Glycan components in the glycoinositol phospholipid anchor of human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase. Novel fragments produced by trifluoroacetic acid

(Patho)Physiology of Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-Anchored Proteins I: Localization at Plasma Membranes and Extracellular Compartments

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins (APs) are anchored at the outer leaflet of plasma membranes (PMs) of all eukaryotic organisms studied so far by covalent linkage to a highly conserved glycolipid rather than a transmembrane domain. Since their first description, experimental data have been accumulating for the capability of GPI-APs to be released from PMs into the surrounding milieu. It became evident that this release results in distinct arrangements of GPI-APs which are compatible with the aqueous milieu upon loss of their GPI anchor by (proteolytic or lipolytic) cleavage or in the course of shielding of the full-length GPI anchor by incorporation into extracellular vesicles, lipoprotein-like particles and (lyso)phospholipid- and cholesterol-harboring micelle-like complexes or by association with GPI-binding proteins or/and other full-length GPI-APs. In mammalian organisms, the (patho)physiological roles of the released GPI-APs in the extracellular environment, such as blood and tissue cells, depend on the molecular mechanisms of their release as well as the cell types and tissues involved, and are controlled by their removal from circulation. This is accomplished by endocytic uptake by liver cells and/or degradation by GPI-specific phospholipase D in order to bypass potential unwanted effects of the released GPI-APs or their transfer from the releasing donor to acceptor cells (which will be reviewed in a forthcoming manuscript).

Effects of cadmium on fecundity and defence ability of Drosophila melanogaster

Cadmium (chemical symbol, Cd) is an extremely common pollutant that poses a toxicity threat to organisms. Therefore, we tested Drosophila melanogaster fecundity, Cd accumulation, and activity of two enzymes following Cd stress and used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to quantify the mRNA expression levels of several genes involved in fecundity and defence. D. melanogaster was placed in a medium containing different concentrations of Cd (13, 26, and 52 mg L^-1), following which, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy showed that Cd accumulation in Drosophila increased with the increase in its dietary intake. We also observed that Cd at these concentrations significantly prolonged the mating latency in females and reduced the number of eggs laid. However, the same Cd concentrations did not affect male fecundity. Acetylcholinesterase activity was only detected at 52 mg L^-1 Cd in both sexes, whereas glutathione S-transferase activity was inhibited at 26 and 52 mg L^-1 Cd in females. The results of qPCR indicated that exposure to 13-52 mg L^-1 Cd affected the expression of reproduction-related genes, including downregulation of enok and upregulation of dally and dpp. The same level of exposure also induced transcriptional responses from three defence-related genes (hsp70, gstd2, and gstd6). Taken together, the results revealed that Cd exposure might negatively affect the expression of genes associated with D. melanogaster reproduction and trigger the transcription of defence-related genes. We suggest that further analyses of fecundity and defence responses may help develop indicators of Cd toxicity and improve our understanding of antitoxin defences.

Peptide Lipidation - A Synthetic Strategy to Afford Peptide Based Therapeutics

Peptide and protein aberrant lipidation patterns are often involved in many diseases including cancer and neurological disorders. Peptide lipidation is also a promising strategy to improve pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of peptide-based drugs. Self-adjuvanting peptide-based vaccines commonly utilise the powerful TLR2 agonist Pam_nCys lipid to stimulate adjuvant activity. The chemical synthesis of lipidated peptides can be challenging hence efficient, flexible and straightforward synthetic routes to access homogeneous lipid-tagged peptides are in high demand. A new technique coined Cysteine Lipidation on a Peptide or Amino acid (CLipPA) uses a 'thiol-ene' reaction between a cysteine and a vinyl ester and offers great promise due to its simplicity, functional group compatibility and selectivity. Herein a brief review of various synthetic strategies to access lipidated peptides, focusing on synthetic methods to incorporate a Pam_nCys motif into peptides, is provided.

Identification of a Golgi GPI-N-acetylgalactosamine transferase with tandem transmembrane regions in the catalytic domain

Many eukaryotic proteins are anchored to the cell surface via the glycolipid glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI). Mammalian GPIs have a conserved core but exhibit diverse N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) modifications, which are added via a yet unresolved process. Here we identify the Golgi-resident GPI-GalNAc transferase PGAP4 and show by mass spectrometry that PGAP4 knockout cells lose GPI-GalNAc structures. Furthermore, we demonstrate that PGAP4, in contrast to known Golgi glycosyltransferases, is not a single-pass membrane protein but contains three transmembrane domains, including a tandem transmembrane domain insertion into its glycosyltransferase-A fold as indicated by comparative modeling. Mutational analysis reveals a catalytic site, a DXD-like motif for UDP-GalNAc donor binding, and several residues potentially involved in acceptor binding. We suggest that a juxtamembrane region of PGAP4 accommodates various GPI-anchored proteins, presenting their acceptor residue toward the catalytic center. In summary, we present insights into the structure of PGAP4 and elucidate the initial step of GPI-GalNAc biosynthesis.

Exploring the Glycans of Euglena gracilis

Euglena gracilis is an alga of great biotechnological interest and extensive metabolic capacity, able to make high levels of bioactive compounds, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and β-glucan. Previous work has shown that Euglena expresses a wide range of carbohydrate-active enzymes, suggesting an unexpectedly high capacity for the synthesis of complex carbohydrates for a single-celled organism. Here, we present an analysis of some of the carbohydrates synthesised by Euglena gracilis. Analysis of the sugar nucleotide pool showed that there are the substrates necessary for synthesis of complex polysaccharides, including the unusual sugar galactofuranose. Lectin- and antibody-based profiling of whole cells and extracted carbohydrates revealed a complex galactan, xylan and aminosugar based surface. Protein N-glycan profiling, however, indicated that just simple high mannose-type glycans are present and that they are partially modified with putative aminoethylphosphonate moieties. Together, these data indicate that Euglena possesses a complex glycan surface, unrelated to plant cell walls, while its protein glycosylation is simple. Taken together, these findings suggest that Euglena gracilis may lend itself to the production of pharmaceutical glycoproteins.

Transport of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum

In this review on the transport of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins (GPI-APs), we focus on events that occur in the endoplasmic reticulum after the transfer of GPI to proteins. These events include structural remodeling of both the lipid and glycan moieties of GPI, recruitment of GPI-APs into ER exit sites, association with the cargo receptor, p24 protein complex, and packaging into COPII coated transport vesicles. Similarities with the transport of Wnt proteins are also discussed. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Functional and structural diversity of endoplasmic reticulum.

