Synthesis of glycosyl-dolichol derivatives in bakers' yeast and their role in protein glycosylation

Perspectives on Retinal Dolichol Metabolism, and Visual Deficits in Dolichol Metabolism-Associated Inherited Disorders

De novo synthesis of dolichol (Dol) and dolichyl phosphate (Dol-P) is essential for protein glycosylation. Herein, we provide a brief overview of Dol and Dol-P synthesis and the maintenance of their cellular content. Retinal Dol metabolism and the requirement of Dol-linked oligosaccharide synthesis in the neural retina also are discussed. There are recently discovered and an emerging class of rare congenital disorders that affect Dol metabolism, involving the genes DHDDS, NUS1, SRD5A3, and DOLK. Further understanding of these congenital disorders is evolving, based upon studies utilizing yeast and murine models, as well as clinical reports of these rare disorders. We summarize the known visual deficits associated with Dol metabolism disorders, and identify the need for generation and characterization of suitable animal models of these disorders to elucidate the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms of the associated retinopathies.

Precision mapping of the human O-GalNAc glycoproteome through SimpleCell technology

Glycosylation is the most abundant and diverse posttranslational modification of proteins. While several types of glycosylation can be predicted by the protein sequence context, and substantial knowledge of these glycoproteomes is available, our knowledge of the GalNAc-type O-glycosylation is highly limited. This type of glycosylation is unique in being regulated by 20 polypeptide GalNAc-transferases attaching the initiating GalNAc monosaccharides to Ser and Thr (and likely some Tyr) residues. We have developed a genetic engineering approach using human cell lines to simplify O-glycosylation (SimpleCells) that enables proteome-wide discovery of O-glycan sites using 'bottom-up' ETD-based mass spectrometric analysis. We implemented this on 12 human cell lines from different organs, and present a first map of the human O-glycoproteome with almost 3000 glycosites in over 600 O-glycoproteins as well as an improved NetOGlyc4.0 model for prediction of O-glycosylation. The finding of unique subsets of O-glycoproteins in each cell line provides evidence that the O-glycoproteome is differentially regulated and dynamic. The greatly expanded view of the O-glycoproteome should facilitate the exploration of how site-specific O-glycosylation regulates protein function.

Phosphoglucomutase is an in vivo lithium target in yeast

Lithium is a drug frequently used in the treatment of manic depressive disorder. We have observed that the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is very sensitive to lithium when growing in galactose medium. In this work we show that lithium inhibits with high affinity yeast (IC50 approximately 0.2 mm) and human (IC50 approximately 1.5 mm) phosphoglucomutase, the enzyme that catalyzes the reversible conversion of glucose 1-phosphate to glucose 6-phosphate. Lithium inhibits the rate of fermentation when yeast are grown in galactose and induces accumulation of glucose 1-phosphate and galactose 1-phosphate. Accumulation of these metabolites was also observed when a strain deleted of the two isoforms of phosphoglucomutase was incubated in galactose medium. In glucose-grown cells lithium reduces the steady state levels of UDP-glucose, resulting in a defect on trehalose and glycogen biosynthesis. Lithium acts as a competitive inhibitor of yeast phosphoglucomutase activity by competing with magnesium, a cofactor of the enzyme. High magnesium concentrations revert lithium inhibition of growth and phosphoglucomutase activity. Lithium stress causes an increase of the phosphoglucomutase activity due to an induction of transcription of the PGM2 gene, and its overexpression confers lithium tolerance in galactose medium. These results show that phosphoglucomutase is an important in vivo lithium target.

