Asparagine-linked Carbohydrate Research Articles

Amino acid sequence and location of the disulfide bonds in bovine .beta.2 glycoprotein I: the presence of five Sushi domains

beta 2 glycoprotein I is a plasma protein with the ability to bind with various kinds of negatively charged substances. The complete amino acid sequence and the location of all the disulfide bonds of bovine beta 2 glycoprotein I were determined. Bovine beta 2 glycoprotein I consists of 326 amino acid residues with five asparagine-linked carbohydrate chains. Homology with the human protein was calculated to be 83%. Eleven disulfide bonds in bovine beta 2 glycoprotein I constitute four characteristic domains, Sushi domains, and one modified form of a Sushi domain.

A mannose-specific recognition mediates the defasciculation of axons in the leech CNS

We are studying a mannose-specific recognition mediating the projection of axons in the synaptic neuropil of the embryonic leech CNS. A functional class of neurons, the sensory afferents, can be distinguished by a mannose-containing epitope that is asparagine-linked to a 130 kDa surface protein and is reactive with the monoclonal antibody Lan3-2. Sensory afferents project as a tightly fasciculated bundle through peripheral nerves but, upon arriving in the CNS, defasciculate into the synaptic neuropil. This defasciculation allows the previously bundled sensory afferents to form an arborization in the synaptic neuropil. Three lines of experimental evidence indicate that the defasciculation is mediated by the sensory afferent's mannose-containing Lan3-2 epitope. The defasciculation is inhibited (1) by blocking the Lan3-2 epitope with Lan3-2 Fab fragments, (2) by cleaving the asparagine-linked carbohydrate moieties from surface proteins with the glycosidase N-glycanase, and (3) by competing for a putative mannose-binding protein with the neoglycoprotein mannose-BSA [albumin, p-aminophenyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside (26 mol monosaccharide/mol albumin)]. In addition to inhibiting the defasciculation, the three perturbation reagents also elicited the refasciculation of axons that had defasciculated prior to their application. These three different experimental approaches provide strong evidence that carbohydrate recognition regulates the projections of sensory afferents in the leech synaptic neuropil. Carbohydrate interactions therefore can play a major role in regulating the neuronal architecture in the CNS.

Characterization of a recombinant herpes simplex virus which expresses a glycoprotein D lacking asparagine-linked oligosaccharides.

Glycoprotein D (gD) is an envelope component of herpes simplex virus essential for virus penetration. gD contains three sites for addition of asparagine-linked carbohydrates (N-CHO), all of which are utilized. Previously, we characterized mutant forms of herpes simplex virus type 1 gD (gD-1) lacking one or all three N-CHO addition sites. All of the mutants complemented the infectivity of a gD-minus virus, F-gD beta, to the same extent as wild-type gD. Here, we show that recombinant viruses containing mutations in the gD-1 gene which eliminate the three N-CHO signals are viable. Two such viruses, called F-gD(QAA)-1 and F-gD(QAA)-2, were independently isolated, and the three mutations in the gD gene in one of these viruses were verified by DNA sequencing. We also verified that the gD produced in cells infected by these viruses is devoid of N-CHO. Plaques formed by both mutants developed more slowly than those of the wild-type control virus, F-gD(WT), and were approximately one-half the size of the wild-type. One mutant, F-gD(QAA)-2, was selected for further study. The QAA mutant and wild-type gD proteins extracted from infected cells differed in structure, as determined by the binding of monoclonal antibodies to discontinuous epitopes. However, flow cytometry analysis showed that the amount and structure of gD found on infected cell surfaces was unaffected by the presence or absence of N-CHO. Other properties of F-gD(QAA)-2 were quite similar to those of F-gD(WT). These included (i) the kinetics of virus production as well as the intracellular and extracellular virus titers; (ii) the rate of virus entry into uninfected cells; (iii) the levels of gB, gC, gE, gH, and gI expressed by infected cells; and (iv) the turnover time of gD. Thus, the absence of N-CHO from gD-1 has some effect on its structure but very little effect on its function in virus infection in cell culture.

Absence of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides from glycoprotein D of herpes simplex virus type 1 results in a structurally altered but biologically active protein.

