NeuAc Alpha Research Articles

α2, 6 sialylation of N‐acetyllactosaminic sequences in human colorectal cancer cell lines. Relationship with non‐adherent growth

In a previous work we found that human colorectal cancer tissues express increased levels of an alpha 2,6 sialyltransferase (alpha 2,6 ST) acting on N-acetyllactosaminic sequences (E.C. 2.4.99.1). In this study we have taken advantage of the known specificity of elderberry bark lectin (Sambucus nigra agglutinin, SNA) for NeuAc alpha 2, 6Gal/GalNAc structures to investigate the relationship between expression of alpha 2,6 sialyltransferase activity and occurrence of alpha 2,6-sialylated oligosaccharide sequences in human colorectal cancer cell lines. Three cell lines with opposite adhesion properties were used in this study: SW 948 cells grow adherent to the culture flask surface and express very low levels of enzyme activity; COLO 205 cells grow in non-adherent form and express the highest levels of alpha 2,6 ST activity; A non-adherent subline of SW 948 cells (SW 948 FL) was isolated and found to express high levels of alpha 2,6 ST activity. By using SNA-Sepharose chromatography we found that expression of alpha 2,6 ST activity correlates with the extent of alpha 2,6-sialylation of N-linked chains of glycoproteins but not with the presence of alpha 2,6-sialylated glycolipids.

Substrate specificity of α2↔3‐sialyltransferases in ganglioside biosynthesis of rat liver golgi*

The acceptor specificities of four sialytransferases (I, II, IV and V) involved in ganglioside biosynthesis were studied in Golgi vesicles derived from rat liver. The activities of these sialytransferases were strongly detergent-dependent. Competition experiments with different detergent concentrations using LacCer (Gal beta 1----4Glc beta 1----1Cer), GM1a [Gal beta 1----3GalNAc beta 1----4(NeuAc alpha 2----3)Gal beta 1----4Glc beta 1----1Cer] and GD1b [Gal beta 1----3GalNAc beta 1----4(NeuAc alpha 2----8NeuAc alpha 2----3)Gal beta 1----4Glc beta 1----1Cer] as substrates, and as mutual inhibitors for ganglioside sialyltransferase activity, suggested that sialyltransferase IV was able to catalyze the sialyltransfer in alpha 2----3 linkage to the galactose residues of LacCer as well as of GM1a and GD1b. The other three sialyltransferases (I, II and V) seemed to be quite specific for their respective glycolipid acceptors, LacCer, GM3 and GM1b, GD1a and GT1b. Furthermore the kinetic data showed that sialyltransferase I was inactive at higher detergent concentrations (greater than 75 micrograms Triton CF-54); under these conditions, formation of GM3 and GD1a was catalyzed only by sialyltransferase IV. These results have been integrated into a model for ganglioside biosynthesis and its regulation.

Acidic Glycosphingolipids of Human Amnion1

Six major acidic glycosphingolipids were isolated from human amnion using DEAE Sephadex A-25 and silica beads column chromatography. The structures of these glycosphingolipids were determined by methylation analysis, TLC immunostaining and/or negative ion FAB-MS, and were concluded to be II3 alpha NeuAcLacCer(GM3), IV3 alpha NeuAcnLc4-Cer (sialyl[alpha 2-3]paragloboside), IV6 alpha NeuAcnLc4Cer (sialyl[alpha 2-6]paragloboside), IV3 alpha NeuAcIII4 alpha FucLc4Cer (sialyl Lea), VI3 alpha NeuAcnLc6Cer (i-ganglioside) and II3 alpha (NeuAc alpha 2----8NeuAc)LacCer (GD3). In addition, several minor glycosphingolipids were detected with specific monoclonal antibodies, including glycolipids with NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc-beta 1- or NeuAc alpha 2-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1- determinant. Our results show that the glycosphingolipids of human amnion are characterized by having mainly type II chain analogues and onco-fetal antigens.