Uridine diphosphate-glucose transport into the endoplasmic reticulum of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: in vivo and in vitro evidence

It has been proposed that synthesis of beta-1,6-glucan, one of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall components, is initiated by a uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucose-dependent reaction in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Because this sugar nucleotide is not synthesized in the lumen of the ER, we have examined whether or not UDP-glucose can be transported across the ER membrane. We have detected transport of this sugar nucleotide into the ER in vivo and into ER-containing microsomes in vitro. Experiments with ER-containing microsomes showed that transport of UDP-glucose was temperature dependent and saturable with an apparent Km of 46 microM and a Vmax of 200 pmol/mg protein/3 min. Transport was substrate specific because UDP-N-acetylglucosamine did not enter these vesicles. Demonstration of UDP-glucose transport into the ER lumen in vivo was accomplished by functional expression of Schizosaccharomyces pombe UDP-glucose:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (GT) in S. cerevisiae, which is devoid of this activity. Monoglucosylated protein-linked oligosaccharides were detected in alg6 or alg5 mutant cells, which transfer Man9GlcNAc2 to protein; glucosylation was dependent on the inhibition of glucosidase II or the disruption of the gene encoding this enzyme. Although S. cerevisiae lacks GT, it contains Kre5p, a protein with significant homology and the same size and subcellular location as GT. Deletion mutants, kre5Delta, lack cell wall beta-1,6 glucan and grow very slowly. Expression of S. pombe GT in kre5Delta mutants did not complement the slow-growth phenotype, indicating that both proteins have different functions in spite of their similarities.

Synthesis of lipid-linked oligosaccharides in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Man2GlcNAc2 and Man1GlcNAc2 are transferred from dolichol to protein in vivo

Transfer of truncated oligosaccharides to protein in vivo and the structure of Man2GlcNAc2 synthesized by intact yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were investigated in the alg2 mutant. At the nonpermissive temperature the alg2 mutant accumulates lipid-linked oligosaccharides that migrate on Bio-Gel P4 in the range expected for Man2GlcNAc2 and Man1GlcNAc2 (T.C. Huffaker and P.W. Robbins (1983) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80, 7466-7470). We characterized the oligosaccharides, derived from protein and lipid, by comigration with standards on HPLC and by Smith degradation followed by HPLC. Man2GlcNAc2 and Man1GlcNAc2 are found on protein in alg2, since their release from a protein-containing precipitate of alg2 cells is N-glycanase (peptide-N4[N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl]asparagine amidase) dependent. Transfer also occurred in alg2/pAC3 cells, which carry ALG2 on a multicopy plasmid that confers partial correction of the oligosaccharide phenotype. The alg2/pAC3 cells are viable at 36 degrees C. Two isomers of Man2GlcNAc2, Man1----3ManGlcNAc2 and Man1----6ManGlcNAc2, were present on lipid and protein. The transfer of Man2GlcNAc2 and Man1GlcNAc2 to protein by intact cells supports topological models that postulate access by early intermediates to the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum.

Separation of dolichol monophosphate mannose and dolichol monophosphate glucose by thin-layer chromatography

Dolichol monophosphate mannose and dolichol monophosphate glucose from mammalian or mold cells were separated by thin-layer chromatography. This separation was not due to a difference in the size of the lipid moieties. It was found that the lipid moieties of dolichol monophosphate mannose and dolichol monophosphate glucose are the same size when synthesized by the same cell. The thin-layer chromatographic separation appeared to be due, therefore, to the saccharide part of the molecules.

Novel mannose carrier in the trypanosomatid Crithidia fasciculata behaving as a short alpha-saturated polyprenyl phosphate

Crithidia fasciculata cells incubated with [14C]glucose or membranes derived from the same protozoan incubated with GDP-[14C]mannose were found to synthesize a lipid monophosphate mannose. No glucosylated mild acid-labile compound was formed in vivo or in vitro when UDP-[14C]glucose was used instead of GDP-[14C]mannose. The lipid moiety of the mannosyl derivative formed behaved as a polyprenol having 11 isoprene residues as judged by t.l.c. and be gel filtration in sodium deoxycholate-containing buffers. The mannolipid was not broken on treatment with hot phenol, suggesting the existence of an alpha-saturated isoprene unit. This is the first case reported in which a mannosyl phospholipid involved in sugar transfer in a eukaryotic cell behaves as if it was similar to that of bacterial polyprenols, although having its putative alpha-isoprene unit saturated to the same extent as dolichols from higher organisms.