Glycoprotein D (gD) of herpes simplex virus contains three utilized sites (Asn-X-Ser/Thr) for addition of asparagine-linked carbohydrates (N-CHO). Previously, we used oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis to alter serine or threonine residues to alanine at each N-CHO addition site. Studies with monoclonal antibodies showed that a mutant protein lacking all three sites (now designated AAA) was structurally altered because of the amino acid change at residue 96 as well as the absence of the N-CHO. In this study, we constructed additional single mutations at site 1 (residues 94 and 96) and found that in most cases, the amino acid change itself adversely affected the conformation of gD. However, changing asparagine 94 to glutamine (Q) at site 1 had the least effect on gD. We constructed a second triple mutant, QAA, which lacked all three N-CHO signals. The antigenic conformation of QAA was similar to that of gD produced in the presence of tunicamycin (TM-gD). However, binding of MAbs to the AAA protein or to single mutants altered at site 1 was reduced compared with TM-gD. Wild-type gD and QAA proteins were equally susceptible to digestion by trypsin or Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease. In contrast, the AAA protein was more sensitive to trypsin but less sensitive to V8, again suggesting conformational alterations of the AAA protein. Despite what appeared to be large changes in structure, each mutant complemented the infectivity of a virus lacking gD (F-gD beta). We conclude that the N-CHO and amino acids at N-CHO site 1 play an important role in forming and/or maintaining gD structure, but none of the N-CHO are required for gD to function in the complementation assay.

Amplified gene expression in CD59-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells confers protection against the membrane attack complex of human complement

Protection against the pore-forming activity of the human C5b-9 proteins was conferred on a nonprimate cell by transfection with cDNA encoding the human complement regulatory protein CD59. CD59 was stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells using the pFRSV mammalian expression vector. After cloning and selection, the transfected cells were maintained in media containing various concentrations of methotrexate, which induced surface expression of up to 4.2 x 10(6) molecules of CD59/cell. Phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C removed greater than 95% of surface-expressed CD59 antigen, confirming that recombinant CD59 was tethered to the Chinese hamster ovary plasma membrane by a lipid anchor. The recombinant protein exhibited an apparent molecular mass of 21-24 kDa (versus 18-21 kDa for human erythrocyte CD59). After N-glycanase digestion, recombinant and erythrocyte CD59 comigrated with apparent molecular masses of 12-14 kDa, suggesting altered structure of asparagine-linked carbohydrate in recombinant versus erythrocyte CD59. The function of the recombinant protein was evaluated by changes in the sensitivity of the CD59 transfectants to the pore-forming activity of human C5b-9. Induction of cell-surface expression of CD59 antigen inhibited C5b-9 pore formation in a dose-dependent fashion. CD59 transfectants expressing greater than or equal to 1.2 x 10(6) molecules of CD59/cell were completely resistant to human serum complement. By contrast, CD59 transfectants remained sensitive to the pore-forming activity of guinea pig C8 and C9 (bound to human C5b67). Functionally blocking antibody against erythrocyte CD59 abolished the human complement resistance observed for the CD59-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. These results confirm that the C5b-9 inhibitory function of the human erythrocyte membrane is provided by CD59 and suggest that the gene for this protein can be expressed in xenotypic cells to confer protection against human serum complement.

Interactions of asparagine-linked carbohydrates with concanavalin A. Nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion and circular dichroism studies

By using near-UV circular dichroism (CD) and solvent proton nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion measurements, three different conformational states have been detected in Ca(2+)-Mn(2+)-concanavalin A upon binding a variety of asparagine-linked carbohydrates. Two of these transitions have been described previously, one for the binding of monosaccharides such as methyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside and oligosaccharides with terminal alpha-Glc or alpha-Man residues, and the second for the binding of oligomannose and complex type carbohydrates (Brewer, C. F., and Bhattacharyya, L. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 7306-7310). The third transition occurs upon binding a bisected biantennary complex type carbohydrate with terminal GlcNAc residues. Temperature-dependent nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion and CD measurements have identified regions of the protein near the two metal ion binding sites that are associated with the conformation changes, and Tyr-12, which is part of the monosaccharide binding site, as responsible for the CD changes. The results support our previous conclusions that the rotamer conformation of the (alpha 1,6) arm of bisected complex type oligosaccharides binds to concanavalin A with dihedral angle omega = -60 degrees whereas nonbisected complex type oligosaccharides bind with omega = 180 degrees (Bhattacharyya, L., Haraldsson, M., and Brewer, C. F. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 1294-1299). The present findings also explain the effects of increasing chain length of bisected complex type carbohydrates on their interactions with the lectin.

