Protein N-glycosylation: molecular genetics and functional significance

Analysis of mutation-originated gain-of-glycosylation using mass spectrometry-based N-glycoproteomics

RATIONALE

A general N-glycoproteomics analysis pipeline has been established for characterization of mutation-related gain-of-glycosylation (GoG) at intact N-glycopeptide molecular level, generating comprehensive site and structure information of N-glycosylation.

METHODS

This study focused on mutation-originated GoG using a mass spectrometry-based N-glycoproteomics analysis workflow. In brief, GoG intact N-glycopeptide databases were built, consisting of 2701 proteins (potential GoG N-glycosites and amino acids derived from MUTAGEN, VARIANT and VAR_SEQ in UniProt) and 6709 human N-glycans (≤50 sequence isomers per monosaccharide composition). We employed the site- and structure-specific N-glycoproteomics workflow utilizing intact N-glycopeptides search engine GPSeeker to identify GoG intact N-glycopeptides from parental breast cancer stem cells (MCF-7 CSCs) and adriamycin-resistant breast cancer stem cells (MCF-7/ADR CSCs).

RESULTS

With the criteria of spectrum-level false discovery rate control of ≤1%, we identified 87 and 94 GoG intact N-glycopeptides corresponding to 37 and 35 intact N-glycoproteins from MCF-7 CSCs and MCF-7/ADR CSCs, respectively. Micro-heterogeneity and macro-heterogeneity of N-glycosylation from GoG intact N-glycoproteins with VAR_SEQ and VARIANT were found in both MCF-7 CSCs and MCF-7/ADR CSCs systems.

CONCLUSIONS

The integration of site- and structure-specific N-glycoproteomics approach, conjugating with GoG characterization, provides a universal workflow for revealing comprehensive N-glycosite and N-glycan structure information of GoG. The analysis of mutation-originated GoG can be extended to GoG characterization of other N-glycoproteome systems including complex clinical tissues and body fluids.

Mass spectrometry-based structure-specific N-glycoproteomics and biomedical applications

N-linked glycosylation is a common posttranslational modification of proteins that results in macroheterogeneity of the modification site. However, unlike simpler modifications, N-glycosylation introduces an additional layer of complexity with tens of thousands of possible structures arising from various dimensions, including different monosaccharide compositions, sequence structures, linking structures, isomerism, and three-dimensional conformations. This results in additional microheterogeneity of the modification site of N-glycosylation, i.e., the same N-glycosylation site can be modified with different glycans with a certain stoichiometric ratio. N-glycosylation regulates the structure and function of N-glycoproteins in a site- and structure-specific manner, and differential expression of N-glycosylation under disease conditions needs to be characterized through site- and structure-specific quantitative analysis. Numerous advanced methods ranging from sample preparation to mass spectrum analysis have been developed to distinguish N-glycan structures. Chemical derivatization of monosaccharides, online liquid chromatography separation and ion mobility spectrometry enable the physical differentiation of samples. Tandem mass spectrometry further analyzes the macro/microheterogeneity of intact N-glycopeptides through the analysis of fragment ions. Moreover, the development of search engines and AI-based software has enhanced our understanding of the dissociation patterns of intact N-glycopeptides and the clinical significance of differentially expressed intact N-glycopeptides. With the help of these modern methods, structure-specific N-glycoproteomics has become an important tool with extensive applications in the biomedical field.

Inter-cell type interactions that control JNK signaling in the Drosophila intestine

JNK signaling is a critical regulator of inflammation and regeneration, but how it is controlled in specific tissue contexts remains unclear. Here we show that, in the Drosophila intestine, the TNF-type ligand, Eiger (Egr), is expressed exclusively by intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and enteroblasts (EBs), where it is induced by stress and during aging. Egr preferentially activates JNK signaling in a paracrine fashion in differentiated enterocytes (ECs) via its receptor, Grindelwald (Grnd). N-glycosylation genes (Alg3, Alg9) restrain this activation, and stress-induced downregulation of Alg3 and Alg9 correlates with JNK activation, suggesting a regulatory switch. JNK activity in ECs induces expression of the intermembrane protease Rhomboid (Rho), driving secretion of EGFR ligands Keren (Krn) and Spitz (Spi), which in turn activate EGFR signaling in progenitor cells (ISCs and EBs) to stimulate their growth and division, as well as to produce more Egr. This study uncovers an N-glycosylation-controlled, paracrine JNK-EGFR-JNK feedforward loop that sustains ISC proliferation during stress-induced gut regeneration.

LeGenD: determining N-glycoprofiles using an explainable AI-leveraged model with lectin profiling

Glycosylation affects many vital functions of organisms. Therefore, its surveillance is critical from basic science to biotechnology, including biopharmaceutical development and clinical diagnostics. However, conventional glycan structure analysis faces challenges with throughput and cost. Lectins offer an alternative approach for analyzing glycans, but they only provide glycan epitopes and not full glycan structure information. To overcome these limitations, we developed LeGenD, a lectin and AI-based approach to predict N-glycan structures and determine their relative abundance in purified proteins based on lectin-binding patterns. We trained the LeGenD model using 309 glycoprofiles from 10 recombinant proteins, produced in 30 glycoengineered CHO cell lines. Our approach accurately reconstructed experimentally-measured N-glycoprofiles of bovine Fetuin B and IgG from human sera. Explanatory AI analysis with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) helped identify the critical lectins for glycoprofile predictions. Our LeGenD approach thus presents an alternative approach for N-glycan analysis.

Cloning grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) ccdc3 and its expression affected by nutrition state, insulin, and glucagon

As an adipokine, coiled-coil domain-containing 3 (CCDC3) plays multiple physiological roles in fatty liver, lipid metabolism, and abdominal obesity. Grass carp was selected as the experimental animal in this study to investigate the roles of Ccdc3 in teleosts. Results showed that the open reading frame (ORF) of cloned ccdc3 was 831 bp and encoded 276 amino acids. Three N-glycosylation sites and a predicted coiled-coil domain motif were located in the identified Ccdc3. Moreover, a nuclear localization signal (NLS) was contained in the coiled-coil domain motif of the identified Ccdc3. The results on tissue distribution revealed that ccdc3 was highly detected in grass carp fat and brain tissue. In the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), the expression of ccdc3 increased remarkably in the brain, hypothalamus, and visceral fat in the glucose treatment group. In the fasting and refeeding experiment, the ccdc3 expression levels were remarkably reduced in the brain, hypothalamus, and visceral fat after 14 days of fasting. In the refeeding group, the ccdc3 expression levels were considerably elevated compared with those in the fasting group. In the induced overfeeding experiment, the ccdc3 expression increased remarkably in the hepatopancreas, brain, and visceral fat tissues. The ccdc3 expression in the primary hepatocytes was remarkably increased with glucose, oleic acid, and insulin treatment. However, ccdc3 expression was markedly decreased with glucagon treatment. In conclusion, these results indicate that Ccdc3 is involved in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism of teleosts.

