Characterization of purified human liver acid beta-D-galactosidases A2 and A3

Convergence: Lactosylceramide-Centric Signaling Pathways Induce Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Other Phenotypic Outcomes

Lactosylceramide (LacCer), also known as CD17/CDw17, is a member of a large family of small molecular weight compounds known as glycosphingolipids. It plays a pivotal role in the biosynthesis of glycosphingolipids, primarily by way of serving as a precursor to the majority of its higher homolog sub-families such as gangliosides, sulfatides, fucosylated-glycosphingolipids and complex neutral glycosphingolipids—some of which confer “second-messenger” and receptor functions. LacCer is an integral component of the “lipid rafts,” serving as a conduit to transduce external stimuli into multiple phenotypes, which may contribute to mortality and morbidity in man and in mouse models of human disease. LacCer is synthesized by the action of LacCer synthase (β-1,4 galactosyltransferase), which transfers galactose from uridine diphosphate galactose (UDP-galactose) to glucosylceramide (GlcCer). The convergence of multiple physiologically relevant external stimuli/agonists—platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), stress, cigarette smoke/nicotine, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and in particular, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)—on β-1,4 galactosyltransferase results in its phosphorylation or activation, via a “turn-key” reaction, generating LacCer. This newly synthesized LacCer activates NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dihydrogen phosphate) oxidase to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a highly “oxidative stress” environment, which trigger a cascade of signaling molecules and pathways and initiate diverse phenotypes like inflammation and atherosclerosis. For instance, LacCer activates an enzyme, cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), which cleaves arachidonic acid from phosphatidylcholine. In turn, arachidonic acid serves as a precursor to eicosanoids and prostaglandin, which transduce a cascade of reactions leading to inflammation—a major phenotype underscoring the initiation and progression of several debilitating diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer. Our aim here is to present an updated account of studies made in the field of LacCer metabolism and signaling using multiple animal models of human disease, human tissue, and cell-based studies. These advancements have led us to propose that previously unrelated phenotypes converge in a LacCer-centric manner. This LacCer synthase/LacCer-induced “oxidative stress” environment contributes to inflammation, atherosclerosis, skin conditions, hair greying, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes due to mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus, targeting LacCer synthase may well be the answer to remedy these pathologies.

Lysosomal multienzyme complex: biochemistry, genetics, and molecular pathophysiology

Lysosomal enzymes sialidase (alpha-neuraminidase), beta-galactosidase, and N-acetylaminogalacto-6-sulfate sulfatase are involved in the catabolism of glycolipids, glycoproteins, and oligosaccharides. Their functional activity in the cell depends on their association in a multienzyme complex with lysosomal carboxypeptidase, cathepsin A. We review the data suggesting that the integrity of the complex plays a crucial role at different stages of biogenesis of lysosomal enzymes, including intracellular sorting and proteolytic processing of their precursors. The complex plays a protective role for all components, extending their half-life in the lysosome from several hours to several days; and for sialidase, the association with cathepsin A is also necessary for the expression of enzymatic activity. The disintegration of the complex due to genetic mutations in its components results in their functional deficiency and causes severe metabolic disorders: sialidosis (mutations in sialidase), GM1-gangliosidosis and Morquio disease type B (mutations in beta-galactosidase), galactosialidosis (mutations in cathepsin A), and Morquio disease type A (mutations in N-acetylaminogalacto-6-sulfate sulfatase). The genetic, biochemical, and direct structural studies described here clarify the molecular pathogenic mechanisms of these disorders and suggest new diagnostic tools.

Purification and characterization of two forms of beta-D-galactosidase from rat epididymal luminal fluid: evidence for their role in the modification of sperm plasma membrane glycoprotein(s)