Structure determination of the glycans of human‐serum α1‐antichymotrypsin using 1H‐NMR spectroscopy and deglycosylation by N‐glycanase

alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin purified from normal human serum was separated by affinity chromatography into th ree microheterogeneous forms on a concanavalin-A-Sepharose column: a pass-through (peak 1), a retarded (peak 2) and a bound form (peaks 3 + 4). For each form the asparagine-linked carbohydrate chains were liberated as oligosaccharides by hydrazinolysis, submitted to reduction with NaBH4 after re-N-acetylation and further separated by affinity chromatography on a concanavalin-A-Sepharose column. The complete primary structure of the glycans was determined by high-resolution 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The results indicated the presence of disialyl diantennary and of trisialyl triantennary type glycanic structures, the latter being accompanied by traces of disialylated triantennary oligosaccharide. The N-glycanase was used for the deglycosylation of the unfractionated alpha 1-antichymotrypsin; the successive removal of the N-linked complex-type oligosaccharide side chains of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin was studied in the presence of detergents. From these experiments it is concluded that alpha 1-antichymotrypsin carries four oligosaccharide side chains. Moreover our results show that the peak 1 contains four triantennary glycans, the peak 2 three triantennary and one diantennary glycans while the bound peaks 3 + 4 possess, on average, about one triantennary and three diantennary glycans per molecule. Since we showed that the peak 4 contains mostly diantennary glycans, it can be deduced that in peak 3 there are molecules carrying two triantennary and two diantennary glycans and others carrying one triantennary and three diantennary glycans.

Sulfation of von Willebrand factor

von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a multimeric adhesive glycoprotein essential for normal hemostasis. We have discovered that cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells incorporate inorganic sulfate into vWF. Following immunoisolation and analysis by polyacrylamide or agarose gel electrophoresis, metabolically labeled vWF was found to have incorporated [35S]-sulfate into all secreted multimer species. The time course of incorporation shows that sulfation occurs late in the biosynthesis of vWF, near the point at which multimerization occurs. Quantitative analysis suggests the presence, on average, of one molecule of sulfate per mature vWF subunit. Virtually all the detectable sulfate is released from the mature vWF subunit by treatment with endoglycosidases that remove asparagine-linked carbohydrates. Sulfated carbohydrate was localized first to the N-terminal half of the mature subunit (amino acids 1 through 1,365) by partial proteolytic digestion with protease V8; and subsequently to a smaller fragment within this region (amino acids 273 through 511) by sequential digestions with protease V8 and trypsin. Thus, the carbohydrate at asparagine 384 and/or 468 appears to be the site of sulfate modification. Sodium chlorate, an inhibitor of adenosine triphosphate- sulfurylase, blocks sulfation of vWF without affecting either the ability of vWF to assemble into high molecular weight multimers or the ability of vWF multimers to enter Weible-Palade bodies. The stability of vWF multimers in the presence of an endothelial cell monolayer also was unaffected by the sulfation state. Additionally, we have found that the cleaved propeptide of vWF is sulfated on asparagine-linked carbohydrate.

Sulfation of von Willebrand Factor

AbstractVon Willebrand factor (vWF) is a multimeric adhesive glycoprotein essential for normal hemostasis. We have discovered that cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells incorporate inorganic sulfate into vWF. Following immunoisolation and analysis by polyacrylamide or agarose gel electrophoresis, metabolically labeled vWF was found to have incorporated [35S]-sulfate into all secreted multimer species. The time course of incorporation shows that sulfation occurs late in the biosynthesis of vWF, near the point at which multimerization occurs. Quantitative analysis suggests the presence, on average, of one molecule of sulfate per mature vWF subunit. Virtually all the detectable sulfate is released from the mature vWF subunit by treatment with endoglycosidases that remove asparagine-linked carbohydrates. Sulfated carbohydrate was localized first to the N-terminal half of the mature subunit (amino acids 1 through 1,365) by partial proteolytic digestion with protease V8; and subsequently to a smaller fragment within this region (amino acids 273 through 511) by sequential digestions with protease V8 and trypsin. Thus, the carbohydrate at asparagine 384 and/or 468 appears to be the site of sulfate modification. Sodium chlorate, an inhibitor of adenosine triphosphate-sulfurylase, blocks sulfation of vWF without affecting either the ability of vWF to assemble into high molecular weight multimers or the ability of vWF multimers to enter Weible-Palade bodies. The stability of vWF multimers in the presence of an endothelial cell monolayer also was unaffected by the sulfation state. Additionally, we have found that the cleaved propeptide of vWF is sulfated on asparagine-linked carbohydrate.