Glycan Complexity and Heterogeneity of Glycoproteins in Somatic Extracts and Secretome of the Infective Stage of the Helminth Fasciola hepatica

Fasciola hepatica is a global helminth parasite of humans and their livestock. The invasive stage of the parasite, the newly excysted juvenile (NEJs), relies on glycosylated excreted-secreted (ES) products and surface/somatic molecules to interact with host cells and tissues and to evade the host's immune responses, such as disarming complement and shedding bound antibody. While -omics technologies have generated extensive databases of NEJs' proteins and their expression, detailed knowledge of the glycosylation of proteins is still lacking. Here, we employed glycan, glycopeptide, and proteomic analyses to determine the glycan profile of proteins within the NEJs' somatic (Som) and ES extracts. These analyses characterized 123 NEJ glycoproteins, 71 of which are secreted proteins, and allowed us to map 356 glycopeptides and their associated 1690 N-glycan and 37 O-glycan forms to their respective proteins. We discovered abundant micro-heterogeneity in the glycosylation of individual glycosites and between different sites of multi-glycosylated proteins. The global heterogeneity across NEJs' glycoproteome was refined to 53 N-glycan and 16 O-glycan structures, ranging from highly truncated paucimannosidic structures to complex glycans carrying multiple phosphorylcholine (PC) residues, and included various unassigned structures due to unique linkages, particularly in pentosylated O-glycans. Such exclusive glycans decorate some well-known secreted molecules involved in host invasion, including cathepsin B and L peptidases, and a variety of membrane-bound glycoproteins, suggesting that they participate in host interactions. Our findings show that F. hepatica NEJs generate exceptional protein variability via glycosylation, suggesting that their molecular portfolio that communicates with the host is far more complex than previously anticipated by transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. This study opens many avenues to understand the glycan biology of F. hepatica throughout its life-stages, as well as other helminth parasites, and allows us to probe the glycosylation of individual NEJs proteins in the search for innovative diagnostics and vaccines against fascioliasis.

Extracellular and intracellular functions of coiled-coil domain containing 3

Coiled-coil domain containing 3 (CCDC3, also called Favine) is a highly conserved protein initially identified as a protein secreted from adipocytes and endothelial cells in the vascular system with endocrine-like functions. Recently, CCDC3 was also found to function as a nuclear tumor suppressor in breast cancers. Although it is still understudied, CCDC3, since its discovery, has been shown to play multiple roles in lipid metabolism, fatty liver, abdominal obesity, anti-inflammation, atherosclerosis, and cancer. This essay is thus composed to offer an overview of these extracellular endocrine-like and intracellular (nuclear) functions of CCDC3. We also discuss the possible underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of CCDC3, the implications for clinical translation, and the remaining puzzles about this special molecule.

Impact of PpSpi1, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored cell wall glycoprotein, on cell wall defects of N-glycosylation-engineered Pichia pastoris

IMPORTANCE

Engineering of biological pathways in various microorganisms is a promising direction for biotechnology. Since the existing microbial cells have evolved over a long period of time, any artificial engineering may cause some unexpected and harmful effects on them. Systematically studying and evaluating these engineered strains are very important and necessary. In order to produce therapeutic proteins with human-like N-glycan structures, much progress has been achieved toward the humanization of N-glycosylation pathways in yeasts. The properties of a P. pastoris strain with humanized N-glycosylation machinery were carefully evaluated in this study. Our work has identified a key glycoprotein (PpSpi1) responsible for the poor growth and morphological defects of this glycoengineered strain. Overexpression of PpSpi1 could significantly rescue the growth defect of the glycoengineered P. pastoris and facilitate its future industrial applications.

Molecular Insights to the Structure-Interaction Relationships of Human Proton-Coupled Oligopeptide Transporters (PepTs)

Human proton-coupled oligopeptide transporters (PepTs) are important membrane influx transporters that facilitate the cellular uptake of many drugs including ACE inhibitors and antibiotics. PepTs mediate the absorption of di- and tri-peptides from dietary proteins or gastrointestinal secretions, facilitate the reabsorption of peptide-bound amino acids in the kidney, and regulate neuropeptide homeostasis in extracellular fluids. PepT1 and PepT2 have been the most intensively investigated of all PepT isoforms. Modulating the interactions of PepTs and their drug substrates could influence treatment outcomes and adverse effects with certain therapies. In recent studies, topology models and protein structures of PepTs have been developed. The aim of this review was to summarise the current knowledge regarding structure-interaction relationships (SIRs) of PepTs and their substrates as well as the potential applications of this information in therapeutic optimisation and drug development. Such information may provide insights into the efficacy of PepT drug substrates in patients, mechanisms of drug-drug/food interactions and the potential role of PepTs targeting in drug design and development strategies.

Fetal Reprogramming of Nutrient Surplus Signaling, O-GlcNAcylation, and the Evolution of CKD

ABSTRACT

Fetal kidney development is characterized by increased uptake of glucose, ATP production by glycolysis, and upregulation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 α ), which (acting in concert) promote nephrogenesis in a hypoxic low-tubular-workload environment. By contrast, the healthy adult kidney is characterized by upregulation of sirtuin-1 and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, which enhances ATP production through fatty acid oxidation to fulfill the needs of a normoxic high-tubular-workload environment. During stress or injury, the kidney reverts to a fetal signaling program, which is adaptive in the short term, but is deleterious if sustained for prolonged periods when both oxygen tension and tubular workload are heightened. Prolonged increases in glucose uptake in glomerular and proximal tubular cells lead to enhanced flux through the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway; its end product-uridine diphosphate N -acetylglucosamine-drives the rapid and reversible O-GlcNAcylation of thousands of intracellular proteins, typically those that are not membrane-bound or secreted. Both O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation act at serine/threonine residues, but whereas phosphorylation is regulated by hundreds of specific kinases and phosphatases, O-GlcNAcylation is regulated only by O-GlcNAc transferase and O-GlcNAcase, which adds or removes N-acetylglucosamine, respectively, from target proteins. Diabetic and nondiabetic CKD is characterized by fetal reprogramming (with upregulation of mTOR and HIF-1 α ) and increased O-GlcNAcylation, both experimentally and clinically. Augmentation of O-GlcNAcylation in the adult kidney enhances oxidative stress, cell cycle entry, apoptosis, and activation of proinflammatory and profibrotic pathways, and it inhibits megalin-mediated albumin endocytosis in glomerular mesangial and proximal tubular cells-effects that can be aggravated and attenuated by augmentation and muting of O-GlcNAcylation, respectively. In addition, drugs with known nephroprotective effects-angiotensin receptor blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors-are accompanied by diminished O-GlcNAcylation in the kidney, although the role of such suppression in mediating their benefits has not been explored. The available evidence supports further work on the role of uridine diphosphate N -acetylglucosamine as a critical nutrient surplus sensor (acting in concert with upregulated mTOR and HIF-1 α signaling) in the development of diabetic and nondiabetic CKD.