Previous studies from this laboratory have identified rat epididymal luminal fluid acid beta-D-galactosidase activity which also optimally hydrolyses a glycoprotein substrate at neutral pH [Skudlarek, Tulsiani and Orgebin-Crist (1992) Biochem. J. 286, 907-914]. We have now separated the luminal fluid beta-D-galactosidase into two molecular forms by ion-exchange chromatography on a column of DE-52. The separated enzyme activities were purified to an apparent homogeneity by molecular-sieve chromatography followed by affinity chromatography on a column of immobilized p-nitrophenyl beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside. The purified forms, when resolved by SDS/PAGE under reducing conditions, showed apparent molecular masses of 84 and 97 kDa. Kinetic studies, including a pH-dependent substrate preference and pH-dependent association/dissociation, disclosed no differences between these two forms. The two forms had identical N-terminal amino acid sequences. However, the 97 kDa form contained much more total carbohydrate and sialic acid than the 84 kDa form. The carbohydrate moieties in the two forms were assessed by comparing their size on SDS/PAGE before and after treatment with endo-enzymes. The removal of N-linked glycans by treatment with N-glycanase or endoglycosidase F generated de-N-glycosylated polypeptides of an apparent molecular mass of 70 kDa, and indicated that the two forms contained varying amounts of asparagine (N)-linked high mannose/hybrid-type and biantennary complex-type oligosaccharides. This result and the fact that the two molecular forms had identical N-terminal amino acid sequences indicated that the two forms probably have identical or very similar polypeptides. The potential role of the enzyme in modification of sperm plasma membrane (PM) glycoproteins was examined by resolving caput sperm PM proteins (before and after treatment in vitro of the membranes with the purified beta-D-galactosidase) on SDS/PAGE, followed by staining with peanut agglutinin (PNA), a lectin which preferentially binds to Gal beta 1,3GalNAc-linkages found in O-linked glycoproteins. The evidence presented in this report has indicated that a PNA-positive glycoprotein of an apparent molecular mass of 135-150 kDa present on the caput (but not cauda) sperm PM is degalactosylated by the digestion in vitro of the membranes with purified luminal fluid beta-D-galactosidase. This result suggests a possible role for the epididymal luminal fluid beta-D-galactosidases.

Rat epididymal luminal fluid acid beta-D-galactosidase optimally hydrolyses glycoprotein substrate at neutral pH

Several glycosidases, purified and characterized from mammalian tissues, have been shown to be optimally active under acidic conditions when p-nitrophenyl (PNP) or 4-methylumbelliferyl glycosides are used as substrates. Although high levels of the glycosidases are present in the epididymal lumen, their physiological role remains uncertain. To be functional, the glycosidases are expected to be enzymatically active at or near the physiological pH of luminal fluid. In this report, we demonstrate that the rat epididymal luminal fluid beta-D-galactosidase, optimally active toward PNP beta-D-galactoside at pH 3.5, shows maximum activity towards a glycoprotein substrate ([Gal-3H]fetuin) at neutral pH. Several lines of evidence, including immunoprecipitation studies using antibody to the acid beta-D-galactosidase, and substrate competition studies, indicate that PNP galactosidase and [3H]Gal galactosidase activities are caused by a single enzyme, and that the two substrates are probably cleaved by the same catalytic site(s). Competition studies with various disaccharides indicate that this enzyme is capable of cleaving a variety of galactose linkages found in both O- and N-linked oligosaccharides. Molecular-sieve column chromatography of the beta-D-galactosidase of luminal fluid under several conditions of buffer and pH show that, whereas the enzyme eluted as a tetramer (apparent M(r) 320,000) under acidic conditions (pH 3.5-4.3), only dimers and monomers (apparent M(r) 180,000 and 92,000 respectively) were observed in neutral conditions (pH 6.8). This aggregation/dissociation phenomenon is reversible. These studies indicate that beta-D-galactosidase is present in the luminal fluid in dissociated forms, and is therefore optimally active towards glycoprotein substrates at physiological pH. The potential role of the enzyme in modification of sperm surface glycoproteins is discussed.