Inhibition of processing of asparagine-linked carbohydrate chains on IgG2a by using swainsonine has no influence upon antibody effector functions in vitro.

Removal of asparagine (Asn)-linked carbohydrate chains from IgG antibody molecules reduces their antibody effector functions such as C activation and FcR binding. We have prepared IgG2a mAb with modified structure of carbohydrate chains by treating the hybridoma cells with swainsonine, which inhibits the processing of Asn-linked carbohydrate chains at the site of action of mannosidase II. These antibodies have obtained the capacity to bind lentil lectin and have become sensitive to endoglycosidase H digestion, indicating the structural changes of oligosaccharides from complex type to hybrid type. They behaved in an identical manner to the normal IgG2a antibodies with regards to extracellular secretion, Ag-binding capacity, C-mediated hemolysis and FcR-mediated functions. Critical moieties of Asn-linked carbohydrate chains on IgG molecules to retain their antibody effector functions were discussed.

Rapid purification and characterization of human platelet glycoprotein V: the amino acid sequence contains leucine-rich repetitive modules as in glycoprotein Ib

Glycoprotein V (GPV) is a membrane-associated, 82 Kd platelet glycoprotein that is hydrolyzed during thrombin activation to yield 69 Kd fragment. We have developed a rapid and simple method for isolation of the protein from platelet extracts using a combination of gel permeation, anion-exchange, and lectin affinity chromatography. The partial amino acid sequence was determined by analysis of peptides generated by digestion of the S-carboxyamido-methylated protein with Achromobacter protease I or cyanogen bromide. The sequence shows a remarkable periodicity of leucine residues, which is homologous to the consensus sequence of a highly diversified protein super-family with a common repetitive module. Thrombin cleavage site was determined to be located at the C-terminal region of GPV by analysis of the products separated by sizing and reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. By lectin blot analysis, the existence of mucin-type carbohydrate chains was indicated, as well as the existence of asparagine-linked carbohydrate chains shown by the amino acid sequence analysis. From these data, we report a structural model of GPV that is analogous to glycoprotein Ib.

Rapid Purification and Characterization of Human Platelet Glycoprotein V: The Amino Acid Sequence Contains Leucine-Rich Repetitive Modules as in Glycoprotein lb

Glycoprotein V (GPV) is a membrane-associated, 82 Kd platelet glycoprotein that is hydrolyzed during thrombin activation to yield 69 Kd fragment. We have developed a rapid and simple method for isolation of the protein from platelet extracts using a combination of gel permeation, anion-exchange, and lectin affinity chromatography. The partial amino acid sequence was determined by analysis of peptides generated by digestion of the S-carboxyamido-methylated protein with Achromobacter protease I or cyanogen bromide. The sequence shows a remarkable periodicity of leucine residues, which is homologous to the consensus sequence of a highly diversified protein super-family with a common repetitive module. Thrombin cleavage site was determined to be located at the C-terminal region of GPV by analysis of the products separated by sizing and reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. By lectin blot analysis, the existence of mucin-type carbohydrate chains was indicated, as well as the existence of asparagine-linked carbohydrate chains shown by the amino acid sequence analysis. From these data, we report a structural model of GPV that is analogous to glycoprotein Ib.

