Purification of GDP mannose:dolichyl-phosphate O-beta-D-mannosyltransferase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Yil102c-A is a Functional Homologue of the DPMII Subunit of Dolichyl Phosphate Mannose Synthase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In a wide range of organisms, dolichyl phosphate mannose (DPM) synthase is a complex of tree proteins Dpm1, Dpm2, and Dpm3. However, in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it is believed to be a single Dpm1 protein. The function of Dpm3 is performed in S. cerevisiae by the C-terminal transmembrane domain of the catalytic subunit Dpm1. Until present, the regulatory Dpm2 protein has not been found in S. cerevisiae. In this study, we show that, in fact, the Yil102c-A protein interacts directly with Dpm1 in S. cerevisiae and influences its DPM synthase activity. Deletion of the YIL102c-A gene is lethal, and this phenotype is reversed by the dpm2 gene from Trichoderma reesei. Functional analysis of Yil102c-A revealed that it also interacts with glucosylphosphatidylinositol-N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase (GPI-GnT), similar to DPM2 in human cells. Taken together, these results show that Yil102c-A is a functional homolog of DPMII from T. reesei and DPM2 from humans.

Protein O-mannosylation: what we have learned from baker's yeast

BACKGROUND

Protein O-mannosylation is a vital type of glycosylation that is conserved among fungi, animals, and humans. It is initiated in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) where the synthesis of the mannosyl donor substrate and the mannosyltransfer to proteins take place. O-mannosylation defects interfere with cell wall integrity and ER homeostasis in yeast, and define a pathomechanism of severe neuromuscular diseases in humans.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

On the molecular level, the O-mannosylation pathway and the function of O-mannosyl glycans have been characterized best in the eukaryotic model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this review we summarize general features of protein O-mannosylation, including biosynthesis of the mannosyl donor, characteristics of acceptor substrates, and the protein O-mannosyltransferase machinery in the yeast ER. Further, we discuss the role of O-mannosyl glycans and address the question why protein O-mannosylation is essential for viability of yeast cells.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Understanding of the molecular mechanisms of protein O-mannosylation in yeast could lead to the development of novel antifungal drugs. In addition, transfer of the knowledge from yeast to mammals could help to develop diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in the frame of neuromuscular diseases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Functional and structural diversity of endoplasmic reticulum.

Protein O-mannosylation: conserved from bacteria to humans

Protein O-mannosylation is an essential modification in fungi and animals. Different from most other types of O-glycosylation, protein O-mannosylation is initiated in the endoplasmic reticulum by the transfer of mannose from dolichol monophosphate-activated mannose to serine and threonine residues of secretory proteins. In recent years, it has emerged that even bacteria are capable of O-mannosylation and that the biosynthetic pathway of O-mannosyl glycans is conserved between pro- and eukaryotes. In this review, we summarize the observations that have opened up the field and highlight characteristics of O-mannosylation in the different domains/kingdoms of life.

In vitro formation of a novel type of membrane vesicles containing Dpm1p: putative transport vesicles for lipid droplets in budding yeast

A novel type of membrane vesicles was formed in vitro from microsomes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which carries Dpm1p, an enzyme involved in dolichol-sugar synthesis, but not a typical secretory cargo. While COPII vesicles formed in vitro were sedimentable by centrifugation at 200,000g(max) for 15 min, the novel vesicles were not. However, they were sedimented by additional centrifugation at the same speed for 1 h. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that the Dpm1p-containing vesicles had small vesicular/saccular structures of around 40-50 nm in diameter. The addition of glycerol-3-phosphate and oleoyl-CoA, substrates for lipid biosynthesis, significantly enhanced the efficiency of vesicle budding in an ATP-dependent fashion. Dpm1p was localized to lipid droplets as well as endoplasmic reticulum. Fluorescence microscopy further showed that Dpm1p-GFP was present in restricted subregions in isolated lipid droplets. The possibility that the vesicles were intermediates from the endoplasmic reticulum to lipid droplets was examined, and their possible role is discussed.