Genome-wide identification of the opsin protein in Leptosphaeria maculans and comparison with other fungi (pathogens of Brassica napus)

The largest family of transmembrane receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). These receptors respond to perceived environmental signals and infect their host plants. Family A of the GPCR includes opsin. However, there is little known about the roles of GPCRs in phytopathogenic fungi. We studied opsin in Leptosphaeria maculans, an important pathogen of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) that causes blackleg disease, and compared it with six other fungal pathogens of oilseed rape. A phylogenetic tree analysis of 31 isoforms of the opsin protein showed six major groups and six subgroups. All three opsin isoforms of L. maculans are grouped in the same clade in the phylogenetic tree. Physicochemical analysis revealed that all studied opsin proteins are stable and hydrophobic. Subcellular localization revealed that most isoforms were localized in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane except for several isoforms in Verticillium species, which were localized in the mitochondrial membrane. Most isoforms comprise two conserved domains. One conserved motif was observed across all isoforms, consisting of the BACTERIAL_OPSIN_1 domain, which has been hypothesized to have an identical sensory function. Most studied isoforms showed seven transmembrane helices, except for one isoform of V. longisporum and four isoforms of Fusarium oxysporum. Tertiary structure prediction displayed a conformational change in four isoforms of F. oxysporum that presumed differences in binding to other proteins and sensing signals, thereby resulting in various pathogenicity strategies. Protein-protein interactions and binding site analyses demonstrated a variety of numbers of ligands and pockets across all isoforms, ranging between 0 and 13 ligands and 4 and 10 pockets. According to the phylogenetic analysis in this study and considerable physiochemically and structurally differences of opsin proteins among all studied fungi hypothesized that this protein acts in the pathogenicity, growth, sporulation, and mating of these fungi differently.

Foetal recapitulation of nutrient surplus signalling by O-GlcNAcylation and the failing heart

The development of the foetal heart is driven by increased glucose uptake and activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), which drives glycolysis. In contrast, the healthy adult heart is governed by sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which promote fatty-acid oxidation and the substantial mitochondrial ATP production required for survival in a high-workload normoxic environment. During cardiac injury, the heart recapitulates the foetal signalling programme, which (although adaptive in the short term) is highly deleterious if sustained for long periods of time. Prolonged increases in glucose uptake in cardiomyocytes under stress leads to increased flux through the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway; its endproduct - uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) - functions as a critical nutrient surplus sensor. UDP-GlcNAc drives the post-translational protein modification known as O-GlcNAcylation, which rapidly and reversibly modifies thousands of intracellular proteins. Both O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation act at serine/threonine residues, but whereas phosphorylation is regulated by hundreds of specific kinases and phosphatases, O-GlcNAcylation is regulated by only two enzymes, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA), which adds or removes GlcNAc (N-acetylglucosamine), respectively, from target proteins. Recapitulation of foetal programming in heart failure (regardless of diabetes) is accompanied by marked increases in O-GlcNAcylation, both experimentally and clinically. Heightened O-GlcNAcylation in the heart leads to impaired calcium kinetics and contractile derangements, arrhythmias related to activation of voltage-gated sodium channels and Ca2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, mitochondrial dysfunction, and maladaptive hypertrophy, microvascular dysfunction, fibrosis and cardiomyopathy. These deleterious effects can be prevented by suppression of O-GlcNAcylation, which can be achieved experimentally by upregulation of AMPK and SIRT1 or by pharmacological inhibition of OGT or stimulation of OGA. The effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on the heart are accompanied by reduced O-GlcNAcylation, and their cytoprotective effects are reportedly abrogated if their action to suppress O-GlcNAcylation is blocked. Such an action may represent one of the many mechanisms by which enhanced AMPK and SIRT1 signalling following SGLT2 inhibition leads to cardiovascular benefits. These observations, taken collectively, suggest that UDP-GlcNAc functions as a critical nutrient surplus sensor (which acting in concert with mTOR and HIF-1α) can promote the development of cardiomyopathy.

Gene expression dynamics of natural assemblages of heterotrophic flagellates during bacterivory

BACKGROUND

Marine heterotrophic flagellates (HF) are dominant bacterivores in the ocean, where they represent the trophic link between bacteria and higher trophic levels and participate in the recycling of inorganic nutrients for regenerated primary production. Studying their activity and function in the ecosystem is challenging since most of the HFs in the ocean are still uncultured. In the present work, we investigated gene expression of natural HF communities during bacterivory in four unamended seawater incubations.

RESULTS

The most abundant species growing in our incubations belonged to the taxonomic groups MAST-4, MAST-7, Chrysophyceae, and Telonemia. Gene expression dynamics were similar between incubations and could be divided into three states based on microbial counts, each state displaying distinct expression patterns. The analysis of samples where HF growth was highest revealed some highly expressed genes that could be related to bacterivory. Using available genomic and transcriptomic references, we identified 25 species growing in our incubations and used those to compare the expression levels of these specific genes. Video Abstract CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that several peptidases, together with some glycoside hydrolases and glycosyltransferases, are more expressed in phagotrophic than in phototrophic species, and thus could be used to infer the process of bacterivory in natural assemblages.

Visualization of multiple localizations of GLUT4 by fluorescent probes of PYP-tag with designed unnatural warhead

Within a cell, multiple copies of the same protein coexist in different pathways and behave differently. Being able to individually analyze the constant actions of proteins in a cell is crucial to know the pathways through which they pass and which physiological functions they are deeply involved in. However, until now, it has been difficult to distinguish protein copies with distinct translocation properties by fluorescence labeling with different colors in living cells. In this study, we have created an unnatural ligand with an unprecedented protein-tag labeling property in living cells and overcome the above-mentioned problem. Of special interest is that some fluorescent probes with the ligand can selectively and efficiently label intracellular proteins without binding to cell-surface proteins, even if the proteins are present on the cell membrane. We also developed a cell-membrane impermeable fluorescent probe that selectively labels cell-surface proteins without labeling of intracellular proteins. These localization-selective properties enabled us to visually discriminate two kinetically distinct glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) molecules that show different multiple subcellular localization and translocation dynamics in live cells. Taking advantage of the probes, we revealed that N-glycosylation of GLUT4 influences intracellular localization. Furthermore, we were able to visually distinguish active GLUT4 molecules that underwent membrane translocation at least twice within an hour from those that remained intracellularly, discovering previously unrecognized dynamic behaviors of GLUT4. This technology provides not only a valuable tool for study on multiple localization and dynamics of proteins but also important information on diseases caused by protein translocation dysfunction.

Genetic control of N-glycosylation of human blood plasma proteins

Glycosylation is an important protein modification, which influences the physical and chemical properties as well as biological function of these proteins. Large-scale population studies have shown that the levels of various plasma protein N-glycans are associated with many multifactorial human diseases. Observed associations between protein glycosylation levels and human diseases have led to the conclusion that N-glycans can be considered a potential source of biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Although biochemical pathways of glycosylation are well studied, the understanding of the mechanisms underlying general and tissue-specific regulation of these biochemical reactions in vivo is limited. This complicates both the interpretation of the observed associations between protein glycosylation levels and human diseases, and the development of glycan-based biomarkers and therapeutics. By the beginning of the 2010s, high-throughput methods of N-glycome profiling had become available, allowing research into the genetic control of N-glycosylation using quantitative genetics methods, including genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Application of these methods has made it possible to find previously unknown regulators of N-glycosylation and expanded the understanding of the role of N-glycans in the control of multifactorial diseases and human complex traits. The present review considers the current knowledge of the genetic control of variability in the levels of N-glycosylation of plasma proteins in human populations. It briefly describes the most popular physical-chemical methods of N-glycome profiling and the databases that contain genes involved in the biosynthesis of N-glycans. It also reviews the results of studies of environmental and genetic factors contributing to the variability of N-glycans as well as the mapping results of the genomic loci of N-glycans by GWAS. The results of functional in vitro and in silico studies are described. The review summarizes the current progress in human glycogenomics and suggests possible directions for further research.