Chemical biology of glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchors

Glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs) are complex glycolipids that are covalently linked to the C-terminus of proteins as a posttranslational modification. They anchor the attached protein to the cell membrane and are essential for normal functioning of eukaryotic cells. GPI-anchored proteins are structurally and functionally diverse. Many GPIs have been structurally characterized but comprehension of their biological functions, beyond the simple physical anchoring, remains largely speculative. Work on functional elucidation at a molecular level is still limited. This Review focuses on the roles of GPI unraveled by using synthetic molecules and summarizes the structural diversity of GPIs, as well as their biological and chemical syntheses.

Synthetic cell surface receptors for delivery of therapeutics and probes

Receptor-mediated endocytosis is a highly efficient mechanism for cellular uptake of membrane-impermeant ligands. Cells use this process to acquire nutrients, initiate signal transduction, promote development, regulate neurotransmission, and maintain homeostasis. Natural receptors that participate in receptor-mediated endocytosis are structurally diverse, ranging from large transmembrane proteins to small glycolipids embedded in the outer leaflet of cellular plasma membranes. Despite their vast structural differences, these receptors share common features of binding to extracellular ligands, clustering in dynamic membrane regions that pinch off to yield intracellular vesicles, and accumulation of receptor-ligand complexes in membrane-sealed endosomes. Receptors typically dissociate from ligands in endosomes and cycle back to the cell surface, whereas internalized ligands are usually delivered into lysosomes, where they are degraded, but some can escape and penetrate into the cytosol. Here, we review efforts to develop synthetic cell surface receptors, defined as nonnatural compounds, exemplified by mimics of cholesterol, that insert into plasma membranes, bind extracellular ligands including therapeutics, probes, and endogenous proteins, and engage endocytic membrane trafficking pathways. By mimicking natural mechanisms of receptor-mediated endocytosis, synthetic cell surface receptors have the potential to function as prosthetic molecules capable of seamlessly augmenting the endocytic uptake machinery of living mammalian cells.

Structural remodeling, trafficking and functions of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) is a glycolipid that is covalently attached to proteins as a post-translational modification. Such modification leads to the anchoring of the protein to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. Proteins that are decorated with GPIs have unique properties in terms of their physical nature. In particular, these proteins tend to accumulate in lipid rafts, which are critical for the functions and trafficking of GPI-anchored proteins (GPI-APs). Recent studies mainly using mutant cells revealed that various structural remodeling reactions occur to GPIs present in GPI-APs as they are transported from the endoplasmic reticulum to the cell surface. This review examines the recent progress describing the mechanisms of structural remodeling of mammalian GPI-anchors, such as inositol deacylation, glycan remodeling and fatty acid remodeling, with particular focus on their trafficking and functions, as well as the pathogenesis involving GPI-APs and their deficiency.

Lipid raft proteome reveals that oxidative phosphorylation system is associated with the plasma membrane

Although accumulating proteomic analyses have supported the fact that mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes are localized in lipid rafts, which mediate cell signaling, immune response and host-pathogen interactions, there has been no in-depth study of the physiological functions of lipid-raft OXPHOS complexes. Here, we show that many subunits of OXPHOS complexes were identified from the lipid rafts of human adipocytes, C2C12 myotubes, Jurkat cells and surface biotin-labeled Jurkat cells via shotgun proteomic analysis. We discuss the findings of OXPHOS complexes in lipid rafts, the role of the surface ATP synthase complex as a receptor for various ligands and extracellular superoxide generation by plasma membrane oxidative phosphorylation complexes.

Novel applications for glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins in pharmaceutical and industrial biotechnology

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins have been regarded as typical cell surface proteins found in most eukaryotic cells from yeast to man. They are embedded in the outer plasma membrane leaflet via a carboxy-terminally linked complex glycolipid GPI structure. The amphiphilic nature of the GPI anchor, its compatibility with the function of the attached protein moiety and the capability of GPI-anchored proteins for spontaneous insertion into and transfer between artificial and cellular membranes initially suggested their potential for biotechnological applications. However, these expectations have been hardly fulfilled so far. Recent developments fuel novel hopes with regard to: (i) Automated online expression, extraction and purification of therapeutic proteins as GPI-anchored proteins based on their preferred accumulation in plasma membrane lipid rafts, (ii) multiplex custom-made protein chips based on GPI-anchored cell wall proteins in yeast, (iii) biomaterials and biosensors with films consisting of sets of distinct GPI-anchored binding-proteins or enzymes for sequential or combinatorial catalysis, and (iv) transport of therapeutic proteins across or into relevant tissue cells, e.g., enterocytes or adipocytes. Latter expectations are based on the demonstrated translocation of GPI-anchored proteins from plasma membrane lipid rafts to cytoplasmic lipid droplets and eventually further into microvesicles which upon release from donor cells transfer their GPI-anchored proteins to acceptor cells. The value of these technologies, which are all based on the interaction of GPI-anchored proteins with membranes and surfaces, for the engineering, production and targeted delivery of biomolecules for a huge variety of therapeutic and biotechnological purposes should become apparent in the near future.

Synthetic phosphoinositolglycans regulate lipid metabolism between rat adipocytes via release of GPI-protein-harbouring adiposomes

A novel molecular mechanism for the regulation of lipid metabolism by palmitate, H2O2 and the anti-diabetic sulfonylurea drug, glimepiride, in rat adipocytes was recently elucidated. It encompasses the translocation of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored (GPI-) and (c)AMP degrading enzymes Gce1 and CD73 from detergent-insoluble glycolipid-enriched microdomains of the plasma membrane (DIGs) to intracellular lipid droplets (LD), the incorporation of Gce1 and CD73 into vesicles (adiposomes) which are then released from donor adipocytes and finally the transfer of Gce1 and CD73 from the adiposomes to acceptor adipocytes, where they degrade (c)AMP at the LD surface. Here the stimulation of esterification and inhibition of lipolysis by synthetic phosphoinositolglycans (PIGs), such as PIG37, which represents the glycan component of the GPI anchor, are shown to be correlated to translocation from DIGs to LD and release into adiposomes of Gce1 and CD73. PIG37 actions were blocked upon disruption of DIGs, inactivation of PIG receptor and removal of adiposomes from the incubation medium as was true for those induced by palmitate, H2O2 or glimepiride. In contrast, only the latter actions were dependent on the GPI-specific phospholipase C (GPI-PLC), which may generate PIGs, or on exogenous PIG37 in case of inhibited GPI-PLC. At submaximal concentrations PIG37 and palmitate, H2O2 or glimepiride acted in synergistic fashion. These data suggest that PIGs provoke the transfer of GPI-proteins from DIGs via LD and adiposomes of donor adipocytes to acceptor adipocytes and thereby mediate the regulation of lipid metabolism by palmitate, H2O2 and glimepiride between adipocytes.

The glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor: a complex membrane-anchoring structure for proteins

Positioned at the C-terminus of many eukaryotic proteins, the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor is a posttranslational modification that anchors the modified protein in the outer leaflet of the cell membrane. The GPI anchor is a complex structure comprising a phosphoethanolamine linker, glycan core, and phospholipid tail. GPI-anchored proteins are structurally and functionally diverse and play vital roles in numerous biological processes. While several GPI-anchored proteins have been characterized, the biological functions of the GPI anchor have yet to be elucidated at a molecular level. This review discusses the structural diversity of the GPI anchor and its putative cellular functions, including involvement in lipid raft partitioning, signal transduction, targeting to the apical membrane, and prion disease pathogenesis. We specifically highlight studies in which chemically synthesized GPI anchors and analogues have been employed to study the roles of this unique posttranslational modification.

Lipid remodeling of GPI-anchored proteins and its function

Many proteins are attached to the cell surface via a conserved post-translational modification, the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. GPI-anchored proteins are functionally diverse, but one of their most striking features is their association with lipid microdomains, which consist mainly of sphingolipids and sterols. GPI-anchored proteins modulate various biological functions when they are incorporated into these specialized domains. The biosynthesis of GPI and its attachment to proteins occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum. The lipid moieties of GPI-anchored proteins are further modified during their transport to the cell surface, and these remodeling processes are essential for the association of proteins with lipid microdomains. Recently, several genes required for GPI lipid remodeling have been identified in yeast and mammalian cells. In this review, we describe the pathways for lipid remodeling of GPI-anchored proteins in yeast and mammalian cells, and discuss how lipid remodeling affects the association of GPI-anchored proteins with microdomains in cellular events.

PGAP1 knock-out mice show otocephaly and male infertility

A palmitate linked to the inositol in glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) is removed in the endoplasmic reticulum immediately after the conjugation of GPI with proteins in most cells. Previously, we identified PGAP1 (post GPI attachment to proteins 1) as a GPI inositoldeacylase that removes the palmitate from inositol. A defect in PGAP1 caused a delay in the transport of GPI-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) from the endoplasmic reticulum to the cell surface in Chinese hamster ovary cells, although the cell-surface expression of GPI-APs in the steady state was normal. Nevertheless, in most cells, GPI-APs undergo deacylation. To elucidate the biological significance of PGAP1 in vivo, we established PGAP1 knock-out mice. Most PGAP1 knock-out mice showed otocephaly, a developmental defect, and died right after birth. However, some survived with growth retardation. Male knock-out mice showed severely reduced fertility despite the capability of ejaculation. Their spermatozoa were normal in number, motility, and ability to ascend the uterus, but were unable to go into the oviduct. In vitro, PGAP1-deficient spermatozoa showed weak attachment to the zona pellucida and a severely diminished rate of fertilization. Therefore, an extra acyl chain in GPI anchors caused severe deleterious effects to development and sperm function.

The existence of lipophosphoglycanlike molecules in Trichomonads

The trichomonods, Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus, appear to express novel lipophosphoglycon (LPG) like glycoconjugates on their cell surface, which are structurally distinct from Leishmania LPGs'. In this article, Bibhuti Singh discusses the structural and cellular aspects o f these molecules, and speculates on their biological significance.

Human Smp3p Adds a Fourth Mannose to Yeast and Human Glycosylphosphatidylinositol Precursors in Vivo

Yeast and human glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) precursors differ in the extent to which a fourth mannose is present as a side branch of the third core mannose. A fourth mannose addition to GPIs has scarcely been detected in studies of mammalian GPI synthesis but is an essential step in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae pathway. We report that human SMP3 encodes a functional homolog of the yeast Smp3 GPI fourth mannosyl-transferase. Expression of hSMP3 in yeast complements growth and biochemical defects of smp3 mutants and permits in vivo mannosylation of trimannosyl (Man(3))-GPIs. Immunolocalization shows that hSmp3p resides in the endoplasmic reticulum in human cells. Northern analysis of mRNA from human tissues and cell lines indicates that hSMP3 is expressed in most tissues, with the highest levels in brain and colon, but its mRNA is nearly absent from cultured human cell lines. Correspondingly, increasing expression of hSMP3 in cultured HeLa cells causes abundant formation of three putative tetramannosyl (Man(4))-GPIs. Our data indicate that hSmp3p functions as a mannosyltransferase that adds a fourth mannose to certain Man(3)-GPIs during biosynthesis of the human GPI precursor, and suggest it may do so in a tissue-specific manner.

Inositol Deacylation of Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored Proteins Is Mediated by Mammalian PGAP1 and Yeast Bst1p

The inositol moiety of mammalian glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) is acylated at an early step in GPI biosynthesis. The inositol acylation is essential for the generation of mature GPI capable of attachment to proteins. However, the acyl group is usually absent from GPI-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) on the cell surface due to inositol deacylation that occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) soon after GPI-anchor attachment. Mammalian GPI inositol-deacylase has not been cloned, and the biological significance of the deacylation has been unclear. Here we report a GPI inositol-deacylase-deficient Chinese hamster ovary cell line established by taking advantage of resistance to phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and the gene responsible, which was termed PGAP1 for Post GPI Attachment to Proteins 1. PGAP1 encoded an ER-associated, 922-amino acid membrane protein bearing a lipase consensus motif. Substitution of a conserved putative catalytic serine with alanine resulted in a complete loss of function, indicating that PGAP1 is the GPI inositol-deacylase. The mutant cells showed a clear delay in the maturation of GPI-APs in the Golgi and accumulation of GPI-APs in the ER. Thus, the GPI inositol deacylation is important for efficient transport of GPI-APs from the ER to the Golgi.