The biosynthetic pathway of the asparagine-linked oligosaccharides of glycoproteins

This review deals with the structure and addition of the different types of oligosaccharides to asparagine residues in proteins. This process occurs in several steps, first an oligosaccharide which contains N-acetylglucosamine mannose and glucose is built up joined to dolichyl diphosphate. The oligosaccharide is then transferred to a polypeptide chain, loses its glucose, and is modified by removal of some monosaccharides and addition of others giving rise to a variety of saccharides.

The biosynthesis of glucose containing insect lipid linked oligosaccharide and its possible role in glycoprotein assembly

Microsome enriched Ceratitis capitata extracts synthesized a glucosylated lipid linked oligosaccharide. Its properties were closely related to those of the previously described insect mannosylated dolichyl diphosphate oligosaccharides and almost the same as those of the rat liver dolichyl-diphosphate-(GlcNAc)2-(Man)9-(Glc)1-3. The saccharide moiety of the latter was transferred to an unknown endogenous protein-like acceptor by the fly extracts. These represent the first evidence of a protein glycosylation in a pluricellular invertebrate through dolichyl derivatives.

Glucosyltransferase activities in liver mitochondria. I. Biosynthesis of dolichyl[14C]glucosyl phosphate and [14C]glucosylceramide

Mitochondria, and specially outer mitochondrial membranes, incorporate D-[14C]glucose from UDP-D-[14C]glucose into products extracted with organic solvents and into a residual precipitate, with a pH optimum of about 6.5 in (2-N-morpholino-ethane)-sulfonic acid (MES) buffer. The chloroform/methanol (2:1, v/v) extract contains two products. The major [14C]glucolipid is stable to mild alkali, but releases [14C]glucose upon mild acid hydrolysis. It is retained on DEAE-cellulose (acetate form) and is eluted with the same ionic strength as an hexosyldolichyl monophosphate diester. This [14C] glucolipid has the same chromatographic behaviour as dolichyl-mannosylphosphate in neutral, acidic and basic solvent systems; and its biosynthesis is greatly increased by exogenous dolichylmonophosphate. The other [14C]glucolipid is stable upon mild acid hydrolysis and is not retained on DEAE-cellulose. On silicic acid it is eluted with acetone. The biosynthesis of this compound is stimulated by exogenous ceramide. This glucolipid has the same chromatographic mobility in different solvent systems as glucosylceramide isolated from the liver of a patient with Gaucher's disease. Biosynthesis of these two glucolipids is inhibited by UDP, but only biosynthesis of dolichylglucosyl monophosphate is reversible with this nucleotide. The biosynthesis of these different glucosylated derivatives is stimulated by the addition of divalent cations (Mn2+, Mg2+). the effect of these two metal ions on dolichylglucosyl monophosphate and glucosylceramide formation is studied in different conditions.

Biosynthesis of the core region of yeast mannoproteins. Formation of a glucosylated dolichol-bound oligosaccharide precursor, its transfer to protein and subsequent modification