Carbohydrate microheterogeneity of rat serotransferrin

A previously established procedure [Regoeczi, E., Chindemi, P.A., Rudolph, J. R., Spik, G. & Montreuil, J. (1987) Biochem. Cell Biol. 65, 948-954] was used to isolate from three DEAE-cellulose chromatographic fractions of diferric rat serotransferrin (rTf) subpopulations having discernible affinities for concanavalin A (ConA). These entities are designated rTf-1 (not retarded by ConA column), rTf-2 (retarded) and rTf-3 (bound). Each rTf type was found to be endowed with carbohydrate sufficient to account for a single diantennary glycan/protein molecule. Glycan structures were determined on the glycopeptides by employing GLC/MS and 400-MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy. All glycans possessed a common, trimannosyl-N,N'-diacetylchitobiose core with or without one L-fucose alpha-1,6-linked to the Asn-linked GlcNAc. However, there were differences in the antennae. Thus, in rTf-3, both antennae were of the disialylated diantennary N-acetyllactosamine type which is frequently encountered in other plasma glycoproteins. However, the alpha-1,3-Man-linked antenna in rTf-1 as well as rTf-2 had the sequence: Neu5Ac(alpha 2-3)Gal(beta 1-3)[Neu5Ac(alpha 2-6)]GlcNAc(beta 1-2)Man. In addition, the alpha-1,6-Man-linked antenna deviated in rTf-2 from the standard structure by having the sequence: Neu5Ac(alpha 2-3)Gal(beta 1-3)GlcNAc(beta 1-2)Man. The possible relevance of the above structures to the ConA binding of rTf is discussed. A further preparation, obtained from the most anionic DEAE-cellulose fraction (peak V) or rTf contained several tetrasialylated diantennary glycans whose precise structures remain to be established in future studies.

Characterization of the carbohydrate binding specificity of the leukoagglutinating lectin from Maackia amurensis. Comparison with other sialic acid-specific lectins.

The sialic acid-specific leukoagglutinating lectin from the seeds of Maackia amurensis (MAL) has been studied by the techniques of quantitative precipitin formation, hapten inhibition of precipitation, hapten inhibition using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and lectin affinity chromatography. The ability of the immobilized lectin to fractionate oligosaccharides based on their content of sialic acid has also been investigated. Our results indicate that MAL reacts with greatest affinity with the trisaccharide sequence Neu5Ac/Gc alpha 2,3Gal beta 1,4GlcNAc/Glc. The lectin requires three intact sugar units for binding and does not interact when the beta 1,4-linkage is replaced by a beta 1,3-linkage nor when the "reducing sugar" of the trisaccharide is reduced. Results from enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays show that an N-acetyllactosamine repeating sequence is not required; however, the N-acetyllactosamine repeating sequence does appear to enhance the binding of MAL to a series of glycolipids. In addition, the sialic acid may be substituted with either N-acetyl or N-glycolyl groups without reduction in binding. The C-8 and C-9 hydroxyl groups of sialic acid do not play a role in binding as shown by the strong reaction of periodate-treated glycoproteins. Comparison of the specificity of the three sialic acid-binding lectins indicates that Limax flavus agglutinin binds to Neu5Ac in any linkage and in any position in a glycoconjugate, Sambucus nigra lectin requires a disaccharide of the structure Neu5Ac alpha 2,6Gal/GalNAc, and MAL has a binding site complimentary to the trisaccharide Neu5Ac alpha 2,3Gal beta 1,4GlcNAc/Glc, to which sialic acid contributes less to the total binding affinity than for either S. nigra lectin or L. flavus agglutinin.

Antigenic Studies on an Enzymatically Sialylated Carbohydrate: NeuAc(α2-3)Gal(β1-3)[GlcNAc(131-6)]GalNAc

The CA 125 antigenic determinant has been shown to be elevated in the serum of ovarian cancer patients and is a useful prognostic marker. The chemical epitope which characterizes the CA 125 antigen is found on a high molecular weight glycoprotein and has been suggested to be carbohydrate in nature. This study was undertaken to establish the relationship of a carbohydrate to the epitope recognized by the monoclonal antibody, OC 125. Along this line a carbohydrate structure conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA), was enzymatically sialylated using a purified sialyltransferase to yield NeuAcGal[GlcNAc]GalNAc-OC6H4N = N-BSA. This sialylated product was used to immunize a goat and two rabbits for the development of polyclonal antisera. The resultant antisera were tested against related carbohydrates in EIA biased competitive inhibition assays. It was determined that the GlcNAc(beta 1-6)GalNAc residue was immunologically dominant for all antisera tested. As the immune response matured (greater than 40 days), there was an increase in the proportion of the antibodies that were directed to the NeuAc(alpha 2-3)Gal(beta 1-3)GalNAc residue compared to the nonsialylated form. Known CA 125 molecules did not inhibit the binding of raised antisera to the sialylated product, nor did the sialylated product react with OC 125 monoclonal antibodies. It was therefore concluded that the carbohydrate structure in question is not the epitope, or is not a large enough part of the epitope to be recognized in these assays by the OC 125 monoclonal antibodies.

