Molecular cloning of the hamster CMP-sialic acid transporter

Delivery of Nucleotide Sugars to the Mammalian Golgi: A Very Well (un)Explained Story

Nucleotide sugars (NSs) serve as substrates for glycosylation reactions. The majority of these compounds are synthesized in the cytoplasm, whereas glycosylation occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi lumens, where catalytic domains of glycosyltransferases (GTs) are located. Therefore, translocation of NS across the organelle membranes is a prerequisite. This process is thought to be mediated by a group of multi-transmembrane proteins from the SLC35 family, i.e., nucleotide sugar transporters (NSTs). Despite many years of research, some uncertainties/inconsistencies related with the mechanisms of NS transport and the substrate specificities of NSTs remain. Here we present a comprehensive review of the NS import into the mammalian Golgi, which consists of three major parts. In the first part, we provide a historical view of the experimental approaches used to study NS transport and evaluate the most important achievements. The second part summarizes various aspects of knowledge concerning NSTs, ranging from subcellular localization up to the pathologies related with their defective function. In the third part, we present the outcomes of our research performed using mammalian cell-based models and discuss its relevance in relation to the general context.

Novel Insights into Selected Disease-Causing Mutations within the SLC35A1 Gene Encoding the CMP-Sialic Acid Transporter

Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are a group of rare genetic and metabolic diseases caused by alterations in glycosylation pathways. Five patients bearing CDG-causing mutations in the SLC35A1 gene encoding the CMP-sialic acid transporter (CST) have been reported to date. In this study we examined how specific mutations in the SLC35A1 gene affect the protein’s properties in two previously described SLC35A1-CDG cases: one caused by a substitution (Q101H) and another involving a compound heterozygous mutation (T156R/E196K). The effects of single mutations and the combination of T156R and E196K mutations on the CST’s functionality was examined separately in CST-deficient HEK293T cells. As shown by microscopic studies, none of the CDG-causing mutations affected the protein’s proper localization in the Golgi apparatus. Cellular glycophenotypes were characterized using lectins, structural assignment of N- and O-glycans and analysis of glycolipids. Single Q101H, T156R and E196K mutants were able to partially restore sialylation in CST-deficient cells, and the deleterious effect of a single T156R or E196K mutation on the CST functionality was strongly enhanced upon their combination. We also revealed differences in the ability of CST variants to form dimers. The results of this study improve our understanding of the molecular background of SLC35A1-CDG cases.

Structure and function of nucleotide sugar transporters: Current progress

The proteomes of eukaryotes, bacteria and archaea are highly diverse due, in part, to the complex post-translational modification of protein glycosylation. The diversity of glycosylation in eukaryotes is reliant on nucleotide sugar transporters to translocate specific nucleotide sugars that are synthesised in the cytosol and nucleus, into the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus where glycosylation reactions occur. Thirty years of research utilising multidisciplinary approaches has contributed to our current understanding of NST function and structure. In this review, the structure and function, with reference to various disease states, of several NSTs including the UDP-galactose, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine, UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine, GDP-fucose, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine/UDP-glucose/GDP-mannose and CMP-sialic acid transporters will be described. Little is known regarding the exact structure of NSTs due to difficulties associated with crystallising membrane proteins. To date, no three-dimensional structure of any NST has been elucidated. What is known is based on computer predictions, mutagenesis experiments, epitope-tagging studies, in-vitro assays and phylogenetic analysis. In this regard the best-characterised NST to date is the CMP-sialic acid transporter (CST). Therefore in this review we will provide the current state-of-play with respect to the structure–function relationship of the (CST). In particular we have summarised work performed by a number groups detailing the affect of various mutations on CST transport activity, efficiency, and substrate specificity.

In silico analysis of the fucosylation-associated genome of the human blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni: cloning and characterization of the enzymes involved in GDP-L-fucose synthesis and Golgi import

BACKGROUND

Carbohydrate structures of surface-expressed and secreted/excreted glycoconjugates of the human blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni are key determinants that mediate host-parasite interactions in both snail and mammalian hosts. Fucose is a major constituent of these immunologically important glycans, and recent studies have sought to characterize fucosylation-associated enzymes, including the Golgi-localized fucosyltransferases that catalyze the transfer of L-fucose from a GDP-L-fucose donor to an oligosaccharide acceptor. Importantly, GDP-L-fucose is the only nucleotide-sugar donor used by fucosyltransferases and its availability represents a bottleneck in fucosyl-glycotope expression.

