Reinvestigation of the carbohydrate chains of calf fetuin using 13C-n.m.r. spectroscopy

Mass Spectrometry-Based Glycomics Strategy for Exploring N-Linked Glycosylation in Eukaryotes and Bacteria

N-Glycosylation of proteins is recognized as one of the most common posttranslational modifications in eukaryotes. To date, most glycomics techniques are limited to examining eukaryotic pathways. Technologies capable of characterizing newly described N-linked glycosylation systems in bacteria from biologically relevant samples in an accurate, rapid, and cost-effective manner are needed. In this paper, a new glycomics strategy, based on the combination of nonspecific proteolytic digestion and permethylation, was devised that can be used for both eukaryotic and bacterial glycoproteins. Eukaryotic glycoproteins were digested with Pronase E with a higher ratio (enzyme/protein, 2:1-3:1) and a longer reaction time (48-72 h). The Asn-glycans were then purified using porous graphitic carbon cartridges followed by permethylation. The mass spectrometric data indicated that hydroxyl groups were methylated, while the amino group in asparagine underwent beta-elimination. Both modifications were evident from an increase of 111 Da in the molecular masses of permethylated Asn-glycans compared to the corresponding free oligosaccharides. NMR spectroscopy corroborated these results by showing that the mass difference resulted from beta-elimination of the free amino group in the asparagine residue. The method was validated with the characterization of the N-linked glycoproteins in total protein extracts from the bacterium Campylobacter jejuni 11168H. In addition to detecting the Asn-linked bacterial heptasaccharide, we also observed an unexpected free heptasaccharide intermediate that required a functional glycosylation pathway. These results demonstrate the usefulness of this method for screening N-linked glycans expressed by eukaryotes and bacteria and for detecting novel intermediates of N-linked glycosylation pathways.

Alterations of CMP-NeuAc:asialofetuin sialyltransferase activities in human colorectal adenocarcinoma

It has been reported that surface glycoconjugates in tumour cells have more complex and more heavily sialylated sugar chains in glycoproteins. Here, we analysed CMP-NeuAc:asialofetuin sialyltransferase activities in total cell membranes from colorectal cancer tissue with respect to normal adjacent tissue, finding enhanced sialyltransferase activities. Determination of the kinetic parameters for the donor substrate, CMP-NeuAc, revealed that the apparent K(m) in tumour tissue was decreased as regards to the normal value. Furthermore, we failed to find any correlation between this activity and the characteristics of the samples such as the age or sex of the patient, or Dukes' stage of the tumour. In order to know which sialyltransferase activity was altered, we studied the incorporation of NeuAc into N- and O-linked chains from asialofetuin. The results allow us to conclude that it is on N-linked chains where the activity is enhanced. With respect to alpha(2,3)- and alpha(2,6)-NeuAc linkages, we observed that enhanced activity in tumour tissues affects both linkages equally.

Secretion of alpha1,3-galactosyltransferase by cultured cells and presence of enzyme in animal sera

Glycosyltransferases are normally synthesized as membrane-anchored proteins. However, we recently found that the murine enzyme UDP-Gal:Gal beta1 -->4GLcNAc (Gal to Gal) alpha1,3 galactosyltransferase (alpha1,3GT) is secreted in a soluble form into media by mouse teratocarcinoma F9 cells (Cho SK, Yeh J-C, Cho M, Cummings RD (1996) J Biol Chem 271: 3238-46). To study the biosynthesis of this enzyme and whether secretion of the soluble enzyme is a general phenomenon, a solid-phase assay was developed for the alpha1,3GT activity. A recombinant and soluble form of the murine alpha1,3GT was produced in H293 cells (H293-alpha1,3GT) to aid in optimizing the assay. Desialylated orosomucoid was used as an immobilized acceptor in coated microtiter plates. The formation of product was detected by a biotinylated human-derived anti-alpha-Gal IgG and streptavidin conjugated to either alkaline phosphatase or the recombinant bioluminescent protein aequorin. Enzyme activity was dependent on the concentrations of asialoorosomucoid, UDP-Gal, alpha1,3GT and the time of incubation. The assay was also useful in monitoring alpha1,3GT activity during enzyme enrichment procedures. Using this assay, we found that alpha1,3GT activity was present in both cell extracts and culture media of several mammalian cell lines. Enzyme activity was also present in the sera from several mammals, but activity was absent in the sera from either humans or baboons. Our results demonstrate the development of a novel assay for the alpha1,3GT and provide evidence that secretion of the enzyme is a common biological phenomenon.

Picogram detection levels of asialofetuin via the carbohydrate moieties using the light addressable potentiometric sensor

Fetal calf serum asialofetuin was assayed in the sandwich format using biotinylated and fluoresceinated ricin toxin (B-RCA and F-RCA). The sandwiched species was captured on a biotin-BSA coated nitrocellulose membrane with streptavidin. Anti-fluorescein antibody-urease conjugate was bound to the complex, and detected and quantitated under microvolume conditions using the light addressable potentiometric sensor. As little as 250 pg of asialofetuin was detectable whereas fetuin gave no response at conditions as high as 32 ng. Using a competitive inhibition assay, we established that the binding constant for the asialofetuin-ricin complex was 3.6 x 10(8) M-1. This is in good agreement with data published using glycopeptides derived from asialofetuin, and RCA and the ricin agglutinin, RCA-120.