Biosynthesis of glycoproteins in the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans: activation of dolichol phosphate mannose synthase by cAMP-mediated protein phosphorylation

Following incubation with ATP and a cAMP-dependent protein kinase under optimal conditions of lipid acceptor, phospholipid and metal ion requirements, the transfer activity of partially purified dolichol phosphate mannose synthase (DPMS) increased about 60% and this activation correlated with a 50% increase in V(max) with no alteration in the apparent K(m) for GDP-Manose. Phosphorylation with [gamma-(32)P]ATP resulted in the labeling of several polypeptides, one of which exhibited the molecular weight of the enzyme (30 kDa) and was also recognized using a specific anti-DPMS monoclonal antibody. This and the fact that the phosphate label could be removed by an alkaline phosphatase indicate that Candida DPMS may be regulated by phosphorylation-dephosphorylation, a mechanism that has been proposed for the enzyme in other organisms.

In vitro phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase up-regulates recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannosylphosphodolichol synthase

DPM1 is the structural gene for mannosylphosphodolichol synthase (i.e. Dol-P-Man synthase, DPMS) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Earlier studies with cDNA cloning and sequence analysis have established that 31-kDa DPMS of S. cerevisiae contains a consensus sequence (YRRVIS141) that can be phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). We have been studying the up-regulation of DPMS activity by protein kinase A-mediated phosphorylation in higher eukaryotes, and used the recombinant DPMS from S. cerevisiae in this study to advance our knowledge further. DPMS catalytic activity was indeed enhanced severalfold when the recombinant protein was phosphorylated in vitro. The rate as well as the magnitude of catalysis was higher with the phosphorylated enzyme. A similar increase in the catalytic activity was also observed when the in vitro phosphorylated recombinant DPMS was assayed as a function of increasing concentrations of exogenous dolichylmonophosphate (Dol-P). Kinetic studies indicated that there was no change in the Km for GDP-mannose between the in vitro phosphorylated and control recombinant DPMS, but the Vmax was increased by 6-fold with the phosphorylated enzyme. In vitro phosphorylated recombinant DPMS also exhibited higher enzyme turnover (kcat) and enzyme efficiency (kcat/Km). SDS-PAGE followed by autoradiography of the 32P-labeled DPMS detected a 31-kDa phosphoprotein, and immunoblotting with anti-phosphoserine antibody established the presence of a phosphoserine residue in in vitro phosphorylated recombinant DPMS. To confirm the phosphorylation activation of recombinant DPMS, serine 141 in the consensus sequence was replaced with alanine by PCR site-directed mutagenesis. The S141A DPMS mutant exhibited more than half-a-fold reduction in catalytic activity compared with the wild type when both were analyzed after in vitro phosphorylation. Thus, confirming that S. cerevisiae DPMS activity is indeed regulated by the cAMP-dependent protein phosphorylation signal, and the phosphorylation target is serine 141.

Partial purification and characterization of dolichol phosphate mannose synthase from Entamoeba histolytica

Dolichol phosphate mannose synthase, an essential enzyme in glycoprotein biosynthesis, was partially purified from E.histolytica by hydrophobic interaction and affinity chromatography with octyl Sepharose CL-4B and Affi-Gel 501, respectively. Reducing agents, particularly dithiothreitol, positively influenced enzyme activity and stability, indicating a role of sulfhydryl groups on the transferase function. Activity did not depend on phospholipids; however, it was significantly stimulated by phosphatidylethanolamine and to a lower extent by other common phospholipids. Mixtures consisting of activating phospholipids did not exert an additive effect. In vitro phosphorylation with a cAMP-dependent protein kinase resulted in enzyme activation. This alteration was not associated with a change in the K(m) for the substrate but rather with a 2.6-fold increase in V(max). Phosphorylation in the presence of [gamma-(32)P]ATP resulted in strong labeling of two polypeptides, one of which exhibited the molecular mass reported for the enzyme from other organisms. Whether phosphorylation functions in vivo as a mechanism of regulation of dolichol phosphate mannose synthesis in E.histolytica remains to be determined.

