At the optimal concentration of 1.5% (v/v), essentially all of the homogenate sialyltransferase activity was solubilized into the supernatant fluid. Higher concentrations of Triton X-100 inhibited sialyltransferase activity. Several kinetic properties of the solubilized asialofetuin-sialyltransferase activity were compared to those of the membrane-bound enzyme(s) (in homogenates made without Triton X-100 or in resuspended pellets). No major difference was apparent, suggesting that solubilization has not significantly altered the properties of sialyltransferase. The solubilized sialyltransferase activity is quite unstable, losing approximately 50% of its activity after one week of storage at 4 degrees C. Various detergents (Zwittergent, sodium taurocholate and sodium deoxycholate) are differentially effective in stabilizing the solubilized activity. Sodium taurocholate (1.5%, w/v) was most effective with no loss in activity after 40 days and minimal loss (14%) after 60 days storage at 4 degrees C. The solubilized sialyltransferase preparation retains full activity after storage in the frozen state (-20 degrees C) for at least 159 days.

Structure of the disaccharide chain of galactosyl-N-acetylgalactosaminyl-protein synthesized in vitro

In order to obtain a [14C]galactosyl-N-acetylgalactosaminyl-protein which would be useful as an acceptor in studies on the specificity of glycosyltransferases, a porcine submaxillary gland microsomal galactosyltransferase preparation was used for the galactosylation in vitro of N-acetylgalactosaminyl-protein (desialylated ovine submaxillary mucin). The newly formed oligosaccharide unit was obtained as a reduced disaccharide after alkaline borohydride treatment of the [14C]galactosyl-N-acetylgalactosaminyl-protein product and as glycopeptides by proteolytic digestion of the glycoprotein. The reduced disaccharide consisted of equimolar amounts of galactose and N-acetylgalactosaminitol and was characterized by thin-layer chromatography, high-voltage electrophoresis and gas-liquid chromatography. Periodate oxidation studies on the reduced disaccharide revealed that [14C]galactose was linked to position C-3 on the N-acetylgalactosaminyl residue. Digestion of the reduced disaccharide and the glycopeptides with galactosidases gave equivocal results as to the anomeric configuration of the [14C]galactose residue. Nuclear magnetic resonance of the reduced disaccharide, however, definitely indicated that the configuration was beta. The specificity of the porcine submaxillary gland galactosyltransferase thus can be defined as a uridine diphosphogalactose: alpha-D-N-acetylgalactosaminyl-protein beta 1 leads to 3 transferase activity.

Synthesis of beta-nitrophenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-D-glactopyranosides

Reaction of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl bromide with p-nitrophenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4,6-O-(p-methoxybenzylidene)-alpha-D-galactopyranoside under the usual conditions, followed by removal of the p-methoxybenzylidene group and O-deacylation, gave crystalline p-nitrophenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-alpha-D-galactopyranoside. The synthesis of p-nitrophenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside has also been accomplished by a similar reaction-sequence.