N-glycosylomic analysis provides new insight into the molecular mechanism of firmness of fish fillet

Post-translational protein modification affects muscle physiochemistry. To understand the roles of N-glycosylation in this process, the muscle N-glycoproteomes of crisp grass carp (CGC) and ordinary grass carp (GC) were analyzed and compared. We identified 325 N-glycosylated sites with the NxT motif, classified 177 proteins, and identified 10 upregulated and 19 downregulated differentially glycosylated proteins (DGPs). Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes annotations revealed that these DGPs participate in myogenesis, extracellular matrix content formation, and muscle function. The DGPs partially accounted for the molecular mechanisms associated with the relatively smaller fiber diameter and higher collagen content observed in CGC. Though the DGPs diverged from the identified differentially phosphorylated proteins and differentially expressed proteins detected in previous study, they all shared similar metabolic and signaling pathways. Thus, they might independently alter fish muscle texture. Overall, the present study provides novel insights into the mechanisms underlying fillet quality.

Deglycosylation Differentially Regulates Weaned Porcine Gut Alkaline Phosphatase Isoform Functionality along the Longitudinal Axis

Gut alkaline phosphatases (AP) dephosphorylate the lipid moiety of endotoxin and other pathogen-associated-molecular patterns members, thus maintaining gut eubiosis and preventing metabolic endotoxemia. Early weaned pigs experience gut dysbiosis, enteric diseases and growth retardation in association with decreased intestinal AP functionality. However, the role of glycosylation in modulation of the weaned porcine gut AP functionality is unclear. Herein three different research approaches were taken to investigate how deglycosylation affected weaned porcine gut AP activity kinetics. In the first approach, weaned porcine jejunal AP isoform (IAP) was fractionated by the fast protein-liquid chromatography and purified IAP fractions were kinetically characterized to be the higher-affinity and lower-capacity glycosylated mature IAP (p < 0.05) in comparison with the lower-affinity and higher-capacity non-glycosylated pre-mature IAP. The second approach enzyme activity kinetic analyses showed that N-deglycosylation of AP by the peptide N-glycosidase-F enzyme reduced (p < 0.05) the IAP maximal activity in the jejunum and ileum and decreased AP affinity (p < 0.05) in the large intestine. In the third approach, the porcine IAP isoform-X1 (IAPX1) gene was overexpressed in the prokaryotic ClearColiBL21 (DE3) cell and the recombinant porcine IAPX1 was associated with reduced (p < 0.05) enzyme affinity and maximal enzyme activity. Therefore, levels of glycosylation can modulate plasticity of weaned porcine gut AP functionality towards maintaining gut microbiome and the whole-body physiological status.

Biochemical characteristics of point mutated Capra hircus lysosome α-mannosidase

Locoweeds, a type of poisonous weedare, are widely distributed throughout the world and have a significant impact on the development of herbivore animal husbandry. Swainsonine (SW), the main toxin in locoweeds, can competitively inhibit lysosomes α-mannosidase (LAM) in animal cells, resulting in α-mannosidosis. However, the specifics of the interaction between SW and LAM are still unclear. Here, we used molecular docking to predicte the interaction points between SW and LAM, built mutated lysosomes α-mannosidase (LAM^M), and analyzed its biochemical properties changes in presumption points. The Trp at the 28th position and the Tyr at the 599th position of the LAM were interaction point candidates, and the above two amino acids in Capra hircus LAM (chLAM), were successfully mutated to glycine by constructing recombinant yeast GS115/PIC9K- LAM^M. The results showed that the sensitivity of Capra hircus LAM^M (chLAM^M), to SW decreased significantly compared with wild-type LAM, the enzyme activity of LAM decreased approximately threefold, the optimum temperature of LAM^M decreased from 55°C to 50°C, the optimum pH value increased from 4.5 to 5.0, and the effects of Mn²⁺, Fe³⁺, Al³⁺, Co²⁺, Cr³⁺, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) on LAM enzyme activity before and after point mutation changed significantly. These findings help us better understanding the molecular mechanism of the interaction mechanism between SW and chLAM, and provide new reference for solving locoweeds poisoning.

What Can Boron Deficiency Symptoms Tell Us about Its Function and Regulation?

On the eve of the 100th anniversary of Dr. Warington's discovery of boron (B) as a nutrient essential for higher plants, "boronists" have struggled to demonstrate a role beyond its structural function in cell walls dimerizing pectin molecules of rhamnogalacturonan II (RGII). In this regard, B deficiency has been associated with a plethora of symptoms in plants that include macroscopic symptoms like growth arrest and cell death and biochemical or molecular symptoms that include changes in cell wall pore size, apoplast acidification, or a steep ROS production that leads to an oxidative burst. Aiming to shed light on B functions in plant biology, we proposed here a unifying model integrating the current knowledge about B function(s) in plants to explain why B deficiency can cause such remarkable effects on plant growth and development, impacting crop productivity. In addition, based on recent experimental evidence that suggests the existence of different B ligands other than RGII in plant cells, namely glycolipids, and glycoproteins, we proposed an experimental pipeline to identify putative missing ligands and to determine how they would integrate into the above-mentioned model.

Miniaturized Chemical Tags for Optical Imaging

Recent advances in optical bioimaging have prompted the need for minimal chemical reporters that can retain the molecular recognition properties and activity profiles of biomolecules. As a result, several methodologies to reduce the size of fluorescent and Raman labels to a few atoms (e.g., single aryl fluorophores, Raman-active triple bonds and isotopes) and embed them into building blocks (e.g., amino acids, nucleobases, sugars) to construct native-like supramolecular structures have been described. The integration of small optical reporters into biomolecules has also led to smart molecular entities that were previously inaccessible in an expedite manner. In this article, we review recent chemical approaches to synthesize miniaturized optical tags as well as some of their multiple applications in biological imaging.

All around suboptimal health - a joint position paper of the Suboptimal Health Study Consortium and European Association for Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine

First two decades of the twenty-first century are characterised by epidemics of non-communicable diseases such as many hundreds of millions of patients diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases and the type 2 diabetes mellitus, breast, lung, liver and prostate malignancies, neurological, sleep, mood and eye disorders, amongst others. Consequent socio-economic burden is tremendous. Unprecedented decrease in age of maladaptive individuals has been reported. The absolute majority of expanding non-communicable disorders carry a chronic character, over a couple of years progressing from reversible suboptimal health conditions to irreversible severe pathologies and cascading collateral complications. The time-frame between onset of SHS and clinical manifestation of associated disorders is the operational area for an application of reliable risk assessment tools and predictive diagnostics followed by the cost-effective targeted prevention and treatments tailored to the person. This article demonstrates advanced strategies in bio/medical sciences and healthcare focused on suboptimal health conditions in the frame-work of Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine (3PM/PPPM). Potential benefits in healthcare systems and for society at large include but are not restricted to an improved life-quality of major populations and socio-economical groups, advanced professionalism of healthcare-givers and sustainable healthcare economy. Amongst others, following medical areas are proposed to strongly benefit from PPPM strategies applied to the identification and treatment of suboptimal health conditions:Stress overload associated pathologiesMale and female healthPlanned pregnanciesPeriodontal healthEye disordersInflammatory disorders, wound healing and pain management with associated complicationsMetabolic disorders and suboptimal body weightCardiovascular pathologiesCancersStroke, particularly of unknown aetiology and in young individualsSleep medicineSports medicineImproved individual outcomes under pandemic conditions such as COVID-19.