Human placental beta-galactosidase. Characterization of the dimer and complex forms of the enzyme

GM1 ganglioside beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal) is deficient in the autosomal recessive disorder GM1 gangliosidosis. A portion of the enzyme occurs in a complex with neuraminidase and an additional glycoprotein, protective protein, but the nature of the interactions conferring the stability of the complex is unknown. Affinity chromatography of beta-Gal on p-aminophenylthiogalactose-Sepharose (PATG-Sepharose) at pH 4.3, the pH optimum of beta-Gal, resulted in a 260-fold enrichment of beta-Gal, but the major protein in the fraction had an M(r) value of 74,000. Affinity chromatography on PATG-Sepharose at pH 5.2 showed substantial enrichment (4000-fold) of beta-Gal, and the mature form of the enzyme (M(r) 64,000) was the major protein in the preparation. Using h.p.l.c. molecular-sieve chromatography, we found that about 15% of the total beta-Gal occurred in a high-M(r) form (greater than 600,000), the presumptive complex, with 85% eluting at M(r) 150,000, suggestive of a dimer. This distribution was independent of both high (60 mg/ml) and low (5 mg/ml) protein concentration and the pH (pH 4.3 or 5.2) of the sample applied to the column. Furthermore, incubation for 90 min at 37 degrees C, conditions which had previously been suggested as optimal for formation of the complex, had no effect on this distribution. Further fractionation by anion-exchange chromatography and a second affinity column step yielded a beta-Gal preparation that contained a single polypeptide chain (M(r) 64,000), was devoid of neuraminidase and protective protein (absent carboxypeptidase activity), and when injected into rabbits gave rise to monospecific rabbit antisera. We conclude that the protein composition of the complex is variable (i.e. it is different when isolated at pH 4.3 and 5.2) and that the amount of beta-Gal tightly associated with the complex constitutes a small fraction of the total beta-Gal activity. The more prevalent form of the enzyme is a beta-Gal homodimer that is stable and devoid of either neuraminidase activity or protective protein.

Structure of the lysosomal neuraminidase-beta-galactosidase-carboxypeptidase multienzymic complex

Lysosomal neuraminidase (sialidase; EC 3.2.1.18) and beta-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23), together with a carboxypeptidase, the so-called 'protective protein', were co-purified from the human placenta by affinity chromatography on a concanavalin A-Sepharose column followed by a thiogalactoside-agarose affinity column for beta-galactosidase. Analysis of the purified material by gel-filtration h.p.l.c. revealed three distinct molecular forms, all with high beta-galactosidase specific activity, but only the largest one expressed neuraminidase activity. Rechromatography of each individual species separately indicated that all three are in fact part of an equilibrium system (the neuraminidase-beta-galactosidase-carboxypeptidase complex or NGC-complex) and that these species undergo slow conversion into one another through dissociation and association of protomeric components. Each species was sufficiently stable for the determination of their hydrodynamic properties by gel-filtration h.p.l.c. and sedimentation velocity. The largest species had an apparent sedimentation coefficient S20.w, of 18.8 S and a Stokes' radius of 8.5 nm, giving a molecular mass of 679 kDa and a fractional ratio, f/f min, of 1.47. The latter value indicates that the macromolecule is asymmetric or highly hydrated. This large species is composed of four types of polypeptide chains of molecular mass 66 kDa (neuraminidase), 63 kDa (beta-galactosidase), 32 kDa and 20 kDa (carboxypeptidase heterodimer). The 32 kDa and 20 kDa protomers are linked together by a disulphide bridge. Glycopeptidase F digestion of the NGC-complex transformed the diffuse 66-63 kDa band on the SDS gel into two close but sharp bands at 58 and 56 kDa. The two smaller species which were separated on the h.p.l.c. column correspond to tetrameric and dimeric forms of the 66-63 kDa protomers and express exclusively beta-galactosidase activity. Treatment of the NGC-complex with increasing concentrations of guanidinium hydrochloride up to 1.5 M also resulted in dissociation of the complex into the same smaller species mentioned above plus two protomers of molecular mass around 60 and 50 kDa. A model of the largest molecular species as a hexamer of the 66-63 kDa protomers associated to five carboxypeptidase heterodimers (32 kDa and 20 kDa) is proposed