Conformational studies on the N-linked carbohydrate chain of bromelain

1H- and 13C-NMR assignments for the carbohydrate part of the glycopeptide alpha-D-Man-(1----6)-[beta-D-Xyl-(1----2)]-beta-D-Man-(1----4)-beta-D- GlcNAc-(1----4)-[alpha-L-Fuc-(1----3)]-beta-D-GlcNAc-(1----N)-Asn approximately, derived from the proteolytic enzyme bromelain (EC 3.4.22.4), have been obtained using homo- and heteronuclear correlation spectroscopy, two-dimensional homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn and nuclear Overhauser enhancement experiments. A conformational model for the carbohydrate chain, deduced from the NMR data and consistent with hard-sphere exo-anomeric calculations shows that the rotamer population about the C-5--C-6 bond of beta-Man is restricted to the P omega = 180 rotamer, mainly.

Large-scale preparation and characterization of N-linked glycopeptides from bovine fetuin

A preparative scheme has been developed to purify asialo-glycopeptides from each of the three N-linkage sites of bovine fetuin, allowing the isolation of 100-mumols quantities of asialo-glycopeptides from 20 g of fetuin. The procedure yields seven asialo-glycopeptides which were determined to be 95% homogenous in peptide and oligosaccharide structure. The isolation scheme uses two high-capacity reverse-phase eluant systems. The primary RP-HPLC purification performed with boric acid buffered to pH 7 with triethylamine resolved sialylated tryptic glycopeptides simultaneously on the basis of glycosylation site and degree of sialylation. A second RP-HPLC purification was performed eluting isocratically with dilute phosphoric acid which resolved residual peptide and oligosaccharide heterogeneity from asialo-glycopeptides containing short peptides. Structural characterization of the products was performed utilizing 400-MHz proton NMR spectroscopy and amino acid and monosaccharide analysis. The glycopeptides contain two previously identified variant triantennary oligosaccharides which possess either Gal beta(1----4) or Gal beta(1----3) linkages to N-acetylglucosamine at one terminal branch or a biantennary oligosaccharide. These compounds should prove to be invaluable in studying carbohydrate-protein interactions, such as binding by the Gal/GalNAc lectin of mammalian hepatocytes, in the detailed three-dimensional structural analysis of complex oligosaccharides, and as purified substrates for the study of the action of glycoconjugate-modifying enzymes.

Recombinant human erythropoietin produced by Namalwa cells

To establish a practical exogenous gene expression system in human cells, a cDNA coding for human erythropoietin (EPO) was expressed in human B-lymphoblastoid Namalwa cells. The Namalwa-derived recombinant EPO was purified from the culture fluid by a simple three-step procedure. The Namalwa EPO showed an equivalent activity in vivo to that of human urinary EPO. Oligosaccharide structure analyses suggested that almost all N-linked oligosaccharide chains of Namalwa EPO are shared by urinary EPO. The two major N-linked oligosaccharides of Namalwa EPO were fucose-containing tetraantennary and fucose-containing triantennary structures.

A two-dimensional 1H-n.m.r. (500 MHz) and 13C-n.m.r. (125 MHz) study of N-linked glycopeptides derived from calf fetuin

The oligosaccharide part of an N-linked triantennary glycopeptide from calf fetuin with fourteen carbohydrate residues and its smaller derivatives obtained by successive enzymic cleavage of the terminal residues were investigated using 2D 1H-n.m.r. (500 MHz) and 13C-n.m.r. (125 MHz) spectroscopy. Assignments have been made of the resonances of almost all the protons of the constituent carbohydrate residues in these glycopeptides. A comparison of the 1H chemical shifts and coupling constants, as determined from the cross-peaks, has shown the dependence of these parameters on the interactions of spatially related neighbouring carbohydrates. Small conformational changes take place upon elongation of the oligosaccharide side-chains.

Conformational analysis and the fine structure of cross peaks in phase-sensitive homonuclear two-dimensional correlated NMR spectra of oligosaccharides

Useful structural and conformational information was obtained from a detailed analysis of the fine structure of cross peaks that appears in the phase-sensitive homonuclear correlated two-dimensional spectra of complex large glycopeptides. The small chemical shift range observed for the oligosaccharide part results in a variety of cross-peak patterns. A catalogue of cross-peak fine structures and patterns expected for common carbohydrates are presented which can help in making some, all-important and crucial, proton resonance assignments. Analysis of the vicinal coupling constants extracted from the cross peaks corresponding to the hydroxymethyl protons of the inner core carbohydrates of glycopeptides derived from calf fetuin, has yielded information regarding the time-averaged solution conformation of this triantennary structure. It was shown that in solution the Man(alpha 1-6) arm of the core pentasaccharide unit, which carries a single antenna, adopts for an appreciable part of the time a conformation which brings it close to the arm that is attached to the peptide part. A similar conformation for the Man(alpha 1-6) arm was previously observed for the biantennary oligosaccharide chain. Therefore, we concluded that the presence of an additional antenna on the Man(alpha 1-3) arm of the core unit in the triantennary structure does not alter the basic biantennary conformation.

Use of N-glycanase to release asparagine-linked oligosaccharides for structural analysis

An enzymatic procedure for releasing asparagine-linked oligosaccharides from glycoproteins by treatment with N-glycanase (peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl) asparagine amidase) has been investigated. Ribonuclease B, transferrin, fetuin, and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein were treated with N-glycanase and the released oligosaccharides were radiolabeled with NaB3H4. Lectin staining of the N-glycanase-treated proteins indicated that the deglycosylation reactions had proceeded to completion. The labeled carbohydrate chains were analyzed by HPLC on Micro-Pak AX-5 and AX-10 columns. The proportion of high-mannose and bi-, tri-, and tetraantennary complex chains obtained from each glycoprotein was in agreement with literature values. These results demonstrate that N-glycanase provides a simple method to release all common classes of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides from a glycoprotein in a form that can be radiolabeled directly for structural analysis.