A new membrane preparation from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was developed, which effectively catalyzes the synthesis of large oligosaccharide-lipids from GDP-Man and UDP-Glc allowing a detailed study of their formation and size. The oligosaccharide from an incubation with GDP-Man could be separated by gel filtration chromatography into several species consisting of two N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues at the reducing end and differing by one mannos unit; the major compound formed has the composition (Man)9(GlcNAc)2. Upon incubation with UDP-Glc, three oligosaccharides corresponding to the size of (Glc)1-3(Man)9(GlcNAc)2 are formed. Thus, the oligosaccharides generated in vitro by the yeast membranes appear to be identical in size with the oligosaccharides found in animal systems. In addition the results indicate that dolichyl phosphate mannoe (DolP-Man) is the immediate donor in assembling the oligosaccharide moiety from (Man)5(GlcNAc)2 to (Man)9(GlcNAc)2. All three glucose residues are transferred from DolP-Glc. Experiments with isolated [Glc-14C]oligosaccharide-lipid as substrate demonstrated that the oligosaccharide chain is transferred to an endogenous membrane protein acceptor. Moreover, transfer is followed by an enzymic removal of glucose residues, due to a glucosidase activity associated with the membranes. Glucose release from the free [Glc-14C]oligosaccharide is less effective than from protein-bound oligosaccharide. Glycosylation was also observed using [Man-14C]oligosaccharide-lipid or DolPP-(GlcNAc)2 as donor. However, transfer in the presence of glucose seems to be more rapid. The mannose-containing oligosaccharide, released from the lipid, was shown to function as a substrate for further chain elongation reactions utilizing GDP-Man but not DolPP-Man as donor. It is suggested that the immediate precursor in the synthesis of the heterogeneous core region, (Man)12-17(GlcNAc)2, of yeast mannoproteins is a glucose-containing lipid-oligosaccharide with the composition (Glc)3(Man)9(GlcNAc)2, i.e. only part of what has been defined as inner core is built up on the lipid carrier. After transfer to protein the oligosaccharide is modified by excision of the glucose residues, followed subsequently by further elongation from GDP-Man to give the size of th oligosaccharide chains found in native mannoproteins.

Localization of dolichyl phosphate- and pyrophosphate-dependent glycosyl transfer reactions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Membranes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae protoplasts were fractionated on a continuous sucrose gradient. Six bands were obtained, which contained altogether about 15% of the total cell protein. From their densitites, their behavior in the presence and absence of Mg2+ ions, and the distribution of marker enzymes, it was possible to identify fractions enriched in rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum and in mitochondria. All glycosyl transfer reactions investigated where dolichyl phosphates served as glycosyl acceptors or where dolichyl phosphate- and pyrophosphate-activated sugars served as glycosyl donors showed the highest specific activity and up to 75% of the total activity in the endoplasmic reticulum. This was the case for the reactions involved in the formation of O-glycosidic as well as N-glycosidic linkages in yeast glycoprotein biosynthesis. Membrane fractions enriched in plasmalemma contained less than 3% of the corresponding activities.

The assembly of lipid-linked oligosaccharides in plant and animal membranes

Membrane preparations from growing regions of pea stems and actively-dividing mouse L-cells form lipid-linked saccharides from GDP-mannose and UDP-N-acetylglucosamine. These lipids have properties which are consistent with those of mono- and di-phosphoryl polyisoprenyl derivatives. In experiments using plant membranes, the monophosphoryl derivative labeled with GDP-(14C) mannose contains mannose only, while the diphosphoryl derivative labeled with the same nucleotide sugar is heterogeneous, containing oligosaccharides corresponding to mannosaccharides of 5, 7, and 9--12 residues. Only the diphosphoryl polyisoprenyl derivatives are labeled with UDP-(14C)glucosamine and these contain predominantly chitobiose and N-acetylglucosamine itself. Unlabeled GDP-mannose added after UDP-N-acetyl-(14C)glucosamine results in the formation of higher lipid-linked oligosaccharides which are apparently the same as those which are labeled with GDP-(14C)mannose alone. Incubation of the membranes with GDP-(14C)mannose in the presence of Mn2+, unlabeled UDP-glucose or unlabeled UDP-N-acetylglucosamine results in marked changes in the accumulation of both the polyisoprenyl monophosphoryl mannose and polyisoprenyl diphosphoryl oligosaccharides. Animal cell membranes synthesise lipid-linked oligosaccharides when incubated with UDP-N-acetylglucosamine and GDP-mannose. These oligosaccharides are similar in size to those synthesised by the plant membranes but their formation is more efficient. The potential roles of these compounds in glycoprotein biosynthesis in both plant and animal tissues is discussed.