Heterogeneity of glycoconjugates in the secretory cells of the chinchilla middle ear and eustachian tubal epithelia: a lectin-gold cytochemical study.

The present study was conducted to characterize and localize the glycoconjugates in the tubotympanum (auditory or eustachian tube and middle ear cavity) of chinchilla on an ultrastructural level, using lectin-gold complexes with six different lectins: BPA, ConA, RCA-1, WGA, LFA, and SNA. A comparison of the affinity of these lectins demonstrated the heterogeneity of secretory cells. The glandular serous cells and epithelial dark granulated cells produced "serum"-type glycoprotein. The glandular mucous cells and goblet cells produced dominantly "mucin"-type glycoprotein in the light granules, but "serum"-type glycoprotein in the dark cores. The labeling of LFA and SNA showed that sialic acids existed mainly in the mucinous granules of secretory cells and ciliated epithelium glycocalyx, and in the mucous blanket. The results also suggested that the dominant linkage of sialic acids of mucin is a Neu5Ac(alpha 2-6)Gal/GalNAc sequence. Furthermore, the data obtained from ConA and BPA suggested that initial O-glycosylation of mucin took place in the cis side of the Golgi apparatus and that initial N-glycosylation of the serum occurred in the rough endoplasmic reticulum.

チンチラ中耳・耳管の複合糖質 レクチンを用いた組織化学的研究

Glycoconjugates are essential for normal functioning of the mucociliary defence system of the tubotympanum. Recently, terminal glycosylation sequences of glycoconjugates have been recognized for their role in mediating biological recognition, such as serving as a receptor for bacterial adherence. In this study, neuraminidase and 6 different lectins: Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Limax flavus agglutinin (LFA), Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA), Peanut agglutinin (PNA), Ricinus communis agglutinin-I (RCA-I), and Concanavalin A (Con A), were used to characterize histochemically the carbohydrate structures of glycoconjugates of the chinchilla tubotympanum. WGA, LFA, SNA, and RCA-I strongly labeled epithelial goblet cells, glandular mucous cells, cell surfaces, and mucous blanket. PNA weakly labeled only a small number of epithelial goblet cells and glandular mucous cells, and did not label cell surfaces. After neuraminidase treatment, PNA labeled large number of these secretory cells and cell surfaces. Con A predominantly labeled glandular serous cells, epithelial dark granulated cells, and cell surfaces, and also labeled dark cores of mucinous granules. These results revealed that: sialomucin are produced from glandular mucous cells and epithelial goblet cells and are present on cell surfaces and within the mucous blanket; their terminal trisaccharide linkage appears to be the sequence Neu5Ac (alpha 2-6) Gal (beta 1-3) GalNAc and serum type glycoproteins are produced from glandular serous cells and dark cores of mucinous granules.

Biosynthesis in vitro of SA-Lex and SA-diLex by α1–3 fucosyltransferases from colon carcinoma cells and embryonic brain tissues

The sialyl-fucosyl-lactosamine-epitope present in sialyl (SA)-Lex (NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4 [Fuc alpha 1-3]GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4Glc-Cer), a carcinoembryonic antigen, has been recognized recently as a ligand for the binding of leukocyte-endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (LECAM-1) to myeloid and tumour cell surfaces. We have recently detected the presence of an alpha 1-3 fucosyltransferase (FucT-3) activity in both embryonic chicken brain (ECB) and human colon carcinoma cells (Colo-205) which catalyses the biosynthesis in vitro of SA-Lex and SA-diLex. Fucosyltransferase activities from both sources are stimulated in the presence of divalent cations (Mn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Co2+ and Fe2+), although absolute metal requirement is not observed. Substrate specificity studies with this partially purified (ECB, 3000-fold; Colo-205, 100-fold) novel FucT-3 indicate the preference for terminally sialyl-substituted glycolipid acceptors, as observed by the lower Km values when sialyl-neolactotetraosyl ceramide, LM1, (Neu-Gc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4 Glc-Cer; Km = 0.048 mM) and sialyl-norhexaosylceramide, NeuGc-nLc6, (Neu-Gc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4 GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4Glc-Cer; Km = 0.032 mM) were used as substrates. Fucosyltransferase from Colo-205 requires the presence of the acyl group of the ceramide moiety and an acetyl group on glucosamine in the acceptor glycolipid since lyso-LM1 was found to be completely inactive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antigenic Studies on an Enzymatically Sialylated Carbohydrate: NeuAc(α2-3)Gal(β1-3)GalNAc