METHODS

A homology-based genome-wide bioinformatics approach was used to identify and molecularly characterize the enzymes that contribute to GDP-L-fucose synthesis and Golgi import in S. mansoni. Putative functions were further investigated through molecular phylogenetic and immunocytochemical analyses.

RESULTS

We identified homologs of GDP-D-mannose-4,6-dehydratase (GMD) and GDP-4-keto-6-deoxy-D-mannose-3,5-epimerase-4-reductase (GMER), which constitute a de novo pathway for GDP-L-fucose synthesis, in addition to a GDP-L-fucose transporter (GFT) that putatively imports cytosolic GDP-L-fucose into the Golgi. In silico primary sequence analyses identified characteristic Rossman loop and short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase motifs in GMD and GMER as well as 10 transmembrane domains in GFT. All genes are alternatively spliced, generating variants of unknown function. Observed quantitative differences in steady-state transcript levels between miracidia and primary sporocysts may contribute to differential glycotope expression in early larval development. Additionally, analyses of protein expression suggest the occurrence of cytosolic GMD and GMER in the ciliated epidermal plates and tegument of miracidia and primary sporocysts, respectively, which is consistent with previous localization of highly fucosylated glycotopes.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to identify and characterize three key genes that are putatively involved in the synthesis and Golgi import of GDP-L-fucose in S. mansoni and provides fundamental information regarding their genomic organization, genetic variation, molecular phylogenetics, and developmental expression in intramolluscan larval stages.

Towards in vivo imaging of cancer sialylation

In vivo assessment of tumor glucose catabolism by positron emission tomography (PET) has become a highly valued study in the medical management of cancer. Emerging technologies offer the potential to evaluate in vivo another aspect of cancer carbohydrate metabolism related to the increased anabolic use of monosaccharides like sialic acid (Sia). Sia is used for the synthesis of sialylated oligosaccharides in the cell surface that in cancer cells are overexpressed and positively associated to malignancy and worse prognosis because of their role in invasion and metastasis. This paper addresses the key points of the different strategies that have been developed to image Sia expression in vivo and the perspectives to translate it from the bench to the bedside where it would offer the clinician highly valued complementary information on cancer carbohydrate metabolism that is currently unavailable in vivo.

Nucleotide-sugar transporters: structure, function and roles in vivo

The glycosylation of glycoconjugates and the biosynthesis of polysaccharides depend on nucleotide-sugars which are the substrates for glycosyltransferases. A large proportion of these enzymes are located within the lumen of the Golgi apparatus as well as the endoplasmic reticulum, while many of the nucleotide-sugars are synthesized in the cytosol. Thus, nucleotide-sugars are translocated from the cytosol to the lumen of the Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum by multiple spanning domain proteins known as nucleotide-sugar transporters (NSTs). These proteins were first identified biochemically and some of them were cloned by complementation of mutants. Genome and expressed sequence tag sequencing allowed the identification of a number of sequences that may encode for NSTs in different organisms. The functional characterization of some of these genes has shown that some of them can be highly specific in their substrate specificity while others can utilize up to three different nucleotide-sugars containing the same nucleotide. Mutations in genes encoding for NSTs can lead to changes in development in Drosophila melanogaster or Caenorhabditis elegans, as well as alterations in the infectivity of Leishmania donovani. In humans, the mutation of a GDP-fucose transporter is responsible for an impaired immune response as well as retarded growth. These results suggest that, even though there appear to be a fair number of genes encoding for NSTs, they are not functionally redundant and seem to play specific roles in glycosylation.

Molecular and functional characterization of microsomal UDP-glucuronic acid uptake by members of the nucleotide sugar transporter (NST) family