Dolichol phosphate mannose synthase from the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei belongs to the human and Schizosaccharomyces pombe class of the enzyme

Dolichol phosphate mannose (DPM) synthase activity, which is required in N:-glycosylation, O-mannosylation, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol membrane anchoring of protein, has been postulated to regulate the Trichoderma reesei secretory pathway. We have cloned a T.reesei cDNA that encodes a 243 amino acid protein whose amino acid sequence shows 67% and 65% identity, respectively, to the Schizosaccharomyces pombe and human DPM synthases, and which lacks the COOH-terminal hydrophobic domain characteristic of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae class of synthase. The Trichoderma dpm1 (Trdpm1) gene complements a lethal null mutation in the S.pombe dpm1(+) gene, but neither restores viability of a S.cerevisiae dpm1-disruptant nor complements the temperature-sensitivity of the S. cerevisiae dpm1-6 mutant. The T.reesei DPM synthase is therefore a member of the "human" class of enzyme. Overexpression of Trdpm1 in a dpm1(+)::his7/dpm1(+) S.pombe diploid resulted in a 4-fold increase in specific DPM synthase activity. However, neither the wild type T. reesei DPM synthase, nor a chimera consisting of this protein and the hydrophobic COOH terminus of the S.cerevisiae DPM synthase, complemented an S.cerevisiae dpm1 null mutant or gave active enzyme when expressed in E.coli. The level of the Trdpm1 mRNA in T.reesei QM9414 strain was dependent on the composition of the culture medium. Expression levels of Trdpm1 were directly correlated with the protein secretory capacity of the fungus.

Biosynthesis of glycoproteins in Candida albicans: activity of mannosyl and glucosyl transferases

The enzymes dolichol phosphate glucose synthase and dolichol phosphate mannose synthase (DPMS), which catalyze essential steps in glycoprotein biosynthesis, were solubilized and partially characterized in Candida albicans. Sequential incubation of a mixed membrane fraction with increasing concentrations of Nonidet P-40 released a soluble fraction that transferred glucose from UDP-Glc to dolichol phosphate glucose and minor amounts of glucoproteins in the absence of exogenous dolichol phosphate. Studies with the soluble fraction revealed that some properties were different from those previously determined for the membrane-bound enzyme. Accordingly, the soluble enzyme exhibited a twofold higher affinity for UDP-Glc and a sixfold higher affinity over the competitive inhibitor UMP, and the transfer reaction was fourfold more sensitive to inhibition by amphomycin. On the other hand, a previously described protocol for the solubilization of mannosyl transferases that rendered a fraction exhibiting both DPMS and protein mannosyl transferase (PMT) activities operating in a functionally coupled reaction was modified by increasing the concentration of Nonidet P-40. This resulted in a solubilized preparation enriched with DPMS and nearly free of PMT activity which remained membrane bound. DPMS solubilized in this manner exhibited an absolute dependence on exogenous Dol-P. Uncoupling of these enzyme activities was a fundamental prerequisite for future individual analysis of these transferases.

Overexpression of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannosylphosphodolichol synthase-encoding gene in Trichoderma reesei results in an increased level of protein secretion and abnormal cell ultrastructure

Production of extracellular proteins plays an important role in the physiology of Trichoderma reesei and has potential industrial application. To improve the efficiency of protein secretion, we overexpressed in T. reesei the DPM1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, encoding mannosylphosphodolichol (MPD) synthase, under homologous, constitutively acting expression signals. Four stable transformants, each with different copy numbers of tandemly integrated DPM1, exhibited roughly double the activity of MPD synthase in the respective endoplasmic reticulum membrane fraction. On a dry-weight basis, they secreted up to sevenfold-higher concentrations of extracellular proteins during growth on lactose, a carbon source promoting formation of cellulases. Northern blot analysis showed that the relative level of the transcript of cbh1, which encodes the major cellulase (cellobiohydrolase I [CBH I]), did not increase in the transformants. On the other hand, the amount of secreted CBH I and, in all but one of the transformants, intracellular CBH I was elevated. Our results suggest that posttranscriptional processes are responsible for the increase in CBH I production. The carbohydrate contents of the extracellular proteins were comparable in the wild type and in the transformants, and no hyperglycosylation was detected. Electron microscopy of the DPM1-amplified strains revealed amorphous structure of the cell wall and over three times as many mitochondria as in the control. Our data indicate that molecular manipulation of glycan biosynthesis in Trichoderma can result in improved protein secretion.