Isolation, characterization, and mapping of a human acid beta-galactosidase cDNA

A lambda gt11 human testicular cDNA library was screened with degenerate oligonucleotide probe mixtures based on amino acid sequence data generated from cyanogen bromide fragments and tryptic fragments of purified human beta-galactosidase. Six positive clones were identified after screening 2 x 10(6) plaques. The sequences of these six clones were determined and found to be derived from two different cDNAs. The sequence of the longest of these cDNAs is nearly identical to that recently determined by Oshima et al. (1988). It codes for a 76-kD protein and all 11 peptides that were generated from the purified enzyme. The second clone is shorter by 393 bp in the central portion of the coding region. Analysis by Northern blotting revealed the presence of a single mRNA species of 2.45 kb in lymphoblasts and testicular tissue. It is deduced from the amino acid sequence data that proteolytic processing of the precursor form of beta-galactosidase must occur by cleavage in the carboxy-terminal portion of the polypeptide perhaps around amino acid 530 at a uniquely hydrophilic sequence. Using a probe generated from the 3' region of the cDNA, we have mapped the locus coding for human beta-galactosidase to chromosome 3p21-3pter.

Purification and immunological quantification of rat liver lysosomal glycosidases

Although lysosomal enzyme activities are known to vary in response to numerous physiological and pharmacological stimuli, the relationship between lysosomal enzyme activity and enzyme concentration has not been systematically studied. Therefore we developed radioimmunoassays for two lysosomal glycosidases in order to determine lysosomal enzyme concentration. beta-Galactosidase and beta-glucuronidase were purified from rat liver 2780-fold and 1280-fold respectively, by using differential centrifugation, affinity chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography and molecular-sieve chromatography. Polyclonal antibodies to these enzymes were raised in rabbits, and two radioimmunoassays were established. Antibody specificity was shown by: (i) selective immunoprecipitation of enzyme activity; (ii) identical bands of purified enzyme on SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and immunoelectrophoresis; (iii) single immunoreactive peaks in molecular-sieve chromatography experiments. Sensitivities of the assays were such that 15 ng of beta-galactosidase and 45 ng of beta-glucuronidase decreased the ratio of bound to free radiolabel by 50%; minimal detectable amounts of immunoreactive enzymes were 2 ng and 10 ng respectively. The assays were initially used to assess the effects of physiological perturbations (i.e. fasting and age) on enzyme concentrations in rat liver; these experiments showed that changes in enzyme concentrations do not always correlate with changes in enzyme activities. This represents the first report of radioimmunoassays for lysosomal glycosidases. The results suggest that these radioimmunoassays provide useful technology for the study of regulatory control mechanisms of the concentrations of lysosomal glycosidases in mammalian tissues.

Purification and characterization of human liver beta-galactosidase from a patient with the adult form of GM1 gangliosidosis and a normal control

beta-Galactosidases were purified to homogeneity from livers of a normal control and a patient with the adult form of GM1 gangliosidosis. The purification was achieved by chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose fast flow, Con A-Sepharose, p-aminophenyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside-Sepharose, and QAE-Mono Q. The normal and mutant enzymes were purified about 5000-fold with a yield of 10% and 1800-fold with a yield of 34%, respectively, and could hydrolyze 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-galactoside, GM1 ganglioside, and asialofetuin. The purified normal enzyme was eluted from a TSK gel G-4000SW column as three symmetrical peaks of protein which were coincident with the three peaks of enzyme activity. The enzyme in these three peaks had apparent molecular weights of 800,000 (polymer), 140,000 (dimer), and 65,000 (monomer), whereas the mutant enzyme was eluted as two symmetrical peaks of protein and enzyme activity. The apparent molecular weight of a major monomeric form of the enzyme (beta-galactosidase A) was 60,000, and no dimeric form of the enzyme existed. Normal and mutant purified enzyme preparations migrated as a single major protein band with apparent molecular weights of 65,000 or 60,000, respectively, by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after treatment with mercaptoethanol. On isoelectric focussing, the mutant enzyme migrated more anodally than the normal enzyme. The mutant enzyme also had altered enzyme properties, such as pH optimum, Km values, substrate specificity and heat-stability. These data on the characteristics of the purified enzyme preparations provide the first direct evidence that patients with the adult form of GM1 gangliosidosis have a structurally altered beta-galactosidase.