Transport of the co-substrate UDPGA (UDP-glucuronic acid) into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum is an essential step in glucuronidation reactions due to the intraluminal location of the catalytic site of the enzyme UGT (UDP-glucuronosyltransferase). In the present study, we have characterized the function of several NSTs (nucleotide sugar transporters) and UGTs as potential carriers of UDPGA for glucuronidation reactions. UDPGlcNAc (UDP-N-acetylglucosamine)-dependent UDPGA uptake was found both in rat liver microsomes and in microsomes prepared from the rat hepatoma cell line H4IIE. The latency of UGT activity in microsomes derived from rat liver and V79 cells expressing UGT1A6 correlated well with mannose-6-phosphatase latency, confirming the UGT in the recombinant cells retained a physiology similar to rat liver microsomes. In the present study, four cDNAs coding for NSTs were obtained; two were previously reported (UGTrel1 and UGTrel7) and two newly identified (huYEA4 and huYEA4S). Localization of NSTs within the human genome sequence revealed that huYEA4S is an alternatively spliced form of huYEA4. All the cloned NSTs were stably expressed in V79 (Chinese hamster fibroblast) cells, and were able to transport UDPGA after preloading of isolated microsomal vesicles with UDPGlcNAc. The highest uptake was seen with UGTrel7, which displayed a V(max) approx. 1% of rat liver microsomes. Treatment of H4IIE cells with beta-naphthoflavone induced UGT protein expression but did not affect the rate of UDPGA uptake. Furthermore, microsomes from UGT1-deficient Gunn rat liver showed UDPGA uptake similar to those from control rats. These data show that NSTs can act as UDPGA transporters for glucuronidation reactions, and indicate that UGTs of the 1A family do not function as UDPGA carriers in microsomes. The cell line H4IIE is a useful model for the study of UDPGA transporters for glucuronidation reactions.

Enhancing recombinant glycoprotein sialylation through CMP-sialic acid transporter over expression in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Glycosylation engineering strategies that are currently used to improve quality of recombinant glycoproteins involve the manipulation of glycosyltransferase and/or glycosidase expression. We explored the possibility that over expressing nucleotide sugar transporters, particularly the CMP-sialic acid transporter (CMP-SAT) would improve the sialylation process in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO). Our hypothesis was that increasing CMP-SAT in the cells through recombinant means would increase the transport of CMP-sialic acid into the Golgi, resulting in an increased CMP-sialic acid intra-lumenal pool and increased sialylation of the proteins produced. We report the construction of the CMP-SAT expression vector (pcDNA-SAT) using hamster CMP-SAT (GenBank accession number Y12074) and demonstrated its functionality using Lec2 CHO mutant cells. Transfection of pcDNA-SAT into CHO IFN-gamma, a CHO cell line producing recombinant human interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) resulted in single clones that had 2-20 fold increase in total CMP-SAT expression at the transcript level and 1.8-2.8 fold increase in CMP-SAT at the protein level when compared to untransfected parent CHO IFN-gamma. This resulted in 4%-16% increase in site sialylation of IFN-gamma. There was also a higher proportion of the more sialylated IFN-gamma glycans produced by the clones. We have thus established a novel strategy for sialylation improvement in recombinant protein production that can be considered singly or along with existing glycosylation improvement strategies, including glycosyltransferase over expression and nucleotide sugar feeding. These multiprong approaches can possibly bring us closer toward the goal of maximum and consistent sialylation in glycoprotein production using mammalian cells.

Expression of a functional Drosophila melanogaster CMP-sialic acid synthetase. Differential localization of the Drosophila and human enzymes

CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid is a critical metabolite in the generation of glycoconjugates that play a role in development and other physiological processes. Whereas pathways for its generation are firmly established in vertebrates, the presence and function of the relevant synthetic enzyme in insects and other protostomes is unknown. In this study, we characterize the first functional CMP-sialic acid synthase (DmCSAS) from any protostome lineage expressed from a D. melanogaster cDNA clone. Homologous genes were subsequently identified in other insect species. The gene is developmentally regulated, with expression first appearing at 12-24 h of embryogenesis, low expression through larval and pupal stages, and greatly enriched expression in the adult head, suggesting a possible role in the central nervous system. Activity of the enzyme was verified by an increase in in vitro and in vivo CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid levels when expressed in a heterologous host. Unlike all known vertebrate CMP-sialic acid synthetase (CSAS) proteins that localize to the nucleus, the D. melanogaster CSAS protein was targeted to the Golgi compartment when expressed in both heterologous mammalian and insect cell lines. Replacement of the N-terminal leader sequence of DmCSAS with the human CSAS N-terminal sequence resulted in the redirection of the chimeric CSAS protein to the nucleus but with a concomitant loss of enzymatic activity. The localization of CSAS orthologs to different intracellular organelles represents, to our knowledge, the first example of differential protein targeting of orthologs in eukaryotes and reveals how the sialylation pathway diverged during the evolution of protostomes and deuterostomes.