Sialic acid residues are often the end moiety of the carbohydrate chain of biologically important glycoconjugates. It is difficult to study sialylated glycoconjugates because the purification of these compounds is often laborious yielding only very small amounts of oligosaccharides for study. Chemical synthesis of sialylated compounds is complicated by the labile nature of the sialic acid bond. In both of these cases the sialylated compounds would need to be conjugated to a polypeptide to be an effective immunogen, and again, such conjugation is fraught with problems due to the instability of the sialic acid linkage. We have developed a combined enzymatic and synthetic route for obtaining quantities of sialylated carbohydrates conjugated to a protein carrier in amounts sufficient for antigenic studies. The notable novelty of this protocol is the addition of sialic acid after the carbohydrate-protein conjugation step. Antiserum to the compounds was developed and after absorption, antibodies that demonstrate a requirement for sialic acid for their binding were produced and studied. CA 125 has been shown to be a prognostically significant marker for ovarian adenocarcinoma. The nature of the epitope involved has been analyzed with conflicting results. To attempt to resolve this conflict, we initiated studies on sialylated antigens with NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-3GalNAc. This trisaccharide occupies the terminal region in a series of complex carbohydrates which have been suggested to be involved as the epitope. Hanisch et al. reported that the neuraminic acid was important for the reaction.

NMR investigations of the N‐linked oligosaccharides at individual glycosylation sites of human lutropin

Human lutropin or luteinizing hormone (hLH) is a heterodimeric glycoprotein, composed of two subunits. hLH alpha (N-glycosylated at Asn52 and Asn78) and hLH beta (N-glycosylated at Asn30). The sugar chains were liberated by hydrazinolysis from intact hLH beta and from glycopeptides obtained after tryptic digestion of hLH alpha, subsequently reduced and fractionated as alditols by anion-exchange and ion-suppression amine-adsorption HPLC and identified mainly by one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The results indicate predominantly diantennary. N-acetyllactosamine-type structures at all three glycosylation sites. The oligosaccharides attached to Asn52 (hLH alpha) and Asn30 (hLH beta) show a remarkably similar pattern, with mainly chain-terminating 4-sulphated 2-deoxy-2-N-acetylamino-D-galactose (GalNAc) and a sulphated/sialylated structure as the major single component. However, virtually all N-glycans on the beta subunit bear a fucose residue alpha 1-6-linked to the proximal GlcNAc, whereas those at Asn52 (and Asn78) of the alpha subunit are predominantly non-fucosylated. The oligosaccharides at Asn78 (hLH alpha) are sialylated rather than sulphated and contain the unique sequence NeuAc alpha 2-6 GalNAc beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-2 Man alpha 1-3 as part of the majority of mono- and disialylated compounds. The major single constituent at Asn78 has the following structure: [formula, see text]

ELAM-1 Mediates Cell Adhesion by Recognition of a Carbohydrate Ligand, Sialyl-Le x

Recruitment of neutrophils to sites of inflammation is mediated in part by endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (ELAM-1), which is expressed on activated endothelial cells of the blood vessel walls. ELAM-1 is a member of the LEC-CAM or selectin family of adhesion molecules that contain a lectin motif thought to recognize carbohydrate ligands. In this report, cell adhesion by ELAM-1 is shown to be mediated by a carbohydrate ligand, sialyl-Lewis X (SLex; NeuAc alpha 2,3Gal beta 1,4(Fuc alpha 1,3)-GlcNAc-), a terminal structure found on cell-surface glycoprotein and glycolipid carbohydrate groups of neutrophils.