Heterogeneity of acid beta-galactosidase from rabbit kidney

1. Rabbit kidney acid beta-galactosidase can be resolved into three peaks (named A3, A2 and A1) by gel-filtration chromatography. Their estimated molecular weights were: more than 250,000, 150,000 and 17,000 respectively. 2. The purified acid form appeared as a single band of protein (Mr = 28,000) on electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate, suggesting that forms A3 and A2 are multimeric forms of beta-galactosidase A1. 3. Treatment with neuraminidase from Clostridium perfringens converts form A3 into a more basic form. This phenomenon occurs also when this form is stored for a week at 4 degrees C and parallels its disaggregation. 4. The data suggest that the sialic acids present in the multimeric forms are involved in the aggregation of the acidic form of beta-galactosidase.

Aggregation-dissociation and stability of acid beta-galactosidase purified from porcine spleen

Sucrose gradient centrifugation of the monomeric form (A1) of porcine spleen beta-galactosidase showed a pH-dependent equilibrium between monomer at neutral pH (pH 7.0) and dimer at acidic pH (pH 5.4-3.0), independent of ionic strength. While the oligomeric form (Ao), which was hardly dissociated under physiological conditions, was dissociated only with some protein denaturing agents into similar catalytic subunit to the A1. Both the A1 and Ao were equally active and stable at acidic pH, in the physiological condition inside lysosome (around pH 4.6).

Purification of a beta-D-galactosidase from bovine liver by affinity chromatography

A beta-D-galactosidase from bovine liver was purified to apparent homogeneity. The major purification step was affinity chromatography on a column of D-galactose attached to a Sepharose support activated with divinyl sulfone. Affinity media prepared by binding ligands to Sepharose activated with cyanogen bromide were unsuitable for purification of the enzyme, even though such media have been used to purify beta-D-galactosidases from other sources. The molecular weight of the denatured enzyme was 67,000. The molecular weight of the native enzyme at pH 7.0 was 68,000, and at pH 4.5 or 5.0, was 141,000. These data suggest that the enzyme has a single, fundamental subunit with a molecular weight of 67,000, and that the enzyme exists as a monomer at pH 7.0, and a dimer at pH 4.5 or 5.0. The Vmax values of the enzyme with p-nitrophenyl beta-D-galactoside, p-nitrophenyl beta-D-fucoside, lactose, and beta-Gal-(1----4)-beta-GlcNAc-1---- OC6H4NO2 -p were 10,204, 11,550, 9,479, and 8,859 nmol/min/mg of protein, respectively, and the Km values for these substrates were 0.08, 14.9, 14.2, and 1.6mM, respectively. D-Galactose, beta-D- galactosylamine , p-aminophenyl 1-thio-beta-D-galactoside, and D- galactono -1,4-lactone were competitive inhibitors of the enzyme, with Ki values of 0.9, 0.6, 0.6, and 0.8mM, respectively. The enzyme catalyzed the transfer of the D-galactosyl group from p-nitrophenyl beta-D-galactoside to D-glucose. The pH optimum of the enzyme was 4.5, and the pI was 4.7.

A compilation of amino acid analyses of proteins. XVIII. Residues per thousand residues--5

The amino acid analyses of 213 proteins, as residues per 1000 residues, are given. In addition, the carbohydrate content, the content of any noncommon amino acids, the sources of all proteins, and the necessary literature citations are given.

A beta-galactosidase isoenzyme from Turbo cornutus with substrate specificity toward GM1-ganglioside and glycoproteins

beta-Galactosidase from T. cornutus was resolved into two activity peaks by gel filtration column chromatography. The pH optima of the two peaks designated P1 and P2, were 5.5 and 3.0, respectively, when p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside was used as the substrate. The molecular weights of P1 and P2 were 700,000 +/- 70,000 and 78,000 +/- 7800, respectively, when estimated by gel filtration chromatography. The activities of both forms of the enzymes are stimulated by anions such as Cl-, Br- and NO-3. While the activity of P1 was stimulated by low anion concentrations, P2 requires 700 times higher anion concentration for similar enhancement of activity. P1, the high molecular weight form hydrolyzes mainly galactose from small molecular weight beta-galactosides, such as p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside, 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside, lactose, lactosylceramide and 3-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-D-arabinose, whereas P2, the low molecular weight form cleaves, in addition, all the beta-galactosides tested, including 2-hexadecanoylamino-4-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside, GM1-ganglioside, asialo-GM1-ganglioside, asialo fetuin, alpha 1-acid glycoproteins and the tryptic peptides of the glycoproteins. The optimal conditions for the hydrolysis of the terminal galactose from GM1-ganglioside which does not occur in gastropods, such as T. cornutus, was found to require 40 mM NaCl and 1 mM sodium taurodeoxycholate at pH 3.0 in 50 mM sodium citrate buffer, conditions similar to those by mammalian beta-galactosidase.