Incorporation of ethanolamine into insulin-sensitive glycosylated phosphatidylinositol of chick embryo fibroblasts

Insulin sensitive glycosylated phosphatidylinositol (GPI) from chick embryo fibroblasts was isolated and partially characterized. [(3)H]Ethanolamine was incorporated into lipids different from phosphatidylethanolamine, as shown by two sequential thin layer chromatographies (TLC) using an acidic solvent system followed by a basic solvent system. Other isotopes, myo-[(3)H]inositol, [(3)H]glucosamine, [(3)H]galactose, and [(3)H]palmitic acid were also incorporated into these lipids. These lipids were separated into two peaks on the second basic TLC, designated as peaks I and II from the origin. Insulin stimulation of cells caused a rapid breakdown of these two lipids. These two lipids were treated by nitrous acid and phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC). The radioactivity of peak I lipid was decreased by both treatments, and that of peak II lipid was also decreased by PI-PLC treatment but not significantly by nitrous acid treatment. Peak II lipid did not fulfill the criteria for GPI. Tritium released by the treatment of PI-PLC of peak I lipid was recovered in the aqueous phase. [(3)H]Ethanolamine-labeled peak I lipid was hydrolyzed by acid treatment and the hydrolysis products were analyzed by TLC and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Tritium label was recovered as native label at the rate of 95%. [(3)H]Ethanolamine of peak I lipid was reductively methylated completely with formaldehyde and cyanoborohydride, as shown by HPLC analysis. The results indicate that peak I lipid contains primary ethanolamine as a glycan component and is insulin-sensitive free GPI.

Synthesis of alpha-galactosylated fragments related to the core-structure of the GPI anchor of Trypanosoma brucei

A series of octyl glycosides di- to tetrasaccharides related to the GPI anchor of Trypanosoma brucei was prepared. Treatment of octyl 2-O-benzoyl-4,6-O-(1,1,3,3-tetraisopropyl-1,3-disiloxane-1,3 -diyl)-alpha-D-mannopyranoside with ethyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside under activation with bromine and silver trifluoromethanesulfonate afforded the alpha-linked disaccharide octyl 2-O-benzoyl-3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-4,6-O- (1,1,3,3-tetraisopropyl-1,3-disiloxane-1,3-diyl)-alpha -D-mannospyranoside, the siloxane ring of which was regioselectively opened with a HF-pyridine complex to give the disaccharide acceptor octyl 3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-2-O-benzoyl-4-O-(3 -fluoro-1,1,3,3-tetraisopropyl-1,3-disiloxane-3-yl)-alpha-D- mannopyranoside (4). Mannosylation of 4 with benzobromomannose (7), followed by fluoride catalyzed desilylation gave the trisaccharide octyl 2-O-benzoyl-6-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl)-3-O-(2, 3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-alpha-D-mannospyranosi de, which was deblocked via the deacylated intermediate octyl 3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-6-O-(alpha-D-manno pyranosyl)-alpha-D-mannospyranoside to afford the octyl glycoside trisaccharide octyl 3-O-(alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-6-O-(alpha-D-mannopyranosyl)-alpha-D-m annospyranoside. Glycosylation of 4 with 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl)- alpha-D-mannopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate resulted in the tetrasaccharide octyl 2-O-benzoyl-4-O-(1-fluoro-1,1,3,3-tetraisopropyl-1,3-disiloxane -3-yl)-3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-6-O-[2-O -(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl)-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-alp ha-D-mannopyranosyl]-alpha-D-mannospyranoside, sequential desilylation, deacylation and debenzylation, respectively, of which via the intermediate octyl 2-O-benzoyl-3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-6-O-[2 -O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl)-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-a lpha-D-mannopyranosyl]-alpha-D-mannospyranoside afforded the octyl glycoside tetrasaccharide octyl 3-O-(alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-6-O-[2-O-(alpha-D-mannopyranosyl)-alpha-D -mannopyranosyl]-alpha-D-mannospyranoside.

Two-dimensional analysis of phospholipids by capillary liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A phospholipid mixture extracted from cultured cells was directly analyzed by capillary (Cap) liquid chromatography (LC)/electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS). Using a quadrupole mass spectrometer, we analyzed positive molecular ions, negative molecular ions, positive fragment ions and negative fragment ions under four different functions. In the analysis of the elution patterns of the phospholipids, a two-dimensional map, in which the first dimension is elution time and the second dimension is mass, proved useful. Consequently, four different maps can be obtained by each of four different functions. Among them, from negative fragment ions at high cone voltage in the negative ion mode, ions that originated from acyl fatty acid and phosphorylcholine, phosphorylethanolamine and cyclic inositol phosphate can be detected at specific elution times. The map from positive fragment ions at high cone voltage in the positive ion mode indicated ions such as diradylglycerol and derivatives of 1-alkyl or 1-alkenyl cyclic phosphatidic acid from phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphorylcholine from choline-containing phospholipids. The map produced from positive molecular ions indicated choline-containing phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, lysophosphatidylcholine and PE. The map of negative molecular ions effectively indicated acidic phospholipids such as phosphatidylinositol. We were able to obtain more than 500 molecular species of phospholipids by this method within a few hours immediately after extraction from culture cells using a mixture of chloroform and methanol (2:1). In this context, we concluded that the combination of Cap-LC and ESIMS seems to be very effective in the analysis of phospholipid classes and their molecular species.

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis defects in Gpi11p- and Gpi13p-deficient yeast suggest a branched pathway and implicate gpi13p in phosphoethanolamine transfer to the third mannose

Glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs) are critical for membrane anchoring and intracellular transport of certain secretory proteins. GPIs have a conserved trimannosyl core bearing a phosphoethanolamine (EthN-P) moiety on the third mannose (Man-3) through which the glycolipid is linked to protein, but diverse GPI precursors with EthN-Ps on Man-1 and Man-2 have also been described. We report on two essential yeast genes whose products are required late in GPI assembly. GPI11 (YDR302w) encodes a homologue of human Pig-Fp, a protein implicated in the addition of EthN-P to Man-3. PIG-F complements the gpi11 deletion, but the rescued haploids are temperature sensitive. Abolition of Gpi11p or Pig-Fp function in GPI11 disruptants blocks GPI anchoring and formation of complete GPI precursors and leads to accumulation of two GPIs whose glycan head groups contain four mannoses but differ in the positioning and number of side chains, probably EthN-Ps. The less polar GPI bears EthN-P on Man-2, whereas the more polar lipid has EthN-P on Man-3. The latter finding indicates that Gpi11p is not required for adding EthN-P to Man-3. Gpi13p (YLL031cp), a member of a family of phosphoryltransferases, is a candidate for the enzyme responsible for adding EthN-P to Man-3. Depletion of Gpi13p in a Gpi11p-defective strain prevents formation of the GPI bearing EthN-P on Man-3, and Gpi13p-deficient strains accumulate a Man(4)-GPI isoform that bears EthN-P on Man-1. We further show that the lipid accumulation phenotype of Gpi11p-deficient cells resembles that of cells lacking Gpi7p, a sequence homologue of Gpi13p known to add EthN-P to Man-2 of a late-stage GPI precursor. This result suggests that in yeast a Gpi11p-deficiency can affect EthN-P addition to Man-2 by Gpi7p, in contrast to the Pig-Fp defect in mammalian cells, which prevents EthN-P addition to Man-3. Because Gpi11p and Pig-Fp affect EthN-P transfer to Man-2 and Man-3, respectively, these proteins may act in partnership with the GPI-EthN-P transferases, although their involvement in a given EthN-P transfer reaction varies between species. Possible roles for Gpi11p in the supply of the EthN-P donor are discussed. Because Gpi11p- and Gpi13p-deficient cells accumulate isoforms of Man(4)-GPIs with EthN-P on Man-2 and on Man-1, respectively, and because the GPIs that accumulate in Gpi11p-defective strains are likely to have been generated independently of one another, we propose that the yeast GPI assembly pathway is branched.