Characterization of a mutation and an alternative splicing of UDP-galactose transporter in MDCK-RCAr cell line

The UDP-galactose (UDP-Gal) transporter present in the Golgi apparatus is a member of a transporter family comprising hydrophobic proteins with multiple transmembrane domains. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments showed that the full-length UDP-Gal transporter protein forms oligomeric structures in the MDCK cell. A ricin-resistant mutant of the MDCK cell line (MDCK-RCA(r)) is deficient in galactose linked to macromolecules because of a lower UDP-Gal transport rate into the Golgi apparatus. We cloned this mutated protein and found that it contains a stop codon close to the 5' terminus of its open reading frame. We also detected a shorter splicing variant of the UDP-Gal transporter which contains a 183-nt in-frame deletion in both the wild-type and the mutant mRNA. We showed that the protein, when overexpressed, is localized in the Golgi apparatus and could partially correct the phenotype of the MDCK-RCA(r) and CHO-Lec8 mutant cell lines. The level of mRNA of the UDP-Gal transporter is much lower (25-30 copies per cell) than those of the CMP-sialic acid transporter (100 copies per cell), UDP-N-acetylglucosamine transporter (80 copies per cell), and GDP-fucose transporter (65 copies per cell). The transcript level of the shorter splicing variant of the UDP-Gal transporter is extremely rare in wild-type MDCK cells (a few copies per cell), but it is significantly increased in the mutant, RCA-resistant cells.

Reconstitution of GDP-mannose transport activity with purified Leishmania LPG2 protein in liposomes

Activated nucleotide sugars required for the synthesis of glycoconjugates within the secretory pathway of eukaryotes are provided by the action of nucleotide sugar transporters (NSTs). Typically, NSTs are studied in microsomal preparations from wild-type or mutant lines; however, in this setting it can be difficult to assess NST properties because of the presence of glycosyltransferases and other interfering activities. Here we have engineered Leishmania donovani to express high levels of an active LPG2 Golgi GDP-Man transporter bearing a C-terminal polyhistidine tag. The functional LPG2-HIS was solubilized, purified by metal affinity chromatography, and reconstituted into phosphatidylcholine-containing liposomes using polystyrene SM-2 beads. The proteoliposomes exhibited robust GDP-Man transport activity with an apparent K(m) of 6.6 mum. Transport activity was enhanced by preloading of GMP and showed specificity for multiple substrates (GDP-Ara and GDP-Fuc). In contrast to the activity in crude microsomes, transport was not dependent on the presence of divalent cations. Thus, reconstitution of transport activity using purified LPG2 protein in liposomes provides firm experimental evidence that a single polypeptide is solely required for NST activity and is able to mediate the uptake of multiple substrates. These studies are relevant to the study of NST structure and function in both protozoan parasites as well as their higher eukaryotic hosts.

Molecular physiology and pathology of the nucleotide sugar transporter family (SLC35)

The solute carrier family SLC35 consists of at least 17 molecular species in humans. The family members so far characterized encode nucleotide sugar transporters localizing at the Golgi apparatus and/or the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). These transporters transport nucleotide sugars pooled in the cytosol into the lumen of these organelles, where most glycoconjugate synthesis occurs. Pathological analyses and developmental studies of small, multicellular organisms deficient in nucleotide sugar transporters have shown these transporters to be involved in tumour metastasis, cellular immunity, organogenesis and morphogenesis. Leukocyte adhesion deficiency type II (LAD II) or the congenital disorder of glycosylation type IIc (CDG IIc) are the sole human congenital disorders known to date that are caused by a defect of GDP-fucose transport. Along with LAD II, the possible involvement of nucleotide sugar transporters in disorders of connective tissues and muscles is also discussed.

The nucleotide-sugar transporter family: a phylogenetic approach

Nucleotide sugar transporters (NST) establish the functional link of membrane transport between the nucleotide sugars synthesized in the cytoplasm and nucleus, and the glycosylation processes that take place in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi apparatus. The aim of the present work was to perform a phylogenetic analysis of 87 bank annotated protein sequences comprising all the NST so far characterized and their homologues retrieved by BLAST searches, as well as the closely related triose-phosphate translocator (TPT) plant family. NST were classified in three comprehensive families by linking them to the available experimental data. This enabled us to point out both the possible ER subcellular targeting of these transporters mediated by the dy-lysine motif and the substrate recognition mechanisms specific to each family as well as an important acceptor site motif, establishing the role of evolution in the functional properties of each NST family.