Dickkopf-1: A Promising Target for Cancer Immunotherapy

Clinical studies in a range of cancers have detected elevated levels of the Wnt antagonist Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) in the serum or tumors of patients, and this was frequently associated with a poor prognosis. Our analysis of DKK1 gene profile using data from TCGA also proves the high expression of DKK1 in 14 types of cancers. Numerous preclinical studies have demonstrated the cancer-promoting effects of DKK1 in both in vitro cell models and in vivo animal models. Furthermore, DKK1 showed the ability to modulate immune cell activities as well as the immunosuppressive cancer microenvironment. Expression level of DKK1 is positively correlated with infiltrating levels of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in 20 types of cancers, while negatively associated with CD8⁺ T cells in 4 of these 20 cancer types. Emerging experimental evidence indicates that DKK1 has been involved in T cell differentiation and induction of cancer evasion of immune surveillance by accumulating MDSCs. Consequently, DKK1 has become a promising target for cancer immunotherapy, and the mechanisms of DKK1 affecting cancers and immune cells have received great attention. This review introduces the rapidly growing body of literature revealing the cancer-promoting and immune regulatory activities of DKK1. In addition, this review also predicts that by understanding the interaction between different domains of DKK1 through computational modeling and functional studies, the underlying functional mechanism of DKK1 could be further elucidated, thus facilitating the development of anti-DKK1 drugs with more promising efficacy in cancer immunotherapy.

High-throughput and high-sensitivity N-Glycan profiling: A platform for biopharmaceutical development and disease biomarker discovery

Protein glycosylation contributes to critical biological function of glycoproteins. Glycan analysis is essential for the production of biopharmaceuticals as well as for the identification of disease biomarkers. However, glycans are highly heterogeneous, which has considerably hampered the progress of glycomics. Here, we present an improved 96-well plate format platform for streamlined glycan profiling that takes advantage of rapid glycoprotein denaturation, deglycosylation, fluorescent derivatization, and on-matrix glycan clean-up. This approach offers high sensitivity with consistent identification and quantification of diverse N-glycans across multiple samples on a high-throughput scale. We demonstrate its capability for N-glycan profiling of glycoproteins from various sources, including two recombinant monoclonal antibodies produced from Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, EG2-hFc and rituximab, polyclonal antibodies purified from human serum, and total glycoproteins from human serum. Combined with the complementary information obtained by sequential digestion from exoglycosidase arrays, this approach allows the detection and identification of multiple N-glycans in these complex biological samples. The reagents, workflow, and Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HILIC-FLD), are simple enough to be implemented into a straightforward user-friendly setup. This improved technology provides a powerful tool in support of rapid advancement of glycan analysis for biopharmaceutical development and biomarker discovery for clinical disease diagnosis.

Identification of N-glycosylation sites on AtERO1 and AtERO2 using a transient expression system

N-glycosylation is an important protein modification that generally occurs at the Asn residue in an Asn-X-Ser/Thr sequon. Ero1 and its homologs play key roles in catalyzing the oxidative folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Recently, we found that Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) ERO1 and AtERO2 displayed different characteristics in catalyzing oxidative protein folding in the ER. All known Ero1s are glycosylated proteins, including AtERO1 and AtERO2 that were analyzed when they were transiently translated in mammalian cells. However, the exact N-glycosylation sites on AtERO1 and AtERO2 remains to be determined. In this work, using a plant transient expression system, we identified the N-glycosylation sites on both AtERO1 and AtERO2. We found that AtERO1 has one N-glycosylation site, while AtERO2 contains two, all in the N-X-S/T sequons. Interestingly, we found that Ero1 homologs from human, rice, soybean and Arabidopsis, all have a conserved N-glycosylation site near the inner active site that reduces molecular oxygen and provides the oxidizing equivalents. The identification of N-glycosylation sites on AtERO1/2 proteins will help understand the function of N-glycosylation not only in AtERO1/2, but also in other Ero1 homologs.

Protein glycosylation inLeishmaniaspp

Protein glycosylation is a co- and post-translational modification that, inLeishmaniaparasites, plays key roles in vector–parasite–vertebrate host interaction.

Preliminary evaluation of a Trypanosoma brucei FG-GAP repeat containing protein of mitochondrial localization

Background: Trypanosoma brucei, a causative agent of African Trypanosomiasis, is known to cross the blood brain barrier during the second stage of the disease. It was previously suggested that this parasite crosses the blood brain barrier in a manner similar to that of lymphocytes. This would imply that trypanosomes possess integrins that are required to interact with adhesion molecules located on the blood brain barrier microvascular endothelial cells, as a first step in traversal. To date, no T. brucei integrin has been described. However, one T. brucei putative FG-GAP repeat containing protein (typical of integrins) encoded by the Tb927.11.720 gene, was predicted to be involved in cell-cell/cell-matrix adhesion. Therefore, this study sought to characterize a putative FG-GAP repeat containing protein (FG-GAP RCP) and to determine its cellular localization as a basis for further exploration of its potential role in cell-cell or cell-matrix adhesion. Methods: In this study, we successfully cloned, characterized, expressed and localized this protein using antibodies we produced against its VCBS domain in T. brucei. Results: Contrary to what we initially suspected, our data showed that this protein is localized to the mitochondria but not the plasma membrane. Our data showed that it contains putative calcium binding motifs within the FG-GAP repeats suggesting it could be involved in calcium signaling/binding in the mitochondrion of T. brucei. Conclusion: Based on its localization we conclude that this protein is unlikely to be a trypanosomal integrin and thus that it may not be involved in traversal of the blood brain barrier. However, it could be involved in calcium signaling in the mitochondrion.

Utilization of N-glycosylation profiles as risk stratification biomarkers for suboptimal health status and metabolic syndrome in a Ghanaian population

Aim: The study sought to apply N-glycosylation profiles to understand the interplay between suboptimal health status (SHS) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Materials & methods: In this study, 262 Ghanaians were recruited from May to July 2016. After completing a health survey, plasma samples were collected for clinical assessments while ultra performance liquid chromatography was used to measure plasma N-glycans. Results: Four glycan peaks were found to predict case status (MetS and SHS) using a step-wise Akaike’s information criterion logistic regression model selection. This model yielded an area under the curve of MetS: 83.1% (95% CI: 78.0–88.1%) and SHS: 67.1% (60.6–73.7%). Conclusion: Our results show that SHS is a significant, albeit modest, risk factor for MetS and N-glycan complexity was associated with MetS.