The GPI biosynthetic pathway as a therapeutic target for African sleeping sickness

African sleeping sickness is a debilitating and often fatal disease caused by tsetse fly transmitted African trypanosomes. These extracellular protozoan parasites survive in the human bloodstream by virtue of a dense cell surface coat made of variant surface glycoprotein. The parasites have a repertoire of several hundred immunologically distinct variant surface glycoproteins and they evade the host immune response by antigenic variation. All variant surface glycoproteins are anchored to the plasma membrane via glycosylphosphatidylinositol membrane anchors and compounds that inhibit the assembly or transfer of these anchors could have trypanocidal potential. This article compares glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis in African trypanosomes and mammalian cells and identifies several steps that could be targets for the development of parasite-specific therapeutic agents.

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins play an important role in the biogenesis of the Alzheimer's amyloid beta-protein

The Alzheimer's amyloid protein (Abeta) is released from the larger amyloid beta-protein precursor (APP) by unidentified enzymes referred to as beta- and gamma-secretase. beta-Secretase cleaves APP on the amino side of Abeta producing a large secreted derivative (sAPPbeta) and an Abeta-bearing C-terminal derivative that is subsequently cleaved by gamma-secretase to release Abeta. Alternative cleavage of the APP by alpha-secretase at Abeta16/17 releases the secreted derivative sAPPalpha. In yeast, alpha-secretase activity has been attributed to glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored aspartyl proteases. To examine the role of GPI-anchored proteins, we specifically removed these proteins from the surface of mammalian cells using phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC). PI-PLC treatment of fetal guinea pig brain cultures substantially reduced the amount of Abeta40 and Abeta42 in the medium but had no effect on sAPPalpha. A mutant CHO cell line (gpi85), which lacks GPI-anchored proteins, secreted lower levels of Abeta40, Abeta42, and sAPPbeta than its parental line (GPI+). When this parental line was treated with PI-PLC, Abeta40, Abeta42, and sAPPbeta decreased to levels similar to those observed in the mutant line, and the mutant line was resistant to these effects of PI-PLC. These findings provide strong evidence that one or more GPI-anchored proteins play an important role in beta-secretase activity and Abeta secretion in mammalian cells. The cell-surface GPI-anchored protein(s) involved in Abeta biogenesis may be excellent therapeutic target(s) in Alzheimer's disease.

Deletion of GPI7, a yeast gene required for addition of a side chain to the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) core structure, affects GPI protein transport, remodeling, and cell wall integrity

Gpi7 was isolated by screening for mutants defective in the surface expression of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) proteins. Gpi7 mutants are deficient in YJL062w, herein named GPI7. GPI7 is not essential, but its deletion renders cells hypersensitive to Calcofluor White, indicating cell wall fragility. Several aspects of GPI biosynthesis are disturbed in Deltagpi7. The extent of anchor remodeling, i.e. replacement of the primary lipid moiety of GPI anchors by ceramide, is significantly reduced, and the transport of GPI proteins to the Golgi is delayed. Gpi7p is a highly glycosylated integral membrane protein with 9-11 predicted transmembrane domains in the C-terminal part and a large, hydrophilic N-terminal ectodomain. The bulk of Gpi7p is located at the plasma membrane, but a small amount is found in the endoplasmic reticulum. GPI7 has homologues in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Caenorhabditis elegans, and man, but the precise biochemical function of this protein family is unknown. Based on the analysis of M4, an abnormal GPI lipid accumulating in gpi7, we propose that Gpi7p adds a side chain onto the GPI core structure. Indeed, when compared with complete GPI lipids, M4 lacks a previously unrecognized phosphodiester-linked side chain, possibly an ethanolamine phosphate. Gpi7p contains significant homology with phosphodiesterases suggesting that Gpi7p itself is the transferase adding a side chain to the alpha1,6-linked mannose of the GPI core structure.

Biosynthesis of glycosylphosphatidylinositols in mammals and unicellular microbes

Membrane anchoring of cell surface proteins via glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) occurs in all eukaryotic organisms. In addition, GPI-related glycophospholipids are important constituents of the glycan coat of certain protozoa. Defects in GPI biosynthesis can retard, if not abolish growth of these organisms. In humans, a defect in GPI biosynthesis can cause paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), a severe acquired bone marrow disorder. Here, we review advances in the characterization of GPI biosynthesis in parasitic protozoa, yeast and mammalian cells. The GPI core structure as well as the major steps in its biosynthesis are conserved throughout evolution. However, there are significant biosynthetic differences between mammals and microbes. First indications are that these differences could be exploited as targets in the design of novel pharmacotherapeutics that selectively inhibit GPI biosynthesis in unicellular microbes.

Identification of a new glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored 42-kDa protein and its C-terminal peptides from bovine erythrocytes by gas chromatography-, time-of-flight-, and electrospray-ionization-mass spectrometry

By treatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PIPLC), we obtained several candidates of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins such as 55, 42, 40, and 30 kDa from bovine erythrocyte membrane, in addition to the well-known GPI-anchored protein acetylcholinesterase. In these proteins, the presence of myo-inositol was confirmed by gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry. Among them, the 42-kDa protein was further analyzed by electrospray-ionization (ESI)-mass spectrometry (MS) after hydrolysis by lysyl endoprotease. By liquid chromatography (LC)-ESI-MS analysis, C-terminal peptides bearing the products of GPI (Ct. GPI-peptides) were effectively detected by combination with in-source collision and multifunctional scanning for the several characteristic fragment ions from the GPI-anchor structure. Existence of microheterogeneity was also observed in the Ct. GPI-peptides from the 42-kDa protein. This result was confirmed by analysis with time-of-flight (TOF)-MS. Furthermore, one of the Ct. GPI-peptides was analyzed in ESI-MS-MS mode. Characteristic fragment ions were effectively detected by collision-induced decay. By the result of MS-MS analysis, this GPI-anchor structure was revealed to contain additional N-acetyl hexosamine. By the above-mentioned method, the C-terminal GPI-anchor structure can be easily identified from the target protein even if its amino acid sequence data are not available.