Human and Drosophila UDP-galactose transporters transport UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine in addition to UDP-galactose

A putative Drosophila nucleotide sugar transporter was characterized and shown to be the Drosophila homologue of the human UDP-Gal transporter (hUGT). When the Drosophila melanogaster UDP-Gal transporter (DmUGT) was expressed in mammalian cells, the transporter protein was localized in the Golgi membranes and complemented the UDP-Gal transport deficiency of Lec8 cells but not the CMP-Sia transport deficiency of Lec2 cells. DmUGT and hUGT were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells in functionally active forms. Using microsomal vesicles isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing these transporters, we unexpectedly found that both hUGT and DmUGT could transport UDP-GalNAc as well as UDP-Gal. When amino-acid residues that are conserved among human, murine, fission yeast and Drosophila UGTs, but are distinct from corresponding ones conserved among CMP-Sia transporters (CSTs), were substituted by those found in CST, the mutant transporters were still active in transporting UDP-Gal. One of these mutants in which Asn47 was substituted by Ala showed aberrant intracellular distribution with concomitant destabilization of the protein product. However, this mutation was suppressed by an Ile51 to Thr second-site mutation. Both residues were localized within the first transmembrane helix, suggesting that the structure of the helix contributes to the stabilization and substrate recognition of the UGT molecule.

Metabolic control of recombinant monoclonal antibody N-glycosylation in GS-NS0 cells

Variable N-glycosylation at Asn(297) in the Fc region of recombinant therapeutic immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecules, specifically terminal galactosylation and sialylation, may affect both pharmacokinetic behavior and effector functions of recombinant therapeutic antibodies. We investigated the hypothesis that IgG Fc glycosylation can be controlled by manipulation of cellular nucleotide-sugar metabolism. In control cultures, N-glycans associated with the Fc domain of a recombinant humanized IgG1 produced by GS-NS0 cells in culture were predominantly biantennary, variably beta-galactosylated (average 0.3 mol galactose complex N-glycan(-1)) structures with no bisecting N-acetylglucosamine residues, sialylation, or alpha1,3-linked galactosylation evident. However, a variable proportion (5% to 15%) of high-mannose (Man5 to Man9) oligosaccharides were present. To manipulate the cellular content of the nucleotide sugar precursor required for galactosylation, UDP-Gal, we included either 10 mM glucosamine or 10 mM galactose in the culture medium. In the case of the former, a 17-fold increase in cellular UDP-N-acetylhexosamine content was observed, with a concomitant reduction (33%) in total UDP-hexose, although the ratio of UDP-Glc:UDP-Gal (4:1) was unchanged. Associated with these alterations in cellular UDP-sugar content was a significant reduction (57%) in the galactosylation of Fc-derived oligosaccharides. The proportion of high-mannose-type N-glycans (specifically Man5, the substrate for N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I) at Asn(297) was unaffected. In contrast, inclusion of 10 mM galactose in culture specifically stimulated UDP-Gal content almost five-fold. However, this resulted in only a minimal, insignificant increase (6%) in beta1,4-galactosylation of Fc N-glycans. Sialylation was not improved upon the addition of the CMP-sialic acid (CMP-SA) precursor N-acetylmannosamine (20 mM), even with an associated 44-fold increase in cellular CMP-SA content. Analysis of recombinant IgG1 Fc glycosylation during batch culture showed that beta1,4-linked galactosylation declined slightly during culture, although, in the latter stages of culture, the release of proteases and glycosidases by lysed cells were likely to have contributed to the more dramatic drop in galactosylation. These data demonstrate: (i) the effect of steric hindrance on Fc N-glycan processing; (ii) the extent to which alterations in cellular nucleotide-sugar content may affect Fc N-glycan processing; and (iii) the potential for direct metabolic control of Fc N-glycosylation.

Nucleotide sugar transporters: biological and functional aspects

The Golgi apparatus serves as the major site of glycosylation reactions. Nucleotide sugars which are substrates of the Golgi localized glycosyltransferases are synthesized in the cytoplasm (cell nucleus in case of CMP-sialic acid) and must be transported into the compartment lumen. This transport function is carried out by nucleotide sugar transporters. The first genes were cloned in the year 1996 and revealed a family of structurally conserved multi-transmembrane-spanning proteins. Due to the high structural and functional conservation, the identification of many putative nucleotide sugar transporter sequences has become possible in the existing gene data bases and accelerates the increase in knowledge on structure-function-relationships. Recent developments in the nucleotide sugar transporter field are discussed in this article.