Aggregation properties of beta-galactosidase of human urine and degradation of its natural substrates by a purified preparation of the enzyme

Acid beta-D-galactosidase (beta-D-galactoside galactohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.23) was purified to near homogeneity from normal human urine by two affinity chromatography steps. On polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate the major protein band had an apparent molecular weight of 59000, thus being 5000 daltons smaller than the protein purified from human liver. Upon gel filtration on Sephadex G-150 column the purified enzyme had an apparent molecular weight of 70000 of pH 7.0. At pH 4.0 partial aggregation to a dimer of an apparent molecular weight of 150000 was found. Addition of 0.1 M galactose caused at pH 3.5, but not at pH 4.0 and 7.0, an increased formation of multimeric beta-galactosidase which eluted with the void volume of the column. Crude beta-galactosidase from human urine showed a higher aggregation tendency than the purified enzyme. None of the conditions produced an enzyme species of an apparent molecular weight of less than 40000. pH-activity profiles were measured against p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactoside, 3H-labelled GM1-ganglioside, [3H]keratan sulfate and the pentasaccharide O-beta-(1 leads to 4)-[6-3H]galactopyranosyl-O-beta-(1 leads to 2)-2-deoxy-2-acetamidoglycopyranosyl-O-alpha-(1 leads to 6)-mannopyranosyl-O-beta-(1 leads to 4)-mannopyranosyl-2-deoxy-2-acetamidoglucopyranoside. While p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside and GM1-ganglioside were optimally hydrolyzed at pH 4.0, keratan sulfate and the pentasaccharide were optimally degraded at pH 4.3 and pH 5.0, respectively. With the chromogenic substrate and with GM1-ganglioside Km values of 0.33 mM were calculated. At pH 3.5 the hydrolysis of the synthetic substrate did not follow Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Two enzyme species appeared with Km values of 0.006 mM and 3.2 mM, respectively. The affinity of beta-galactosidase for [3H]keratan sulfate and the 3H-labelled pentasaccharide was at least one order of magnitude lower than for the amphiphilic substrates. Keratan sulfate and GM1-ganglioside did not act as competitive inhibitors of p-nitrophenyl-beta-galactosidase at the concentration tested. These findings could be explained by the existence of different binding sites for the substrates used.

The binding of human liver acid beta-galactosidase to wheat-germ lectin is influenced by aggregation state of the enzyme

At low ionic strength and pH 6.0 human liver acid beta-galactosidase exists in two aggregation states, monomeric and multimeric. These species can be separated on wheat-germ lectin-Sepharose, Cellogel electrophoresis and gel filtration on Sephadex G-200, and are not normally interconvertible. On re-application of either form to wheat-germ lectin-Sepharose the equilibrium is re-established and the two forms are interconverted.

The stability and aggregation properties of human liver acid beta-D-galactosidase

1. A method is described for following continuously the action of beta-galactosidase on 4-methylumbelliferyl beta-D-galactoside at pH 4.5, in which 4-methylumbelliferone production is measured at fluorescence excitation and emission wavelengths of 324 and 444nm respectively. 2. Initial-rate studies show that the presence of salt activates beta-galactosidase up to 100 mM, but is inhibitory above that concentration. The enzyme is very unstable at 37 degrees C and low ionic strength, but stability increases with ionic strength. 3. The stability of the enzyme at 37 degrees C decreases markedly with rising pH in the range 5.9--8.0. 4. Gel-filtration patterns demonstrate that there is a marked tendency to polymerization with increasing ionic strength. The gel-filtration pattern shows decreasing amounts of dimer with increasing pH. 5. The correlation between activity, stability and molecular form of beta-galactosidase is discussed. It is suggested that the dimeric form of the enzyme is the most stable and active form. The implications of this finding for the assay of beta-galactosidase under physiological conditions for prenatal diagnosis are discussed. 6. Evidence for the possible occurrence of a 36 000-mol.wt. from of beta-galactosidase is presented. 7. A computer program for the calculation of initial rates has been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50114 (4 pages) at the British Library Lending Division, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ, U.K., from whom copies can be obtained on the terms indicated in Biochem. J. (1981) 193, 5.