Lipid-linked oligosaccharides containing glucose in lactating rabbit mammary gland

1. Microsomal fractions of lactating rabbit mammary gland incubated with UDP-glucose formed lipid-linked mono- and oligo-saccharides. The lipid-linked monosaccharide had chromatographic properties similar to those of dolichol phosphate mannose and yielded glucose on acid hydrolysis. 2. Incubation of the microsomal fraction with GDP-[U14C]-mannose yielded an oligosaccharide lipid of approximately seven monosaccharide units. Further incubation with UDP-glucose increased the size of the oligosaccharide by approximately two units. 3. Explants of lactating rabbit mammary gland incorporated [U-14C]glucose into both lipid-linked mono- and oligo-saccharides. The oligosaccharide lipid was of approx. 11 monosaccharide units. 4. Considerable redistribution of radioactive label occurred in the explant system, and radioactively labelled glucosamine and mannose, as well as glucose, were detected on acid hydrolysis of the oligosaccharide lipid. 5. Glucose was also detected in the acid hydrolysate of explant proteins. Radioactive glucosamine, galactosamine, galactose and mannose were also found in this fraction.

Formation of 2-deoxyglucose-containing lipid-linked oligosaccharides. Interference with glycosylation of glycoproteins

Crude membrane preparations from chick embryo cells catalyse the formation of dolichyl-di-N-acetylchitobiosyl diphosphate [Dol-PP-(GlcNAc)2] from uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc). The formation of this glycolipid was stimulated by exogenous dolichyl phosphate and inhibited by tunicamycin. Adding GDP-mannose to the cell-free system containing Dol-PP-(GlcNAc)2 by preincubation led to the formation of a lipid-linked oligosaccharide, containing 8--9 sugar residues. The formation of lipid-linked oligosaccharides was inhibited by GDP-2-deoxy-D-glucose (GDP-dGlc): in this case Dol-PP-(Glc-NAc)2-dGlc accumulated. Subsequent additions of mannosyl residues to this trisaccharide-lipid to form lipid-linked oligosaccharides were not possible. Concomitantly the glycosylation of proteins was blocked. Partially inhibitory conditions were obtained by adding both GDP-dGlc and GDP-Man with an excess of GDP-dGlc. Glycosylation of proteins was observed but the glycopeptides did not contain 2-deoxyglucosyl residues. Also in these cases 2-deoxyglucose-containing glycolipids accumulated. The main glycolipid formed under these conditions was Dol-PP-(GlcNAc)2-Man-dGlc. Lipid-linked oligosaccharides containing 2-deoxyglucose were formed under these conditions, although in small amounts, but were not transferred to protein. So the molecular basis of the inhibitory action of 2-deoxyglucose on glycosylation of protein is the incorporation of 2-deoxyglucosyl residues during early phases of the biosynthesis of the lipid-linked oligosaccharides.

Lipid-bound oligosaccharides in insects

Membrane preparations from immature stages of the fruit fly Ceratitis capitata catalyze the transfer of mannose from GDP-[14C]mannose into lipid-linked oligosaccharides. These compounds behave as polyprenyl derivatives and their formation is stimulated by the addition of an acidic glycolipid fraction isolated from insects. The mannose-labeled oligosaccharides are attached to the poly-isoprenol by a pyrophosphoryl linkage and can be released by mild acid hydrolysis. The trisaccharide lipid has been partially characterized. The results indicate that the compound is polyprenyl-pyrophosphate-N,N'-diacetylchitobiose-mannose. Incubation of dolichyl phosphate [14C]mannose or lower 14C-labeled oligosaccharide lipids with unlabeled GDP-mannose and the insect enzyme leads to the labeling of a higher lipid-bound oligosaccharide. When UDP-N-acetyl[14C]glucosamine was incubated with insect membranes a 14C-labeled chitobiosyl lipid was synthesized. If unlabeled GDP-mannose was also present, the 14C label appeared in the trisaccharide and higher oligosaccharide lipids. Preliminary evidence indicates that the insect polyprenyl oligosaccharides described here might participate in glycoprotein biosynthesis.