The dolichol pathway of N-linked glycosylation

The oligosaccharide substrate for the N-linked protein glycosylation is assembled at the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum. Dolichyl pyrophosphate serves as a carrier in this biosynthetic pathway. In this review, we discuss the function of the lipid carrier dolichol in oligosaccharide assembly and give an overview of the biosynthesis of the different sugar donors required for the building of the oligosaccharide. Yeast genetic techniques have made it possible to identify many different loci encoding specific glycosyltransferases required for the precise and ordered assembly of the dolichyl pyrophosphate-linked oligosaccharide. Based on the knowledge obtained from studying this pathway in yeast, we compare it to the process of N-linked protein glycosylation in archaea. We suggest that N-linked glycosylation in eukaryotes and in archaea share a common evolutionary origin.

Protein O-mannosylation

Protein O-mannosylation, originally observed in fungi, starts at the endoplasmic reticulum with the transfer of mannose from dolichyl activated mannose to seryl or threonyl residues of secretory proteins. This reaction is catalyzed by a family of protein O-mannosyltransferases (PMTs), which were first characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The identification of this evolutionarily conserved PMT gene family has led to the finding that protein O-mannosylation plays an essential role in a number of physiologically important processes. Focusing on the PMT gene family, we discuss here the main aspects of the biogenesis of O-linked carbohydrate chains in S. cerevisiae, Candida albicans, and other fungi. We summarize recent work utilizing pmt mutants that demonstrates the impact of protein O-mannosylation on protein secretion, on maintenance of cell wall integrity, and on budding. Further, the occurrence of PMT orthologs in higher eukaryotes such as Arabidopsis, Drosophila and mammals is reported and discussed.

Entamoeba histolytica: solubilization and biochemical characterization of dolichol phosphate mannose synthase, an essential enzyme in glycoprotein biosynthesis

Sequential treatment of trophozoite membranes with the nonionic detergents Brij 35 and Igepal CA-630 released a soluble fraction that efficiently catalyzed the transfer of mannose from GDP-Man into a mannolipid that was identified as dolichol phosphate mannose (Dol-P-Man) by several criteria. The transfer reaction occurred only in the presence of exogenously added dolichol monophosphate (Dol-P). Plots of enzyme velocity versus Dol-P and GDP-Man concentrations revealed sigmoidal and hyperbolic kinetics, respectively. Values of S0.5 for Dol-P and K(m) for GDP-Man were 15 micrograms/ml and 4.1 microM, respectively. The solubilized fraction failed to transfer the label into other products such as lipid-linked oligosaccharides and glycoproteins. The optimum pH was 7.5-8.0 in potassium phosphate or Tris/HCl buffers and the enzyme required either Mg2+ or Mn2+. The latter was more effective but in a narrower range of concentrations. The transferase was inhibited by a number of nucleotides the strongest being GMP, GDP, and GTP. When assayed in the reverse direction, however, the enzyme catalyzed the transfer of mannose from Dol-P-Man back into GDP-Man as a function of increasing concentrations of GDP. Mg2+ was a better activator of the reverse reaction than Mn2+, which reached up to 60% at 2 mM GDP. These results suggest that some of the enzyme catalytic properties may change depending on the direction of the transfer reaction.