Dog GM1 gangliosidosis: characterization of the residual liver acid beta-galactosidase

The residual liver acid beta-galactosidase activity from the first documented case of GM1 gangliosidosis in dogs was partially purified and characterized with respect to kinetic properties, thermostability, isoelectric point, molecular weight, and antigenicity. The GM1 dog liver beta-galactosidase appears to be identical with the normal dog liver enzyme in all properties examined. The canine disease is strikingly different from the human disease in the amount of enzyme that is present in the tissue. Unlike the human disease, in which normal amounts of catalytically defective beta-galactosidase are present, in dog GM1 gangliosidosis, only 1% of normal beta-galactosidase protein is detectable.

Enzymatic identification of mannose 6-phosphate on the recognition marker for receptor-mediated pinocytosis of beta-glucuronidase by human fibroblasts

Human beta-glucuronidase (beta-D-glucuronide glucuronosohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.31), like many other glycoprotein lysosomal hydrolases, is subject to receptor-mediated endocytosis by fibroblasts. Prior work demonstrated charge heterogeneity in beta-glucuronidase and showed that high-uptake forms are more acidic than slowly internalized forms. Considerable indirect evidence implicated mannose 6-phosphate as an essential part of the recognition marker on high-uptake enzyme forms. Here we report the purification of beta-glucuronidase from human spleen and demonstrate enzymatically that mannose 6-phosphate is released on acid hydrolysis of pure enzyme varies directly with its susceptibility to pinocytosis by fibroblasts. Enzyme forms resolved by CM-Sephadex chromatography differed over an 18-fold range in uptake rate and in mannose 6-phosphate content. The most acidic forms had 4.4 mol of mannose 6-phosphate per mol of enzyme. The mannose 6-phosphate was released from the enzyme by treatment with endoglycosidase H with concomitant loss of susceptibility to adsorptive endocytosis. Thus, these studies provide direct evidence that mannose 6-phosphate is present on high-uptake enzyme forms, that it is present in the recognition marker for uptake, and that it is present on oligosaccharide that is released by endoglycosidase H.

Biochemistry and genetics of gangliosidoses

The gangliosidoses comprise an-ever increasing number of biochemically and phenotypically variant diseases. In most of them an autosomal recessive inherited deficiency of a lysosomal hydrolase results in the fatal accumulation of glucolipids (predominantly in the nervous tissue) and of oligosaccharides. The structure, substrate specificity, immunological properties of and genetic studies on the relevant glycosidases, ganglioside GM1 beta-galactosidase and beta-hexosaminidase isoenzymes, are reviewed in this paper. Contrary to general expectation, only a poor correlation is observed between the severity of the disease and residual activity of the defective enzyme when measured with synthetic or natural substrates in the presence of detergents. For the understanding of variant diseases and for their pre- and postnatal diagnosis, the necessity of studying the substrate specificity of normal and mutated enzymes under conditions similar to the in vivo situation, e.g., with natural substrates in the presence of appropriate activator proteins, is stressed. The possibility that detergents may have adverse affects on the substrate specificity of the enzymes is discussed for the beta-hexosaminidases. The significance of activator proteins for the proper interaction of lipid substrates and water-soluble hydrolases is illustrated by the fatal glycolipid storage resulting from an activator protein deficiency in the AB variant of GM2-gangliosidosis. Recent somatic complementation studies have revealed the existence of a presumably post-translational modification factor necessary for the expression of ganglioside GM1 beta-galactosidase activity. This factor is deficient in a group of variants of GM1-glangliosidosis. Among the possible reasons for the variability of enzyme activity levels in heterozygotes and patients, allelic mutations, formation of hybrid enzymes, and the existence of patients as compound heterozygotes are discussed. All these may result in the production of mutant enzymes with an altered specificity for a variety of natural substrates.