Point mutations identified in Lec8 Chinese hamster ovary glycosylation mutants that inactivate both the UDP-galactose and CMP-sialic acid transporters

Nucleotide-sugar transporters (NSTs) are critical components of glycosylation pathways in eukaryotes. The identification of structural elements that are involved in NST functions provides an important task. Chinese hamster ovary glycosylation mutants defective in nucleotide-sugar transport provide access to inactive transporters that can define such structure/function relationships. In this study, we have cloned the hamster UDP-galactose transporter (UGT) and identified defects in UGT gene transcripts from nine independent Chinese hamster ovary mutants that belong to the Lec8 complementation group. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with primers that span the UGT open reading frame showed that three Lec8 mutants express a full-length open reading frame, while six Lec8 mutants predominantly express truncated UGT gene transcripts. Sequencing identified different single or triplet nucleotide changes in full-length UGT transcripts from three of the mutants. These mutations translate into three different amino acid changes at positions that are highly conserved in all the known mammalian NSTs. Transfection of a cDNA encoding either of the mutations Delta serine 213 or G281D failed to correct the UDP-galactose transport defect in Lec8 transfectants. Most importantly, introducing these same mutations into the homologous region of the murine CMP-sialic acid transporter caused inactivation of this transporter. Thus, identifying point mutations that inactivate UGT in Lec8 mutants resulted in the discovery of amino acids that are critical to the activity of both UGT and CST, the two most divergent mammalian NSTs.

Substrate recognition by UDP-galactose and CMP-sialic acid transporters. Different sets of transmembrane helices are utilized for the specific recognition of UDP-galactose and CMP-sialic acid

Human UDP-galactose transporter (hUGT1) and CMP-sialic acid transporter (hCST) are related Golgi membrane proteins with 10 transmembrane helices. We have constructed chimeras between these proteins in order to identify submolecular regions responsible for the determination of substrate specificity. To assess the UGT and CST activities, chimeric cDNAs were transiently expressed in either UGT-deficient mutant Lec8 cells or CST-deficient mutant Lec2 cells, and the binding of plant lectins, GS-II or PNA, respectively, to these cells was examined. During the course of analysis of various chimeric transporters, we found that chimeras whose submolecular regions contained helices 1, 8, 9, and 10, and helices 2, 3, and 7 derived from hUGT1 and hCST sequences, respectively, exhibited both UGT and CST activities. The dual substrate specificity for UDP-galactose and CMP-sialic acid of one such representative chimera was directly confirmed by in vitro measurement of the nucleotide sugar transport activity using a heterologous expression system in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These findings indicated that the regions which are critical for determining the substrate specificity of UGT and CST resided in different submolecular sites in the two transporters, and that these different determinants could be present within one protein without interfering with each other's function.

Metabolic control of recombinant protein N-glycan processing in NS0 and CHO cells

Chinese hamster ovary and murine myeloma NS0 cells are currently favored host cell types for the production of therapeutic recombinant proteins. In this study, we compared N-glycan processing in GS-NS0 and GS-CHO cells producing the same model recombinant glycoprotein, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1. By manipulation of intracellular nucleotide-sugar content, we examined the feasibility of implementing metabolic control strategies aimed at reducing the occurrence of murine-specific glycan motifs on NS0-derived recombinant proteins, such as Galalpha1,3Galbeta1,4GlcNAc. Although both CHO and NS0-derived oligosaccharides were predominantly of the standard complex type with variable sialylation, 30% of N-glycan antennae associated with NS0-derived TIMP-1 terminated in alpha1,3-linked galactose residues. Furthermore, NS0 cells conferred a greater proportion of terminal N-glycolylneuraminic (sialic) acid residues as compared with the N-acetylneuraminic acid variant. Inclusion of the nucleotide-sugar precursors, glucosamine (10 mM, plus 2 mM uridine) and N-acetylmannosamine (20 mM), in culture media were shown to significantly increase the intracellular pools of UDP-N-acetylhexosamine and CMP-sialic acid, respectively, in both NS0 and CHO cells. The elevated UDP-N-acetylhexosamine content induced by the glucosamine/uridine treatment was associated with an increase in the antennarity of N-glycans associated with TIMP-1 produced in CHO cells but not N-glycans associated with TIMP-1 from NS0 cells. In addition, elevated UDP-N-acetylhexosamine content was associated with a slight decrease in sialylation in both cell lines. The elevated CMP-sialic acid content induced by N-acetylmannosamine had no effect on the overall level of sialylation of TIMP-1 produced by both CHO and NS0 cells, although the ratio of N-glycolylneuraminic acid:N-acetylneuraminic acid associated with NS0-derived TIMP-1 changed from 1:1 to 1:2. These data suggest that manipulation of nucleotide-sugar metabolism can promote changes in N-glycan processing that are either conserved between NS0 and CHO cells or specific to either NS0 cells or CHO cells.