Characterization of recombinant yeast dolichyl mannosyl phosphate synthase and site-directed mutagenesis of its cysteine residues

Dolichyl mannosyl phosphate synthase is associated with membranes of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and catalyzes mannosyl transfer from GDP-mannose to the hydrophobic long-chain acceptor dolichyl-phosphate. The gene for the yeast enzyme encodes a protein with a molecular mass of 30.36 kDa containing three cysteine residues, at positions 93, 172 and 259 [Orlean, P., Albright, C. & Robbins, P. W. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 17499-17507]. Inhibition of the synthase by thiol-specific reagents, including N-ethylmaleimide, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (Nbs2), and lucifer yellow iodoacetamide (LYI), suggests that sulfhydryl groups might play a role in the catalytic mechanism of the enzyme. Titration of the synthase with Nbs2 or LYI indicated that 1 mol sulfhydryl/mol protein was accessible to these reagents, and that saturation of this site completely inhibited enzyme activity. To ascertain the reactive group and its possible function in enzyme catalysis, each of the cysteine residues was replaced individually by site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant enzymes had specific activities comparable to that of the wild-type enzyme, demonstrating that none of the cysteine residues were essential for catalytic activity. All of the mutant proteins except those containing a substitution at Cys93 were inhibited by thiol-blocking reagents, indicating that Cys93 might be physically located near the catalytic site of the enzyme. GDP-mannose, dolichyl phosphate and substrate analogs were found to protect against Nbs2 inactivation, further suggesting that Cys93 was physically near, or within, the substrate-binding site of the enzyme.

The role of the lipid matrix in the biosynthesis of dolichyl-linked oligosaccharides

The enzymes in the dolichol pathway are membrane-proteins that utilize a combination of hydrophilic and extremely hydrophobic substrates. The enzymes in this pathway that have been purified and characterized to any extent have either been shown to be stabilized by mixed phospholipid/detergent micelles, or else require a lipid matrix for catalytic activity. Further understanding of the mechanisms of these essential enzymes may require developing methods for the reconstitution of the glycosyltransferases and their hydrophobic substrates in appropriate lipid matrices.

A novel mono-branched lipid phosphate acts as a substrate for dolichyl phosphate mannose synthetase

Dolichyl phosphate mannose synthetase (GDP-mannose: dolichyl-phosphate O-beta-D-mannosyltransferase; EC 2.4.1.83) is an enzyme that is involved in glycoconjugate biosynthesis and possesses a putatively conserved dolichol binding site. In order to probe the interaction between the enzyme and the dolichol chain, lipid phosphates varying in length and extent of branching have been tested as substrates in crude microsomal preparations from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It was found that phytanyl (3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadecanyl) phosphate was utilized at 60-70% of the efficiency of the natural dolichyl lipid in transfer of [3,4,-3H]mannose from GDP-Man to organic soluble material, whereas addition of S-3-methyloctadecanyl phosphate, which is of similar length to the phytanyl analogue but with only one branch, resulted in approximately 25% of the incorporation of the natural substrate. Incubations with the unbranched tetradecanyl phosphate and with the short, doubly branched R- and S-dihydrocitronellyl (3,7-dimethyloctanyl) phosphates exhibited levels of activity similar to incubations with no exogenous acceptor. These results were qualitatively confirmed with experiments on Escherichia coli harbouring the S. cerevisiae DPM1 gene. The [3H]mannosylated lipid-linked material from microsomal incubations was purified by anion-exchange chromatography. The major saccharide component recovered after hydrolysis was determined to be mannose, but a mannose-containing disaccharide was also present. It is concluded that branching of lipid phosphates is essential for substrates of dolichyl phosphate mannose synthetase and that significant transfer of mannose occurs even if only branching at C-3 is present.

PMT1, the gene for a key enzyme of protein O-glycosylation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The integral endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein catalyzing the initial reaction of protein O-glycosylation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been purified to homogeneity. The 92-kDa N-glycosylated protein transfers mannose residues from dolichyl phosphate-D-mannose to specific serine/threonine residues of proteins entering the secretory pathway. This type of mannosyl transfer reaction has so far been observed only in fungal cells. Oligonucleotides derived from peptide sequences of the transferase were used to screen a genomic yeast library. A clone was isolated which contains an open reading frame of 2451 bp corresponding to an mRNA transcript of 3 kb. The predicted protein consists of 817 amino acids including three potential N-glycosylation sites. The hydropathy plot indicates a tripartite structure of the protein: an amino-terminal third and a carboxyl-terminal third, both with multiple potential transmembrane helices, and a central hydrophilic part. Expression of the clone in Escherichia coli resulted in mannosyltransferase activity. Gene disruption led to a complete loss of in vitro mannosyltransferase activity from dolichyl phosphate-D-mannose to a peptide used as acceptor in the enzymatic assay. In vivo it was observed, however, that protein O-mannosylation in the disruptant had decreased only to about 40-50%, indicating the existence of an additional transferase which had not been measured by the in vitro enzyme assay.