Glycosylation in vitro of Semliki-Forest-virus and influenza-virus glycoproteins and its suppression by nucleotide-2-deoxy-hexose

Cell-free enzyme preparations from cultured fibroblasts infected with Semliki forest virus or fowl plague virus (an influenza A virus) incorporate [14C]-mannose into dolichol-phosphate-mannose, lipid-linked oligosaccharides and into endogenous virus-specific glycoproteins. When GDP-2-deoxy-D-[14C]glucose serves as substrate 2-deoxy-D-[14C]glucose is transferred to dolichol phosphate yielding dolichol-monophosphate-2-deoxy-D-[14C]glucose. UDP-2-deoxy-D-[14C]glucose gives rise also to a lipid which, however, is not a polyprenol derivative. The transfer of [14C]mannose to lipid-extractable fractions and glycoproteins in vitro is blocked by GDP-2-deoxy-D-glucose. It can be restored by exogenous dolichol monophosphate only with regard to the formation of dolichol-monophosphate-[14C]mannose-labelled oligosaccharides into glycoproteins. UDP-2-deoxy-D-glucose has no inhibitory effect on transfer reactions of [14C]mannose from GDP-[14C]mannose into various lipid fractions or into glycoprotein. It is concluded therefore, that the inhibition of glycosylation brought about by 2-deoxyglucose in vivo is caused by an interference of its GDP derivative with the formation of a correct lipid-oligosaccharide.

Lipid intermediates in the synthesis of the inner core of yeast mannan

The synthesis by yeast microsomes of compounds that are probably dolichol-pyrophosphate derivatives containing N,N'-diacetylchitobiose and several mannose residues is described. However, the presence of monosaccharide residues other than N-acetylglucosamine and mannose has not been ruled out. The amount of the lipid derivatives synthesized was enhanced by the addition to the incubation mixture of an organic-solvent-soluble extract from rat liver known to contain dolicholpyrophosphate oligosaccharides. Incubation of these derivatives with yeast microsomes led to the transfer of about fifteen percent of their saccharide moieties to endogenous proteins. The oligosaccharides released from the dolichol derivatives by mild acid hydrolysis could serve as primers for the synthesis of a polysaccharide having the characteristics of mannan outer-chain. It is suggested that the dolichol-pyrophosphate derivatives described in this paper are intermediates in the synthesis of mannan inner core.

Biosynthesis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae glycoproteins: nature of some participating glycolipids

A particulate membrane preparation from Saccharomyces cerevisiae catalyzed the incorporation of mannose from GDP-mannose into lipids that were extractable in chloroform-methanol. One lipid has been previously characterized as dolichyl phosphomannose. Another one was purified by chromatography on silicic acid, DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex LH-20 was found to be alkali unstable. The lipid moiety was shown to be dolichol and the glycosydic part contained mannose, glucose and glucosamine. Radioactive mannose was also incorporated at a slower rate into more polar compounds. They were soluble in chloroform-methanol-water and were seen to liberate neutral oligosaccharides after alkaline hydrolysis. Radioactive mannose was also incorporated into substances which behave chemically as glycoproteins since they were insoluble in organic solvents, water and trichloroactic acid. Pronase treatment of the trichloroacetic acid-insoluble material released water-soluble oligosaccharides. When the particulate preparation which had been extracted with chloroform-methanol at-20 C, was incubated with GDP-(U-14C)mannose, radioactivity was incorporated into glycolipids that were soluble in chloroform-methanol-water and into glycoproteins. This result suggests that at least part of the mannose was transferred to endogenous acceptors independent of dolichyl phosphomannose.