Characterization of a Novel Prolactin-Related Protein from Bovine Fetal Placenta*

The bovine fetal placenta transcribes a family of PRL-related genes that are distinct from the bovine placental lactogen gene. To demonstrate that one of these cDNAs, bovine PRL-related cDNA-I (bPRCI), is expressed at the protein level, a recombinant form of the bPRCI product was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. An antiserum raised against this recombinant product did not cross-react with the pituitary members of the PRL-GH family or with bovine placental lactogen, although cross-reactivity within the bPRC subfamily cannot be ruled out. The antiserum detected a doublet with apparent mol wt of 34,000 and 35,000 in bovine fetal placenta, but not in other fetal tissues. Treatment with several glycosidases revealed a glycoprotein with asparagine-linked carbohydrates of the biantennary complex or hybrid type. We conclude that the bovine fetal placenta expresses at least one of the novel members of this gene family at the protein level.

Glucocorticoids regulate surfactant protein synthesis in a pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell line.

Synthesis of pulmonary surfactant proteins SP-A, SP-B, and SP-C was demonstrated in a cell line derived from a human adenocarcinoma of the lung. The cells contained numerous lamellar inclusion bodies and formed organized groups of cells containing well-developed junctional complexes and apical microvillous membranes. Synthesis of SP-A was detected in the cells by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay and by immunoprecipitation of [35S]methionine-labeled protein. SP-A was identified as an Mr 31,000-36,000 polypeptide containing asparagine-linked carbohydrate. Northern blot analysis detected SP-A mRNA of 2.2 kb. Dexamethasone (1-10 nM) enhanced the relative abundance of SP-A mRNA. Despite stimulation of SP-A mRNA, intracellular SP-A content was unaltered or inhibited by dexamethasone. SP-B and SP-C mRNAs and synthesis of the SP-B and SP-C precursors were markedly induced by dexamethasone. ProSP-B was synthesized and secreted primarily as an Mr 42,000-46,000 polypeptide. Proteolysis of the proSP-B resulted in the generation of endoglycosidase F-sensitive Mr = 19,000-21,000 and 25,000-27,000 peptides, which were detected both intra- and extracellularly. SP-C proprotein of Mr = 22,000 and smaller SP-C fragments were detected intracellularly but were not detected in the media. Mature forms of SP-B (Mr = 8,000) and SP-C (Mr = 4,000) were not detected. Glucocorticoids directly enhance the relative synthesis and mRNA of the surfactant proteins SP-A, SP-B, and SP-C. Discrepancies among SP-A mRNA, its de novo synthesis, and cell content suggest that glucocorticoid may alter both pre- and posttranslational factors modulating SP-A expression.

Proteins of the kidney microvillar membrane. Structural and immunochemical properties of rat endopeptidase-2 and its immunohistochemical localization in tissues of rat and mouse.

The phosphoramidon-insensitive endopeptidase-2 in rat renal brush borders was investigated by immunochemical approaches with a rabbit polyclonal antibody raised to the purified enzyme released from the membrane by papain. An immunoaffinity column successfully purified the detergent-solubilized form of endopeptidase-2. This preparation had an apparent subunit Mr of 80,000, and did not show the two subunits, of Mr 80,000 and 74,000, consistently found in the papain-solubilized forms, indicating that the latter resulted from proteolysis by papain. SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of non-reduced samples of the enzyme revealed a band of Mr 220,000, confirming the presence of disulphide-bridged subunits. Treatment with endoglycosidases H and F generated smaller molecular forms, indicating that endopeptidase-2 contained about 30% asparagine-linked carbohydrate and that a few of these oligosaccharide chains were of the high-mannose type. Treatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase indicated that the enzyme did not possess a glycolipid membrane anchor. A survey of rat tissues examined immunohistochemically and by immunoblotting revealed that only the kidney and intestinal tract expressed the antigen in significant amounts. Although some weak staining was seen in salivary glands and thyroid, other organs and tissues including brain and spinal cord were negative by both immunochemical techniques. In the kidney the antigen was confined to the lumen of the proximal tubule and was seen mainly in the population of juxtamedullary nephrons. In the gut, luminal staining was observed throughout its whole length, from duodenum to rectum. Excellent cross-reactivity of the antibody with Balb/c mouse tissues was observed. Immunohistochemistry of mouse kidney and gut revealed a distribution identical with that observed in the rat. Immunopurification of the detergent-solubilized mouse kidney antigen showed it to be a protein containing disulphide-linked subunits of Mr 90,000. It possessed endopeptidase-2-like activity, but was more efficient in hydrolysing azo-casein and less efficient in hydrolysing a model substrate than the rat enzyme. The close similarity between rat endopeptidase-2 and mouse meprin is further supported by these results.