Mitochondrial dolichyl-phosphate mannose synthase. Purification and immunogold localization by electron microscopy

Mitochondrial dolichyl-phosphate mannose synthase has been purified to homogeneity using an original procedure, reconstitution into specific phospholipid vesicles and sedimentation on a sucrose gradient as final step. The enzyme has an apparent molecular mass of 30 kDa on an SDS/polyacrylamide gel. Increased enzyme activity could be correlated with this polypeptide band. A specific antibody was raised in rabbits against this transferase. Specific IgG obtained from the immune serum removed enzymatic activity from a detergent extract of mitochondrial outer membrane and reacted specifically with the 30-kDa band on immunoblots. Furthermore, an immunocytochemical experiment proved the localization of dolichyl-phosphate mannose synthase on the cytosolic face of the outer membrane of mitochondria.

Purification and characterization of dolichyl-P-mannose:Man5(GlcNAc)2-PP-dolichol mannosyltransferase

The dolichyl-P-mannose:dolichyl-PP-heptasaccharide alpha-mannosyltransferase (2.4.1.130), which catalyzes the transfer of mannose from dolichyl-P-mannose to the Man5(GlcNAc)2-PP-dolichol acceptor glycolipid, was solubilized from pig aorta microsomes with 0.5% NP-40 and purified 985-fold by a variety of conventional methods. The partially purified enzyme had a pH optimum of 6.5 and required Ca2+, at an optimum concentration of 8-10 mM, for activity. Mn2+ was only 20% as effective as Ca2+, and Mg2+ was inhibitory. The mannosyltransferase activity was also inhibited by the addition of EDTA to the enzyme, but this inhibition was fully reversible by the addition of Ca2+. The enzyme was quite specific for dolichyl-P-mannose as the mannosyl donor and Man5(GlcNAc)2-PP-dolichol as the mannosyl acceptor. The Km values for dolichyl-P-mannose and the acceptor lipid Man5(GlcNAc)2-PP-dolichol were 1.8 and 1.6 microM. On Bio-Gel P-4 columns and by HPLC, the radiolabeled oligosaccharide formed during incubation of dolichyl-P-[14C]mannose and unlabeled Man5(GlcNAc)2-PP-dolichol with the purified enzyme behaved like Man6(GlcNAc)2. This octasaccharide was susceptible to digestion by endoglucosaminidase H, indicating that the newly added mannose was attached to the 6-linked mannose in an alpha 1,3-linkage. This linkage was further confirmed by acetolysis of the oligosaccharide product [i.e., Man6(GlcNAc)2], which gave a labeled disaccharide as the major product (greater than 90%).

Isolation and characterization of UDP-glucose dolichyl-phosphate glucosyltransferase from human liver

The enzyme UDP-glucose dolichyl-phosphate glucosyltransferase has been purified to near homogeneity from human liver microsomes. A 1100-fold enrichment over starting microsomal membranes was achieved by selective solubilization followed by anion- and cation-exchange chromatography, 5-HgUDP-thiopropyl-Sepharose affinity chromatography, butylagarose chromatography and hydroxyapatite chromatography. The glucosyltransferase was shown to be separated from other dolichyl-phosphate-dependent glycosyltransferases catalyzing the formation of dolichyl diphospho-N-acetylglucosamine and dolichyl phosphomannose. Sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme under reducing conditions revealed a protein band of Mr 36,000. Protection of the solubilized enzyme against rapid inactivation was achieved by its competitive inhibitor uridine. The purified glucosyltransferase activity exhibited a specific requirement for the presence of phospholipids. Phosphatidylethanolamine was the most effective activator of enzyme activity.