The neutral N-linked glycans of the Basidiomycetous yeasts Pseudozyma antarctica and Malassezia furfur (Subphylum Ustilaginomycotina)

Pseudozyma antarctica and Malassezia furfur are basidiomycetous yeasts under the subphylum Ustilaginomycotina. P. antarctica is a commensal organism found in certain plant species, while M. furfur is associated with several skin diseases of animals including humans. N-linked glycans of P. antarctica and M. furfur were prepared, digested with glycosidases, and structurally analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS). Analyses revealed the presence of neutral N-linked glycans ranging in length from Man₃GlcNAc₂-PA to Man₉GlcNAc₂-PA. The two species shared the most abundant neutral N-linked glycan: Manα1-2Manα1-6(Manα1-3)Manα1-6(Manα1-2Manα1-2Manα1-3)Manβ1-4GlcNAcβ1-4GlcNAc (M8A). The second and third most abundant neutral N-linked glycans for P. antarctica were Manα1-2Manα1-6(Manα1-2Manα1-3)Manα1-6(Manα1-2Manα1-2Manα1-3)Manβ1-4GlcNAcβ1-4GlcNAc (M9A) and Manα1-6(Manα1-3)Manα1-6(Manα1-3)Manβ1-4GlcNAcβ1-4GlcNAc (M5A), respectively. In the case of M. furfur, Manα1-2Manα1-6(Manα1-3)Manα1-6(Manα1-2Manα1-3)Manβ1-4GlcNAcβ1-4GlcNAc (M7A) was the second most abundant, while both M8A and M9A were tied for the third most abundant. The presence of putative galactose residues in the hypermannosylated neutral N-linked glycans is also discussed. This report is the first to analyze the neutral N-linked glycans of P. antarctica and M. furfur.

Ten years of research on the role of BVES/ POPDC1 in human disease: a review

Since the blood vessel epicardial substance or Popeye domain-containing protein 1 (BVES/POPDC1) was first identified in the developing heart by two independent laboratories in 1999, an increasing number of studies have investigated the structure, function, and related diseases of BVES/POPDC1. During the first 10 years following the discovery of BVES/POPDC1, studies focused mainly on its structure, expression patterns, and functions. Based on these studies, further investigations conducted over the previous decade examined the role of BVES/POPDC1 in human diseases, such as colitis, heart diseases, and human cancers. This review provides an overview of the structure and expression of BVES/POPDC1, mainly focusing on its potential role and mechanism through which it is involved in human cancers.

Blood Vessel Epicardial Substance (BVES) in junctional signaling and cancer

Blood vessel epicardial substance (BVES) is a tight-junction associated protein that was originally discovered from a cDNA screen of the developing heart. Research over the last decade has shown that not only is BVES is expressed in cardiac and skeletal tissue, but BVES is also is expressed throughout the gastrointestinal epithelium. Mice lacking BVES sustain worse intestinal injury and inflammation. Furthermore, BVES is suppressed in gastrointestinal cancers, and mouse modeling has shown that loss of BVES promotes tumor formation. Recent work from multiple laboratories has revealed that BVES can regulate several molecular pathways, including cAMP, WNT, and promoting the degradation of the oncogene, c-Myc. This review will summarize our current understanding of how BVES regulates the intestinal epithelium and discuss how BVES functions at the molecular level to preserve epithelial phenotypes and suppress tumorigenesis.

N-Glycosylation Engineering to Improve the Constitutive Expression of Rhizopus oryzae Lipase in Komagataella phaffii

Our previous studies demonstrated that the N-glycans in Rhizopus chinensis lipase (RCL) was important for its secretion. In order to improve the secretion of Rhizopus oryzae lipase (ROL) under the control of the GAP promoter in Komagataella phaffii, two extra N-glycosylation sites were introduced in ROL according to the position of the N-glycosylation sites of RCL by sequence alignment. The results indicated that the secretion level of ROL was strongly improved by N-glycosylation engineering, and the highest value of extracellular enzyme activity was increased from 0.4 ± 0.2 U/mL to 207 ± 6 U/mL in a shake flask. In the 7-L fermenter, the extracellular enzyme activity of the mutant (2600 ± 43 U/mL) and the total protein concentration (2.5 ± 0.2 g/L) were 218- and 6.25-fold higher than these of the parent, respectively. This study presents a strategy for constitutive recombinant expression of ROL using the GAP promoter combined with N-glycosylation engineering, providing a potential enzyme for application in the food industry.

The neutral N-linked glycans of the ustilaginomycete yeast Sympodiomycopsis paphiopedili

Sympodiomycopsis paphiopedili is a basidiomycetous yeast under the subphylum Ustilaginomycotina and is a commensal organism originally isolated from the nectar of a plant species in Japan. In this study, the neutral N-linked glycans of S. paphiopedili were prepared and structurally analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS). Glycosidase digestion analyses were also performed to verify certain glycan linkages. HPLC and MS analyses revealed the presence of neutral N-linked glycans ranging from Man₃ GlcNAc₂ -PA to Man₉ GlcNAc₂ -PA in length. The most abundant neutral N-linked glycan structure in this species was found to be the Manα1-2Manα1-6(Manα1-3)Manα1-6(Manα1-2Manα1-2Manα1-3)Manβ1-4GlcNAcβ1-4GlcNAc (M8A). Moreover, the second and third most abundant neutral N-linked glycan in S. paphiopedili were the Manα1-2Manα1-6(Manα1-2Manα1-3)Manα1-6(Manα1-2Manα1-2Manα1-3)Manβ1-4GlcNAcβ1-4GlcNAc (M9A) and the Manα1-6(Manα1-3)Manβ1-4GlcNAcβ1-4GlcNAc (M3B). On the other hand, the effect of the combination of glycoprotein extraction methods (citrate buffer extraction or bead extraction) and the subsequent glycan release methods (hydrazinolysis or PNGase F digestion) on the detection of N-linked glycan peaks was also examined for S. paphiopedili and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in order to avoid under-representation of N-linked glycan structures. High mannose and possible hypermannosylated glycan peaks were detected in all method combinations in S. cerevisiae with the citrate buffer extraction-hydrazinolysis method giving the highest peak yields as compared with the other methods. Here we report the first account of the structural analysis of the neutral N-linked glycan of S. paphiopedili and the comparison of the effect of combinations of glycoprotein extraction methods and glycan release methods with that of the glycan analysis in S. paphiopedili and S. cerevisiae. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Purification, Biochemical Characterization, and Amino Acid Sequence of a Novel Type of Lectin from Aplysia dactylomela Eggs with Antibacterial/Antibiofilm Potential

A new lectin from Aplysia dactylomela eggs (ADEL) was isolated by affinity chromatography on HCl-activated Sepharose™ media. Hemagglutination caused by ADEL was inhibited by several galactosides, mainly galacturonic acid (Ka = 6.05 × 10⁶ M^-1). The primary structure of ADEL consists of 217 residues, including 11 half-cystines involved in five intrachain and one interchain disulfide bond, resulting in a molecular mass of 57,228 ± 2 Da, as determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. ADEL showed high similarity with lectins isolated from Aplysia eggs, but not with other known lectins, indicating that these lectins could be grouped into a new family of animal lectins. Three glycosylation sites were found in its polypeptide backbone. Data from peptide-N-glycosidase F digestion and MS suggest that all oligosaccharides attached to ADEL are high in mannose. The secondary structure of ADEL is predominantly β-sheet, and its tertiary structure is sensitive to the presence of ligands, as observed by CD. A 3D structure model of ADEL was created and shows two domains connected by a short loop. Domain A is composed of a flat three-stranded and a curved five-stranded β-sheet, while domain B presents a flat three-stranded and a curved four-stranded β-sheet. Molecular docking revealed favorable binding energies for interactions between lectin and galacturonic acid, lactose, galactosamine, and galactose. Moreover, ADEL was able to agglutinate and inhibit biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus, suggesting that this lectin may be a potential alternative to conventional use of antimicrobial agents in the treatment of infections caused by Staphylococcal biofilms.