High molecular weight forms of placental lactogen: evidence for lactogen-macroglobulin complexes in rodents and humans.

Gel filtration chromatography of maternal plasma from late pregnant hamsters demonstrated that approximately 90% of hamster placental lactogen-II (PL-II) is present as high mol wt (Mr) forms. A major peak of immunoactive hamster PL-II with a Mr of 600,000 and a smaller peak (Mr, 210,000) were observed. The major high Mr form of hamster PL-II in plasma had a Mr of 360,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). High Mr forms also predominate in placental extracts, but differ from the plasma forms. 125I-Labeled monomeric hamster PL-II (Mr, 22,000) formed a disulfide-bonded complex (Mr, 720,000 by gel filtration and 360,000 by SDS-PAGE) when incubated in vitro with serum of male, nonpregnant female, or pregnant hamsters. The in vitro complex was also formed with unlabeled hamster PL-II. Similar high Mr complexes were formed, but to a lesser extent, when 125I-labeled mouse PL-II and human PL were incubated with the homologous late pregnant serum. High Mr complexes (Mr, 360,000 by SDS-PAGE) were also formed when the three 125I-labeled PLs were incubated with purified human alpha 2-macroglobulin. The most prominent circulating high Mr form of hamster PL-II had a Mr similar to that of alpha 2-macroglobulin by both gel filtration and SDS-PAGE. In addition, it had a mobility similar to that of alpha 2-macroglobulin on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels, and it was about 10% asparagine-linked carbohydrate by weight, as is alpha 2-macroglobulin. These similarities and the ability of hamster PL-II to form a disulfide-bonded complex with alpha 2-macroglobulin in vitro suggest that the major circulating form of PL-II in the hamster may be a disulfide-bonded complex of one or more PL monomers with alpha 2-macroglobulin or a related plasma protein. Similar complexed forms of PL may be present in mice and humans.

Formation of highly ordered cross-linked lattices between asparagine-linked oligosaccharides and lectins observed by electron microscopy

The interaction of asparagine-linked carbohydrates (N-linked) with carbohydrate binding proteins called lectins has been demonstrated to be involved in a variety of cellular recognition processes. Certain N-linked carbohydrates have been shown to be multivalent and capable of binding, cross-linking, and precipitating lectins (Bhattacharyya, L., Ceccarini, C., Lorenzoni, P., and Brewer, C. F. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 1288-1293; Bhattacharyya, L., Haraldsson, M., and Brewer, C. F. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 1294-1299; Bhattacharyya, L., Haraldsson, M., and Brewer, C. F. (1988) Biochemistry 27, 1034-1041). Recent data have further suggested that certain oligomannose and bisected hybrid-type N-linked glycopeptides form homogeneous cross-linked lattices with concanavalin A (Bhattacharyya, L., Khan, M. I., and Brewer, C. F. (1988) Biochemistry 27, 8762-8767). In the present study, evidence has been obtained from electron microscopy for the formation of highly ordered and distinct lattices for two bivalent complex type oligosaccharides cross-linked with soybean lectin (Glycine max) and isolectin A from Lotus tetragonolobus, respectively. The results indicate a new source of specificity for interactions of N-linked carbohydrates with lectins, namely their ability to form highly ordered homogeneous aggregates.

In vitro translation, post-translational processing and secretion of pulmonary surfactant protein B precursors