Molecular characterization of human UDP-glucuronic acid/UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine transporter, a novel nucleotide sugar transporter with dual substrate specificity

A novel human nucleotide sugar transporter (NST) which transports both UDP-glucuronic acid (UDP-GlcA) and UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine (UDP-GalNAc) has been identified, cloned and characterized. The strategy for the identification of the novel NST involved a search of the expressed sequence tags database for genes related to the human UDP-galactose transporter-related isozyme 1, followed by heterologous expression of a candidate gene (hUGTrel7) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and biochemical analyses. Significantly more UDP-GlcA and UDP-GalNAc were translocated from the reaction medium into the lumen of microsomes prepared from the hUGTrel7-expressing yeast cells than into the control microsomes from cells not expressing hUGTrel7. The possibility that this transporter participates in glucuronidation and/or chondroitin sulfate biosynthesis is discussed.

Reconstitution, identification, and purification of the rat liver golgi membrane GDP-fucose transporter

Glycosylation of glycoproteins, proteoglycans, and glycolipids occurring in the Golgi apparatus requires the translocation of nucleotide sugars from the cytosol into the lumen of the Golgi. Translocation is mediated by specific nucleotide sugar transporters, integral Golgi membrane proteins that regulate the above glycosylation reactions. A defect in GDP-fucose transport into the lumen of the Golgi apparatus has been recently identified in a patient affected by leukocyte adhesion deficiency type II syndrome (Lubke, T., Marquardt, T., von Figura, K., and Korner, C. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 25986-25989). We have now identified and purified the rat liver Golgi membrane GDP-fucose transporter, a protein with an apparent molecular mass of 39 kDa, by a combination of column chromatography, native functional size determination on a glycerol gradient, and photoaffinity labeling with 8-azidoguanosine-5'-[alpha-(32)P] triphosphate, an analog of GDP-fucose. The purified transporter appears to exist as a homodimer within the Golgi membrane. When reconstituted into phosphatidylcholine liposomes, it was active in GDP-fucose transport and was specifically photolabeled with 8-azidoguanosine-5'-[alpha-(32)P]triphosphate. Transport was also stimulated 2-3-fold after preloading proteoliposomes with GMP, the putative antiporter.

Schizosaccharomyces pombe UDP-galactose transporter: identification of its functional form through cDNA cloning and expression in mammalian cells

The Schizosaccharomyces pombe UDP-galactose transporter cDNA (SpUGT cDNA), encoding the product of the gms1+ gene which consists of two exon sequences separated by a 173-bp intron, was cloned by RT-PCR. Its product, a hydrophobic protein of 353 amino acid residues resembling its human counterpart, was expressed in the Golgi membranes of UDP-galactose transporter-deficient Lec8 cells, and complemented the genetic defect of the mutant cells. This indicated that SpUGT cDNA encodes the functional S. pombe UDP-galactose transporter. The product of an ORF found in the second exon, which was previously assumed to be the S. pombe UDP-galactose transporter, thus represents an inactive, truncated form of the SpUGT protein.

Membrane topology of the mammalian CMP-sialic acid transporter

Nucleotide sugar transporters form a family of distantly related membrane proteins of the Golgi apparatus and the endoplasmic reticulum. The first transporter sequences have been identified within the last 2 years. However, information about the secondary and tertiary structure for these molecules has been limited to theoretical considerations. In the present study, an epitope-insertion approach was used to investigate the membrane topology of the CMP-sialic acid transporter. Immunofluorescence studies were carried out to analyze the orientation of the introduced epitopes in semipermeabilized cells. Both an amino-terminally introduced FLAG sequence and a carboxyl-terminal hemagglutinin tag were found to be oriented toward the cytosol. Results obtained with CMP-sialic acid transporter variants that contained the hemagglutinin epitope in potential intermembrane loop structures were in good correlation with the presence of 10 transmembrane regions. This building concept seems to be preserved also in other mammalian and nonmammalian nucleotide sugar transporters. Moreover, the functional analysis of the generated mutants demonstrated that insertions in or very close to membrane-spanning regions inactivate the transport process, whereas those in hydrophilic loop structures have no detectable effect on the activity. This study points the way toward understanding structure-function relationships of nucleotide sugar transporters.

