Purification and chemical characterization of human acidic alpha-D-mannosidase

Age-related increase in activity of specific lysosomal enzymes in the human retinal pigment epithelium

Age related changes in the activity of lysosomal enzymes have been studied in the cultured human retinal pigment epithelium cells collected from 26-85 year old donors. Among four such enzymes studied, activities of cathepsin D and beta-glucuronidase increased with the age of the donors while no notable change in activity of arylsulfatase B and alpha-mannosidase was observed. Kinetic parameters of beta-glucuronidase was measured in retinal pigment epithelium cells isolated from donors of different ages. Similar kinetic parameters for beta-glucuronidase at different ages suggest that the observed increase in the activity of the enzyme with age is not due to post-translational modification of the enzyme. Western blot analysis provides evidence for increased synthesis of beta-glucuronidase with aging. Relative proportions of glycosaminoglycans, the natural substrates of beta-glucuronidase and arylsulfatase B, in the retinal pigment epithelium altered with the age of the donors. A significant decrease of dermatan sulfate levels with aging correlates well with the observed increase in the level of beta-glucuronidase activity.

Partial sequence of the purified protein confirms the identity of cDNA coding for human lysosomal alpha-mannosidase B

Human lysosomal alpha-mannosidase has been purified by a simple and rapid method in sufficient quantities for the analysis of its subunit composition and partial protein sequencing. Analysis of the N-terminal residues of the 30 kDa polypeptide has enabled us to confirm the identity of the recently cloned cDNA that was tentatively identified as that of lysosomal alpha-mannosidase [Nebes and Schmidt (1994) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 200, 239-245] and to locate the position of this polypeptide within the total deduced amino acid sequence. This finding will therefore provide a firm foundation for the characterization of alpha-mannosidosis mutations.

Purification and comparison of the structures of human liver acidic alpha-D-mannosidases A and B

Human liver alpha-D-mannosidases A and B were purified 11 500-fold and 2000-fold respectively. Both showed microheterogeneity when analysed by isoelectric focusing. Alpha-D-Mannosidases A and B are immunologically identical but differ in their range of pI values, molecular masses, uptake into fibroblasts and subunit compositions. Alpha-D-Mannosidase A consists of equimolar proportions of subunits of molecular masses 62 kDa and 26 kDa, which are linked by disulphide bridges in the intact enzyme. Alpha-D-Mannosidase B also contains a small subunit, of molecular mass 26 kDa, and a variable mixture of larger subunits, of molecular masses 58 kDa and 62 kDa. The 62 kDa and 58 kDa subunits, but not the 26 kDa one, contain concanavalin A-recognizing glycans. The 58 kDa subunit has a lower pI, contains less high-mannose glycans but probably contains more mannose 6-phosphate than the 62 kDa subunit. It is postulated that the differences in structure and properties of alpha-D-mannosidases A and B are due to differences in the state of processing of the large subunit. This suggestion is consistent with a single locus on chromosome 19 for lysosomal alpha-D-mannosidase.