Surfactant proteolipid SP-B is a hydrophobic protein of M r = 8000 identified in organic solvent extracts of pulmonary surfactant. Analysis of the human SP-B RNA predicts that the active surfactant peptide is derived by proteolysis of an M r = 40 000 precursor. In the present work, characteristics of synthesis, secretion and processing of SP-B were demonstrated in a pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell line by immunoprecipitation of radiolabelled precursors. Treatment of cells with tunicamycin resulted in synthesis and secretion of unglycosylated proSP-B of M r = 39 000. Immunoprecipitation of protein produced by in vitro translation of human lung poly(A) + RNA detected an M r = 40 000 protein; the size discrepancy is likely related to cleavage of a leader signal sequence. Endoglycosidase-H-sensitive precursors of M r = 41 000–43 000, p I = 5.1–5.4 were the first isoforms detected within the cells, and were processed to endoglycosidase-H-resistant isoforms and secreted. Neuraminidase and endoglycosidase-F-sensitive forms of proSP-B were first detected in the media at 60 min as M r = 42–46 000 isoforms with p I = 4.6–5.1. Proteolytically processed isoforms of proSP-B were detected primarily in the media and were generated by cleavage of an amino-terminal M r = 16 000 peptide resulting in M r = 27 000–33 000 isoforms (pH = 5.6–6.8). The M r = 27 000–33 000 isoforms were sensitive to neuraminidase, resulting in isoforms with pH = 6.0–6.8. Digestion of the M r = 27 000–33 000 peptide with endoglycosidase-F resulted in isoforms of M r = 23 000, pH = 6.0–6.8. The endoglycosidase-F-resistant peptide of M r = 16 000, p I = 4.2–4.4 was identified with an antiserum generated against synthetic peptides derived from the amino-terminal domain, as deduced from the SP-B DNA sequence. Further proteolytic processing of the M r = 27 000–33 000 isoforms to the M r = 8000 peptide detected in surfactant was not observed in this cell line. Thus, in the H441-4 cells (a cell line with morphologic features of Clara cells), SP-B is synthesized as a preprotein which undergoes cleavage of a signal sequence and addition of asparagine-linked carbohydrate; proSP-B is secreted by processes which are independent of glycosylation. SP-B peptides of M r = 27 000–33 000 and M r = 16 000, representing carboxy and amino-terminal domains, accumulate in the media.

Binding and precipitating activities ofErythrina lectins with complex type carbohydrates and synthetic cluster glycosides. A comparative study of the lectins fromE. corallodendron, E. cristagalli, E. flabelliformis, andE. indica

Erythrina lectins possess similar structural and carbohydrate binding properties. Recently, tri- and tetra-antennary complex type carbohydrates with non-reducing terminal galactose residues have been shown to be precipitated as tri- and tetravalent ligands, respectively, with certain Erythrina lectins [Bhattacharyya L, Haraldsson M, Brewer CF (1988) Biochemistry 27:1034-41]. The present work describes a comparative study of the binding and precipitating activities of four Erythrina lectins, viz., E. corallodendron, E. cristagalli, E. flabelliformis, and E. indica, with multi-antennary complex type carbohydrates and synthetic cluster glycosides. The results show that though their binding affinities are very similar, the Erythrina lectins show large differences in their precipitating activities with the carbohydrates. The results also indicate significant dependence of the precipitating activities of the lectins on the core structure of the carbohydrates. These findings provide a new dimension to the structure-activity relationship of the lectins and their interactions with asparagine-linked carbohydrates.

MG-160: A novel sialoglycoprotein of the medial cisternae of the golgi apparatus

Abstract A monoclonal antibody (mAb 10A8), derived from mice immunized with fractions of the Golgi apparatus from rat brain neurons, was exploited to isolate and partially characterize a novel glycoprotein of 160 kDa apparent molecular mass which was localized by immunoelectron microscopy in medial cisternae of the Golgi apparatus of neurons, glia, pituitary cells, and rat pheochromocytoma (PC 12). The yield of immunoaffinity purified protein was 0.9 microgram/g of rat brain and represented 3% of the Golgi protein; the protein contained asparagine-linked carbohydrates and sialic acid and N-acetylglucosamine residues; unreduced protein had a greater electrophoretic mobility (130 kDa) consistent with the presence of intrachain disulfide bonds. The bulk of the glycoprotein resided within the membrane and/or luminal face of the Golgi cisternae. After extraction with Triton X-114, the glycoprotein was found in both aqueous and detergent phases. The monoclonal antibody did not inhibit the activities of Golgi enzymes or the uptake of nucleotide sugars by intact Golgi vesicles. The findings indicate that the 160-kDa glycoprotein is a specific constituent of medial Golgi cisternae. The results of this study lend support to the hypothesis that the distributions of glycosyltransferases in the Golgi apparatus are cell specific, since in neurons this sialic acid containing glycoprotein is found in medial rather than in trans and/or in the trans Golgi reticulum cisternae, where sialyltransferases have been localized in other cells. Alternatively, resident neuronal Golgi sialoglycoproteins may acquire sialic acid in trans elements of the apparatus and then shuttle back in medial cisternae.