Prion protein aggregation reverted by low temperature in transfected cells carrying a prion protein gene mutation

Prion diseases are characterized by the conversion of the normal cellular prion protein (PrPC), a glycoprotein that is anchored to the cell membrane by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol moiety, into an isoform that is protease-resistant (PrPres) and pathogenic. In inherited prion diseases, mutations in the prion protein (PrPM) engender the conversion of PrPM into PrPres. We developed a cell model of Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease, a neurodegenerative condition characterized by PrPM-containing amyloid deposits and neuronal loss, by expressing the Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker haplotype Q217R-129V in human neuroblastoma cells. By comparison to PrPC, this genotype results in the following alterations of PrPM: 1) expression of an aberrant form lacking the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor, 2) increased aggregation and protease resistance, and 3) impaired transport to the cell surface. Most of these alterations are temperature-sensitive, indicating that they are due to misfolding of PrPM.

Phosphoinositolglycan-peptides from yeast potently induce metabolic insulin actions in isolated rat adipocytes, cardiomyocytes, and diaphragms

Polar headgroups of free glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) lipids or protein-bound GPI membrane anchors have been shown to exhibit insulin-mimetic activity in different cell types. However, elucidation of the molecular mode of action of these phospho-inositolglycan (PIG) molecules has been hampered by 1) lack of knowledge of their exact structure; 2) variable action profiles; and 3) rather modest effects. In the present study, these problems were circumvented by preparation of PIG-peptides (PIG-P) in sufficient quantity by sequential proteolytic (V8 protease) and lipolytic (phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C) cleavage of the GPI-anchored plasma membrane protein, Gce1p, from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The structure of the resulting PIG-P, NH2-Tyr-Cys-Asn-ethanolamine-PO4-6(Man1-2)Man1-2Man1-+ ++6Man1-4GlcNH(2)1-6myo-inositol-1,2-cyclicPO4, was revealed by amino acid analysis and Dionex exchange chromatography of fragments generated enzymatically or chemically from the neutral glycan core and is in accordance with the known consensus structures of yeast GPI anchors. PIG-P stimulated glucose transport and lipogenesis in normal, desensitized and receptor-depleted isolated rat adipocytes, increased glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase activity and translocation of the glucose transporter isoform 4, and inhibited isoproterenol-induced lipolysis and protein kinase A activation in adipocytes. Furthermore, PIG-P was found to stimulate glucose transport in isolated rat cardiomyocytes and glycogenesis and glycogen synthase in isolated rat diaphragms. The concentration-dependent effects of the PIG-P reached 70-90% of the maximal insulin activity with EC50-values of 0.5-5 microM. Chemical or enzymic cleavages within the glycan or peptide portion of the PIG-P led to decrease or loss of activity. The data demonstrate that PIG-P exhibits a potent insulin-mimetic activity which covers a broad spectrum of metabolic insulin actions on glucose transport and metabolism.

The glycosylation of the complement regulatory protein, human erythrocyte CD59

Human erythrocyte CD59 contains N- and O-glycans and a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor, all of which have been analyzed in this study. The anchor consists principally of the minimum core glycan sequence Manalpha1-2Manalpha1-6Manalpha1-4GlcN-linked to a phosphatidylinositol moiety with the structure sn-1-O-alkyl(C18:0 and C18:1)-2-O-acyl(C20:4)glycerol-3-phospho-1-(2-O-palmitoyl(C16:0))myo- inositol. This structure is essentially identical to that of human erythrocyte cholinesterase (Deeg, M. A., Humphrey, D. R., Yang, S. H. , Ferguson, T. R., Reinhold, V. N., and Rosenberry, T. L. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 18573-18580). This first comparison of GPI anchors from different proteins expressed in the same tissue suggests that human reticulocytes produce only one type of anchor structure. The N- and O-glycans were sequenced using a novel approach involving digestion of the total glycan pool with multiple enzyme arrays. The N-glycan pool contained families of bi-antennary complex-type structures with and without lactosamine extensions and outer arm fucose residues. The predominant O-glycans were NeuNAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-3GalNAc and Galbeta1-3[NeuNAcalpha2-3]GalNAc. Inspection of a molecular model of CD59, based on the NMR solution structure of the extracellular domain and the structural data from this study, suggested several roles for the glycans, including spacing and orienting CD59 on the cell surface and protecting the molecule from proteases. This work completes the initial structural analysis of CD59, providing the most complete view of any cell surface glycoprotein studied to date.

Glycosylation: heterogeneity and the 3D structure of proteins

Glycoproteins generally exist as populations of glycosylated variants (glycoforms) of a single polypeptide. Although the same glycosylation machinery is available to all proteins that enter the secretory pathway in a given cell, most glycoproteins emerge with characteristic glycosylation patterns and heterogeneous populations of glycans at each glycosylation site. The factors that control the composition of the glycoform populations and the role that heterogeneity plays in the function of glycoproteins are important questions for glycobiology. A full understanding of the implications of glycosylation for the structure and function of a protein can only be reached when a glycoprotein is viewed as a single entity. Individual glycoproteins, by virtue of their unique structures, can selectively control their own glycosylation by modulating interactions with the glycosylating enzymes in the cell. Examples include protein-specific glycosylation within the immunoglobulins and immunoglobulin superfamily and site-specific processing in ribonuclease, Thy-1, IgG, tissue plasminogen activator, and influenza A hemagglutinin. General roles for the range of sugars on glycoproteins such as the leukocyte antigens include orientating the molecules on the cell surface. A major role for specific sugars is in recognition by lectins, including chaperones involved in protein folding. In addition, the recognition of identical motifs in different glycans allows a heterogeneous population of glycoforms to participate in specific biological interactions.