Chemical Glycoproteomics

Chemical tools have accelerated progress in glycoscience, reducing experimental barriers to studying protein glycosylation, the most widespread and complex form of posttranslational modification. For example, chemical glycoproteomics technologies have enabled the identification of specific glycosylation sites and glycan structures that modulate protein function in a number of biological processes. This field is now entering a stage of logarithmic growth, during which chemical innovations combined with mass spectrometry advances could make it possible to fully characterize the human glycoproteome. In this review, we describe the important role that chemical glycoproteomics methods are playing in such efforts. We summarize developments in four key areas: enrichment of glycoproteins and glycopeptides from complex mixtures, emphasizing methods that exploit unique chemical properties of glycans or introduce unnatural functional groups through metabolic labeling and chemoenzymatic tagging; identification of sites of protein glycosylation; targeted glycoproteomics; and functional glycoproteomics, with a focus on probing interactions between glycoproteins and glycan-binding proteins. Our goal with this survey is to provide a foundation on which continued technological advancements can be made to promote further explorations of protein glycosylation.

Fluorogenic probes reveal a role of GLUT4 N-glycosylation in intracellular trafficking

Glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) is an N-glycosylated protein that maintains glucose homeostasis by regulating the protein translocation. To date, it has been unclear whether the N-glycan of GLUT4 contributes to its intracellular trafficking. Here, to clarify the role of the N-glycan, we developed fluorogenic probes that label cytoplasmic and plasma-membrane proteins for multicolor imaging of GLUT4 translocation. One of the probes, which is cell impermeant, selectively detected exocytosed GLUT4. Using this probe, we verified the 'log' of the trafficking, in which N-glycan-deficient GLUT4 was transiently translocated to the cell membrane upon insulin stimulation and was rapidly internalized without retention on the cell membrane. The results strongly suggest that the N-glycan functions in the retention of GLUT4 on the cell membrane. This study showed the utility of the fluorogenic probes and indicated that this imaging tool will be applicable for research on various membrane proteins that show dynamic changes in localization.

iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis reveals alterations in the liver induced by restricted meal frequency in a pig model

OBJECTIVE

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of meal frequency on metabolite levels in pig plasma and hepatic proteome by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) analysis.

METHODS

Twenty-four pigs (60.7 ± 1.0 kg) consumed the same amount of feed either in 2 (M2, n = 12) or 12 (M12, n = 12) meals per day. After an 8-wk feeding period, plasma concentrations of metabolites and hormones, hepatic biochemical traits, and proteome (n = 4 per group) were measured.

RESULTS

Pigs on the M12 regimen had lower average daily gain and gain-to-feed ratio than pigs fed the M2 regimen. The M2 regimen resulted in lower total lipid, glycogen, and triacylglycerol content in the liver and circulating triacylglycerol concentration than that in the M12 pigs. The metabolic hormone concentrations were not affected by meal frequency, with the exception of elevated fibroblast growth factor 21 concentrations in the M2 regimen compared with the M12 regimen. The iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis revealed 35 differentially expressed proteins in the liver between pigs fed two and 12 meals per day, and these differentially expressed proteins were involved in the regulation of general biological process such as glucose and energy metabolism, lipid metabolism, protein and amino acid metabolism, stress response, and cell redox homeostasis.

CONCLUSION

Altogether, the proteomic results provide insights into the mechanism mediating the beneficial effects of restricted meal frequency on the metabolic fitness.

Association of chromosome 5q21.3 polymorphisms with the exploratory eye movement dysfunction in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia patients show abnormalities in many eye movement tasks. Among them, exploratory eye movements (EEM) dysfunction seems to be specific to schizophrenia. However the mechanism of EEM disturbances in schizophrenia patients remains elusive. We investigate the relationship between EEM and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or genes to identify susceptibility loci for EEM in schizophrenia. We firstly performed EEM test, then performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and gene-based association study of EEM in 128 individuals with schizophrenia and 143 healthy control subjects. Comparing to healthy controls, schizophrenia patients show significant decrease in NEF (22.99 ± 3.96 vs. 26.02 ± 5.72, P <0.001), TESL (368.78 ± 123.57 vs. 603.12 ± 178.63, P <0.001), MESL (16.86 ± 5.27 vs. 24.42 ± 6.46, P <0.001), RSS (8.22 ± 1.56 vs. 10.92 ± 1.09, P <0.001), and CSS (5.06 ± 0.97 vs. 6.64 ± 0.87, P <0.001). Five SNPs of the MAN2A1, at 5q21.3, were associated with EEM abnormalities (deceased CSS) and satisfied the criteria of GWAS significance threshold. One is localized near 5'-UTR (rs17450784) and four are in intron (rs1438663, rs17162094, rs6877440 and rs10067856) of the gene. Our findings suggest that the identified loci may control the schizophrenia-related quantitative EEM trait. And the identified gene, associated with the EEM phenotype, may lead to new insights into the etiology of schizophrenia.

Role of N-glycosylation in renal betaine transport

The osmolyte and folding chaperone betaine is transported by the renal Na(+)-coupled GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) symporter BGT-1 (betaine/GABA transporter 1), a member of the SLC6 (solute carrier 6) family. Under hypertonic conditions, the transcription, translation and plasma membrane (PM) insertion of BGT-1 in kidney cells are significantly increased, resulting in elevated betaine and GABA transport. Re-establishing isotonicity involves PM depletion of BGT-1. The molecular mechanism of the regulated PM insertion of BGT-1 during changes in osmotic stress is unknown. In the present study, we reveal a link between regulated PM insertion and N-glycosylation. Based on homology modelling, we identified two sites (Asn(171) and Asn(183)) in the extracellular loop 2 (EL2) of BGT-1, which were investigated with respect to trafficking, insertion and transport by immunogold-labelling, electron microscopy (EM), mutagenesis and two-electrode voltage clamp measurements in Xenopus laevis oocytes and uptake of radiolabelled substrate into MDCK (Madin-Darby canine kidney) and HEK293 (human embryonic kidney) cells. Trafficking and PM insertion of BGT-1 was clearly promoted by N-glycosylation in both oocytes and MDCK cells. Moreover, association with N-glycans at Asn(171) and Asn(183) contributed equally to protein activity and substrate affinity. Substitution of Asn(171) and Asn(183) by aspartate individually caused no loss of BGT-1 activity, whereas the double mutant was inactive, suggesting that N-glycosylation of at least one of the sites is required for function. Substitution by alanine or valine at either site caused a dramatic loss in transport activity. Furthermore, in MDCK cells PM insertion of N183D was no longer regulated by osmotic stress, highlighting the impact of N-glycosylation in regulation of this SLC6 transporter.

