Glucuronosyl transfer to galactose residues in the biosynthesis of HNK-1 antigens and xylose-containing glycosaminoglycans: One or two transferases?

Abstract

An early step in the assembly of the xylose→serine-linked proteoglycans is the transfer of glucuronic acid to the C-3 position of a galactose residue in the carbohydrate-protein linkage region. Since a similar reaction occurs in the biosynthesis of HNK-1 antigens, the question arose whether these processes are catalyzed by the same enzyme. In the present study, the proteoglycan-related glucuronosyltransferase activity in embryonic chick brain was found to be firmly membrane-associated, while the majority of the activity towards N-acetyllactosamine — a model substrate for HNK-1 antigen biosynthesis — was readily solubilized. No activity towards N-acetyllactosamine was found in embryonic chick cartilage, which is a rich source of the proteoglycan-related enzyme. Together with the results of mixed substrate experiments, these findings strongly indicate the existence of two separate glucuronosyltransferases catalyzing transfer to galactose residues.