Identification and purification of the rat liver Golgi membrane UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine transporter

Glycosylation of glycoproteins, proteoglycans, and glycosphingolipids occurs mainly in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus. Nucleotide sugars, donors of all the sugars involved in Golgi glycosylation reactions, are synthesized in the cytoplasm and require specialized transporters to be translocated into the lumen of the Golgi apparatus. By controlling the supply of sugar nucleotides in the lumen of the Golgi apparatus, these transporters directly regulate the glycosylation of macromolecules transiting the Golgi. We have identified and purified the rat liver Golgi membrane UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine transporter. The transporter was purified to apparent homogeneity by a combination of conventional and dye color chromatography. An approximately 63,000-fold purification (6% yield) was achieved starting from crude rat liver Golgi membranes and resulting in a protein with an apparent molecular mass of 43 kDa. The transporter was active when reconstituted into phosphatidylcholine vesicles and could be specifically photolabeled with P3-(4-azidoanilido)-uridine-5'-[P1-32P]triphosphate, an analog of UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine. Native functional size determination on a glycerol gradient suggested that the transporter exists as a homodimer within the Golgi membrane.

Mutants of the CMP-sialic acid transporter causing the Lec2 phenotype

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) mutants belonging to the Lec2 complementation group are unable to translocate CMP-sialic acid to the lumen of the Golgi apparatus. Complementation cloning in these cells has recently been used to isolate cDNAs encoding the CMP-sialic acid transporter from mouse and hamster. The present study was carried out to determine the molecular defects leading to the inactivation of CMP-sialic acid transport. To this end, CMP-sialic acid transporter cDNAs derived from five independent clones of the Lec2 complementation group, were analyzed. Deletions in the coding region were observed for three clones, and single mutants were found to contain an insertion and a point mutation. Epitope-tagged variants of the wild-type transporter protein and of the mutants were used to investigate the effect of the structural changes on the expression and subcellular targeting of the transporter proteins. Mutants derived from deletions showed reduced protein expression and in immunofluorescence showed a diffuse staining throughout the cytoplasm in transiently transfected cells, while the translation product derived from the point-mutated cDNA (G189E) was expressed at the level of the wild-type transporter and co-localized with the Golgi marker alpha-mannosidase II. This mutation therefore seems to directly affect the transport activity. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to change glycine 189 into alanine, glutamine, and isoleucine, respectively. While the G189A mutant was able to complement CMP-sialic acid transport-deficient Chinese hamster ovary mutants, the exchange of glycine 189 into glutamine or isoleucine dramatically affected the transport activity of the CMP-sialic acid transporter.

Mammalian cytidine 5'-monophosphate N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase: a nuclear protein with evolutionarily conserved structural motifs

Sialic acids of cell surface glycoproteins and glycolipids play a pivotal role in the structure and function of animal tissues. The pattern of cell surface sialylation is species- and tissue-specific, is highly regulated during embryonic development, and changes with stages of differentiation. A prerequisite for the synthesis of sialylated glycoconjugates is the activated sugar-nucleotide cytidine 5'-monophosphate N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-Neu5Ac), which provides a substrate for Golgi sialyltransferases. Although a mammalian enzymatic activity responsible for the synthesis of CMP-Neu5Ac has been described and the enzyme has been purified to near homogeneity, sequence information is restricted to bacterial CMP-Neu5Ac synthetases. In this paper, we describe the molecular characterization, functional expression, and subcellular localization of murine CMP-Neu5Ac synthetase. Cloning was achieved by complementation of the Chinese hamster ovary lec32 mutation that causes a deficiency in CMP-Neu5Ac synthetase activity. A murine cDNA encoding a protein of 432 amino acids rescued the lec32 mutation and also caused polysialic acid to be expressed in the capsule of the CMP-Neu5Ac synthetase negative Escherichia coli mutant EV5. Three potential nuclear localization signals were found in the murine synthetase, and immunofluorescence studies confirmed predominantly nuclear localization of an N-terminally Flag-tagged molecule. Four stretches of amino acids that occur in the N-terminal region are highly conserved in bacterial CMP-Neu5Ac synthetases, providing evidence for an ancestral relationship between the sialylation pathways of bacterial and animal cells.