The Role of Lectin-Carbohydrate Interactions in the Regulation of ER-Associated Protein Degradation

Proteins entering the secretory pathway are translocated across the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane in an unfolded form. In the ER they are restricted to a quality control system that ensures correct folding or eventual degradation of improperly folded polypeptides. Mannose trimming of N-glycans on newly synthesized proteins plays an important role in the recognition and sorting of terminally misfolded glycoproteins for ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD). In this process misfolded proteins are retrotranslocated into the cytosol, polyubiquitinated, and eventually degraded by the proteasome. The mechanism by which misfolded glycoproteins are recognized and recruited to the degradation machinery has been extensively studied during last decade. In this review, we focus on ER degradation-enhancing α-mannosidase-like protein (EDEM) family proteins that seem to play a key role in the discrimination between proteins undergoing a folding process and terminally misfolded proteins directed for degradation. We describe interactions of EDEM proteins with other components of the ERAD machinery, as well as with various protein substrates. Carbohydrate-dependent interactions together with N-glycan-independent interactions seem to regulate the complex process of protein recognition and direction for proteosomal degradation.

Improvement of glycosylation structure by suppression of β-N-acetylglucosaminidases in silkworm

The baculovirus-silkworm recombinant protein expression system is an excellent method for achieving high-level expression and post-translational modifications, especially glycosylation. However, the presence of paucimannosidic-type N-glycan in glycoproteins restricts their clinical use. Paucimannosidic-type N-glycan is produced by insect-specific membrane-binding-type β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (GlcNAcase). In the silkworm, BmGlcNAcase1, BmGlcNAcase2, and BmFDL are membrane-binding-type GlcNAcases. We investigated the localization of these GlcNAcases and found that BmFDL and BmGlcNAcase2 were mainly located in the fat body and hemolymph, respectively. The fat body is the main tissue of recombinant protein expression by baculovirus, and many glycoproteins are secreted into the hemolymph. These results suggest that inhibition of BmFDL and BmGlcNAcase2 could increase GlcNAc-type N-glycan levels. We therefore injected a GlcNAcase inhibitor into silkworms to investigate changes in the N-glycan structure of the glycoprotein expressed by baculovirus; modest levels of GlcNAc-type N-glycan were observed (0.8% of total N-glycan). Next, we generated a transgenic silkworm in which RNA interference (RNAi) reduced the BmFDL transcript level and enzyme activity to 25% and 50%, respectively, of that of the control silkworm. The proportion of GlcNAc-type N-glycan increased to 4.3% in the RNAi-transgenic silkworm. We conclude that the structure of N-glycan can be changed by inhibiting the GlcNAcases in silkworm.

Influence of glycosylation pattern on the molecular properties of monoclonal antibodies

Glycosylation is an important post-translational modification during protein production in eukaryotic cells, and it is essential for protein structure, stability, half-life, and biological functions. In this study, we produced various monoclonal antibody (mAb) glycoforms from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, including the natively glycosylated antibody, the enriched G0 form, the deglycosylated form, the afucosylated form, and the high mannose form, and we compared their intrinsic properties, side-by-side, through biophysical and biochemical approaches. Spectroscopic analysis indicates no measureable secondary or tertiary structural changes after in vitro or in vivo modification of the glycosylation pattern. Thermal unfolding experiments show that the high mannose and deglycosylated forms have reduced thermal stability of the CH2 domain compared with the other tested glycoforms. We also observed that the individual domain's thermal stability could be pH dependent. Proteolysis analysis indicates that glycosylation plays an important role in stabilizing mAbs against proteases. The stability of antibody glycoforms at the storage condition (2-8 °C) and at accelerated conditions (30 and 40 °C) was evaluated, and the results indicate that glycosylation patterns do not substantially affect the storage stability of the antibody we studied.

Mice overexpressing β-1,4-Galactosyltransferase I are resistant to TNF-induced inflammation and DSS-induced colitis

Glycosylation is an essential post-translational modification, which determines the function of proteins and important processes such as inflammation. β-1,4-galactosyltransferase I (βGalT1) is a key enzyme involved in the addition of galactose moieties to glycoproteins. Intestinal mucins are glycoproteins that protect the gut barrier against invading pathogens and determine the composition of the intestinal microbiota. Proper glycosylation of mucus is important in this regard. By using ubiquitously expressing βGalT1 transgenic mice, we found that this enzyme led to strong galactosylation of mucus proteins, isolated from the gut of mice. This galactosylation was associated with a drastic change in composition of gut microbiota, as TG mice had a significantly higher Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio. TG mice were strongly protected against TNF-induced systemic inflammation and lethality. Moreover, βGalT1 transgenic mice were protected in a model of DSS-induced colitis, at the level of clinical score, loss of body weight, colon length and gut permeability. These studies put βGalT1 forward as an essential protective player in exacerbated intestinal inflammation. Optimal galactosylation of N-glycans of mucus proteins, determining the bacterial composition of the gut, is a likely mechanism of this function.

Recombinant production of spider silk proteins

Natural spider silk fibers combine extraordinary properties such as stability and flexibility which results in a toughness superseding that of all other fiber materials. As the spider's aggressive territorial behavior renders their farming not feasible, the biotechnological production of spider silk proteins (spidroins) is essential in order to investigate and employ them for applications. In order to accomplish this task, two approaches have been tested: firstly, the expression of partial cDNAs, and secondly, the expression of synthetic genes in several host organisms, including bacteria, yeast, plants, insect cells, mammalian cells, and transgenic animals. The experienced problems include genetic instability, limitations of the translational and transcriptional machinery, and low solubility of the produced proteins. Here, an overview of attempts to recombinantly produce spidroins will be given, and advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches and host organisms will be discussed.

Modulation of CD147-induced matrix metalloproteinase activity: role of CD147 N-glycosylation

Degradation of the basement membrane by MMPs (matrix metalloproteinases) is one of the most critical steps in tumour progression. CD147 is a tumour-associated antigen that plays a key regulatory role for MMP activities. In the present study, mass spectrum analysis demonstrated that the purified native CD147 from human lung cancer tissue was N-glycosylated and contained a series of high-mannose and complex-type N-linked glycan structures. Moreover, native glycosylated CD147 existed exclusively as oligomers in solution and directly stimulated MMP production more efficiently than non-glycosylated prokaryotic CD147. The glycosylation site mutation results indicated that, among three N-glycan attachment sites, the N152Q mutants were retained in the endoplasmic reticulum and unfolded protein response signalling was activated. This improper intracellular accumulation impaired its MMP-inducing activity. Increased β1,6-branching of N-glycans as a result of overexpression of GnT-V (N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V) plays an important role in tumour metastasis. In the present study, we identified CD147 as a target protein of GnT-V and found that overexpression of GnT-V resulted in an elevated level of CD147 at the plasma membrane and in cell-conditioned medium, thereby increasing the induction of MMPs. The present study reveals the important role of N-glycosylation of CD147 in its biological function and implied that targeting aberrant β1,6-branching of N-glycans on CD147 would be valuable for the development of novel therapeutic modalities against carcinoma.