Synthesis of octyl O- and S-glycosides related to the GPI anchor of Trypanosoma brucei and their in vitro galactosylation by trypanosomal alpha-galactosyltransferases

Octyl O- and S-glycosides of mono- to tri-saccharides related to the core structure alpha-D-Manp-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Manp-(1-->6)-alpha-D-Manp of the GPI anchor of Trypanosoma brucei have been prepared via regioselective protodesilylation and glycodesilylation of octyl O- and S-glycosides of 2-O-benzoyl-4,6-O-(1,1,3,3-tetraisopropyl-1,3-disiloxane-1, 3-diyl)-alpha-D-mannopyranoside. The synthetic saccharides have been used as substrates for enzymatic alpha-galactosylation with membrane fractions of bloodstream forms of T. brucei strain 427 variants MITat 1.4, MITat 1.2, and MITat 1.5, respectively.

A novel class of cell surface glycolipids of mammalian cells. Free glycosyl phosphatidylinositols

Glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI) lipids function as anchors of membrane proteins, and free GPI units serve as intermediates along the path of GPI-anchor biosynthesis. By using in vivo cell surface biotinylation, we show that free GPIs: 1) can exit the rough endoplasmic reticulum and are present on the surface of a murine EL-4 T-lymphoma and a human carcinoma cell (HeLa), 2) arrive at the cell surface in a time and temperature-dependent fashion, and 3) are built on a base-labile glycerol backbone, unlike GPI anchors of surface proteins of the same cells. The free GPIs described in this study may serve as a source of hormone-sensitive phosphoinositol glycans. The absence of free GPIs from the cell surface may also account for the growth advantage of blood cells in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

Microheterogeneity of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic part of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor of alkaline phosphatase from calf intestine

Digestion of calf intestine alkaline phosphatase with pronase and subsequent dephosphorylation of the released peptidyl-(Etn-P)2-glycosyl-PtdIns with HF generated 8 glycosyl-Ins species the largest of which (G1 and G2) have the following proposed structures: [sequence: see text] G3 and G5 are lower homologues of G1 and G2, respectively, being one alpha 1-2 linked mannopyranosyl residue shorter. G4 is analogous to G2 lacking the N-acetylgalactosaminyl residue and G6 is the next lower homologue of G4. Most of G4 and G6 occur substituted with a palmitoyl (G4, G6) or a myristoyl residue (G6) probably attached to the inositol moiety. Thus, the basic ManxGlc-Ins species are either substituted with an N-acetylgalactosaminyl residue or a fatty acid ester. The structures were deduced from compositional analysis, molecular-mass determination by matrix-assisted laser desorption MS, sequential hydrolysis with appropriate exoglycosidases and treatment with CrO3. Purification of the glycosylinositol species was achieved by a novel reverse-phase HPLC technique using fluorescent fluoren-9-yl-methoxy-carbonyl (Fmoc) derivatives. These stable derivatives were susceptible to hydrolysis with exoglycosidases which allowed sequential cleavages to be carried out and kinetics to be followed at the picomole level. We observed recently that native alkaline phosphatase separates on octyl-Sepharose into four distinct fractions of increasing hydrophobicity (F1-F4). Here we show that all four fractions contain G1-G6. The acylated species G4 and G6 were restricted to F2 and F4 which had been shown earlier to contain, on average, 2.5 and 3 fatty acid residues/subunit, respectively. In all four fractions the diradylglycerol moiety was predominantly diacylglycerol, alkylacylglycerol being less than 10% which is in contrast to most glycosyl-PtdIns--anchored proteins of mammalian origin.

Compositional analysis of glucosaminyl(acyl)phosphatidylinositol accumulated in HeLa S3 cells

GlcN(acyl)PtdIns, a derivative of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) in which glucosamine and a fatty acid are linked to inositol hydroxyl groups, has been proposed to be an intermediate in the mammalian biosynthetic pathway for glycosylphosphatidylinositol (glycosyl-PtdIns) anchors of membrane proteins. In this report, GlcN(acyl)PtdIns metabolically labeled with [3H]inositol is shown to accumulate in a HeLa S3 cell subline. The amount of GlcN(acyl)PtdIns in these HeLa S3 cells is about 10(7) molecules/cell, a level comparable to those of the most abundant glycosyl-PtdIns-containing molecules reported to date. GlcN(acyl)PtdIns was purified by a two-step procedure involving octyl-Sepharose and thin-layer chromatography. Octyl-Sepharose separated phospholipids according to their number of hydrocarbon chains: one in 2-lysoPtdIns, two in PtdIns, and three in GlcN(acyl)PtdIns. Purification also was aided by prior treatment of lipid extracts with bee venom phospholipase A2, an enzyme that did not cleave GlcN(acyl)PtdIns. The GlcN-inositol head group in purified GlcN(acyl)PtdIns was confirmed by a number of procedures, including cation-exchange chromatography and mass spectrometry; after radiomethylation, an equal molar ratio of GlcN(Me)2/inositol was measured. Fatty acid analysis indicated an overall stoichiometry of 2.3 mol fatty acid/mol inositol with palmitic (16:0), stearic (18:0) and oleic (18:1) acids being predominant. Analysis of GlcN(acyl)inositol produced by HF fragmentation showed that palmitate was the acyl group attached to inositol and indicated that stearic and oleic acids were in the glycerolipid. Base methanolysis revealed that about 15% of the purified GlcN(acyl)PtdIns contained alkylglycerol. A substantial conversion of GlcN(acyl)PtdIns to a slightly more polar lipid occurred after overnight incubation in even mildly alkaline buffers. Although the current data do not allow proposal of a structure for this lipid, its formation from GlcN(acyl)PtdIns may be important because the conversion appeared to occur in vivo.

Structures of the glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol anchors of porcine and human renal membrane dipeptidase. Comprehensive structural studies on the porcine anchor and interspecies comparison of the glycan core structures

The glycan core structures of the glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors on porcine and human renal membrane dipeptidase (EC 3.4.13.19) were determined following deamination and reduction by a combination of liquid chromatography, exoglycosidase digestions, and methylation analysis. The glycan core was found to exhibit microheterogeneity with three structures observed for the porcine GPI anchor: Man alpha 1-2Man alpha 1-6Man alpha 1-4GlcN (29% of the total population), Man alpha 1-2Man alpha 1-6(GalNAc beta 1-4)Man alpha 1-4GlcN (33%), and Man alpha 1-2Man alpha 1-6(Gal beta 1-3GalNAc beta 1-4)Man alpha 1-4GlcN (38%). The same glycan core structures were also found in the human anchor but in slightly different proportions (25, 52, and 17%, respectively). Additionally, a small amount (6%) of the second structure with an extra mannose alpha (1-2)-linked to the non-reducing terminal mannose was also observed in the human membrane dipeptidase GPI anchor. A small proportion (maximally 9%) of the porcine GPI anchor structures was found to contain sialic acid, probably linked to the GalNAc residue. The porcine GPI anchor was found to contain 2.5 mol of ethanolamine/mol of anchor. Negative-ion electrospray-mass spectrometry revealed the presence of exclusively diacyl-phosphatidylinositol (predominantly distearoyl-phosphatidylinositol with a minor amount of stearoyl-palmitoyl-phosphatidylinositol) in the porcine membrane dipeptidase anchor. Porcine membrane dipeptidase was digested with trypsin and the C-terminal peptide attached to the GPI anchor isolated by removal of the other tryptic peptides on anhydrotrypsin-Sepharose. The sequence of this peptide was determined as Thr-Asn-Tyr-Gly-Tyr-Ser, thereby identifying the site of attachment of the GPI anchor as Ser368. This work represents a comprehensive study of the GPI anchor structure of porcine membrane dipeptidase and the first interspecies comparison of mammalian GPI anchor structures on the same protein.

Truncated forms of the human prion protein in normal brain and in prion diseases

The cellular form of the prion protein (PrPc) is a glycoprotein anchored to the cell membrane by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol moiety. An aberrant form of PrPc that is partially resistant to proteases, PrPres, is a hallmark of prion diseases, which in humans include Cruetzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome, and fatal familial insomnia. We have characterized the major forms of PrP in normal and pathological human brains. A COOH-terminal fragment of PrPc, designated C1, is abundant in normal and CJD brains as well as in human neuroblastoma cells. Sequence analysis revealed that C1 contains alternative NH2 termini starting at His-111 or Met-112. Like PrPc, C1 is glycosylated, anchored to the cell membrane, and is heat-stable. Consistent with the lack of the NH2-terminal region of PrPc, C1 is more acidic than PrPc and does not bind heparin. An additional fragment longer than C1, designated C2, is present in substantial amounts in CJD brains. Like PrPres, C2 is resistant to proteases and is detergent-insoluble. Our data indicate that C1 is a major product of normal PrPc metabolism, generated by a cleavage that disrupts the neurotoxic and amyloidogenic region of PrP comprising residues 106-126. This region remains intact in C2, suggesting a role for C2 in prion diseases.

Uptake of exogenous sn-1-acyl-2-lyso-phosphatidylinositol into HeLa S3 cells. Reacylation on the cell surface and metabolism to glucosaminyl(acyl)phosphatidylinositol

A HeLa S3 subline is unusual in accumulating relatively large amounts of glucosaminyl(acyl)phosphatidylinositol (GlcN(acyl)PI), a derivative of phosphatidylinositol (PI) in which both GlcN and a fatty acid are linked to inositol hydroxyl groups (D. Sevlever, D. Humphrey, and T.L. Rosenberry, submitted for publication). This lipid is a proposed intermediate on the biosynthetic pathway for glycosyl-PI (GPI) anchors of membrane proteins. In this study we demonstrate for the first time that exogenous inositol phospholipids can enter this biosynthetic pathway and be metabolized to GlcN(acyl)PI. When HeLa S3 cells were incubated for 24 h with exogenous PI or sn-1-acyl-2-lyso-phosphatidyl-inositol (lyso-PI) labeled with 3H in the inositol group, 25-30% of the label was recovered in cell-associated lipids and most of the remaining 70-75% in hydrophilic metabolites in the medium. The predominant labeled lipid was PI, with smaller amounts of lyso-PI, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP), and GlcN(acyl)PI. Both exogenous lipid precursors gave the same distribution of labeled lipids, and a similar distribution was observed for endogenous inositol phospholipids metabolically labeled with [3H]inositol. Addition of excess inositol had no effect on the conversion of [3H]lyso-PI to [3H]GlcN(acyl)PI, indicating that the conversion did not result from breakdown to [3H]inositol followed by resynthesis. The cellular orientation of incorporated PI and lyso-PI was determined by incubating cells at 4 degrees C with PI-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC). This enzyme cleaves only PI and lyso-PI on the outer leaflet of the cell membrane. After 24-h incubation with either precursor, only about 15% of cell-associated [3H]PI or [3H]lyso-PI was on the outer leaflet. However, more than 60% of the [3H]PI was on the outer leaflet after 1-h incubation with either precursor, suggesting that substantial sn-2 acylation of exogenous [3H]lyso-PI occurred in the outer leaflet. This suggestion was confirmed by examining labeled lipids in cells after uptake of [3H]lyso-PI at 4 degrees C. No transmembrane translocation of lyso-PI, PI phosphorylation, or PI glycosylation occurred at this temperature, but some sn-2 acylation was apparent and more than 90% of the [3H]PI formed was on the outer leaflet. These data indicate that sn-2 acylation can occur in the outer leaflet of the cell membrane, perhaps by transacylation from other cell surface phospholipids.

Primary structure of CD52

The CD52 antigen was extracted from human spleens with organic solvents and purified by immunoaffinity and reverse-phase chromatography. The latter step resolved two CD52 species, called CD52-I and CD52-II. Both species were found to contain similar N-linked oligosaccharides and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor glycans. The N-linked oligosaccharides were characterized by methylation linkage analysis and, following exhaustive neuraminidase and endo-beta-galactosidase digestion, by the reagent array analysis method. The results showed that the single CD52 N-glycosylation site is occupied by large sialylated, polylactosamine-containing, core-fucosylated tetraantennary oligosaccharides. The locations of the phosphoryl substituents on the GPI anchor glycan were determined using a new and sensitive method based upon partial acid hydrolysis of the GPI glycan. The difference between CD52-I and CD52-II was in the phosphatidylinositol (PI) moieties of the GPI anchors. The phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-sensitive CD52-I contained exclusively distearoyl-PI, while the PI-phospholipase C-resistant CD52-II contained predominantly a palmitoylated stearoyl-arachidonoyl-PI, as judged by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Tandem mass spectrometric studies indicated that the palmitoyl residue of the CD52-II anchor is attached to the 2-position of the myo-inositol ring. Both the CD52-I and CD52-II PI structures are unusual for GPI anchors and the possible significance of this is discussed. The alkali-lability of the CD52 epitope recognized by the Campath-1H monoclonal antibody was studied. The data suggest that the alkali-labile hydroxyester-linked fatty acids of the GPI anchor are necessary for antibody binding.