Recognition by Elam-1 of the Sialyl-Le x Determinant on Myeloid and Tumor Cells

Endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (ELAM-1) is an endothelial cell adhesion molecule that allows myeloid cells to attach to the walls of blood vessels adjacent to sites of inflammation. ELAM-1 recognizes the sialyl-Lewis X (sialyl-Lex) determinant, NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4(Fuc alpha 1-3)GlcNAc-, a granulocyte carbohydrate also found on the surface of some tumor cell lines. Binding of myeloid cells to soluble ELAM-1 is inhibited by a monoclonal antibody recognizing sialyl-Lex or by proteins bearing sialyl-Lex, some of which may participate in humoral regulation of myeloid cell adhesion. Stimulated granulocytes also release an inhibitor of ELAM-1 binding that can be selectively adsorbed by monoclonal antibody to sialyl-Lex.

The carbohydrate structures of a mouse monoclonal IgG antibody OKT3

A mouse monoclonal antibody OKT3, of IgG2a isotype, was isolated from hybridoma culture fluid. Sugar analysis showed the presence of sialic acid, galactose, mannose, fucose, and N-acetylglucosamine, i.e. sugars typical for N-glycosidically linked carbohydrate chains. The absence of N-acetylgalactosamine revealed that O-glycosidically linked carbohydrates were not present. The purified antibody was reduced, alkylated, and separated into heavy and light chains, and all carbohydrates were shown to be associated with the heavy chains. The N-linked carbohydrate chains were isolated as alditols using strong alkaline-borohydride degradation and further fractionated on a concanavalin A-Sepharose column and high performance ion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection. Structural analysis was carried out on the isolated oligosaccharide alditols by chemical analyses, fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, and 500-MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy. Triantennary and biantenary types of structures were found. The triantennary structures were present as trisialo and tetrasialo forms without fucose; the tetrasialo forms were shown to contain a sequence of Neu5Ac alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-3[Neu5Ac alpha 2-6]GlcNAc beta 1- on one of the branches. The biantennary structures were present as completely sialylated nonfucosylated species and as asialo-, agalacto-, and partially fucosylated structures.

Aggregation of oral bacteria by human salivary mucins in comparison to salivary and gastric mucins of animal origin

Seventeen strains of oral bacteria of the genera Actinomyces (5), Bacteroides (3), and Streptococcus (9) were tested for aggregation by the human whole salivary mucin fraction (HWSM) in comparison to three types of animal mucin preparations from submandibular glands of cow (BSM) and sheep (OSM), and from the stomach of pig (PGM). Considerable variation was seen with respect to the rate and titer of aggregation induced by these mucins. The aggregating activity of HWSM varied widely among the different bacterial strains. The Bacteroides group showed hardly any induced aggregation, whereas the final aggregation titers varied for S. sanguis (3 strains) between 12 and 48, for S. oralis (3 strains) between 6 and 48, for the S. mutans group (3 strains) between 6 and 96, and for the five Actinomyces strains even between 6 and 192. For a particular strain, similar differences in titer were seen between the four mucins. For a human salivary mucin (MG-2) it has been described that sialic acid in the sequence NeuAc (alpha 2,3)Gal(beta 1,3)GalNac- was specifically involved in the interaction with S. sanguis strains, in contrast to S. rattus BHT. Our results, however, indicate that this sugar sequence is not a prerequisite for the aggregation of S. sanguis, as animal mucins, devoid of this structure, were equally well or even better capable of inducing aggregation. On the other hand, desialization of BSM and OSM largely abolished their aggregating capability towards S. rattus BHT. Moreover, it was found that BSM and OSM, which are comparable with respect to their major oligosaccharide structure, show considerable differences in aggregating activity towards the same bacterial strain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Sialyl-alpha 2-6-mannosyl-beta 1-4-N-acetylglucosamine, a novel compound occurring in urine of patients with beta-mannosidosis.

Human beta-mannosidosis urine was fractionated by gel permeation chromatography on Bio-Gel P-2 and by high performance liquid chromatography on Partisil 10 SAX. Besides the disaccharide Man beta 1-4GlcNAc as the major component, a sialic acid-containing compound was detected in an amount of 10% compared to that of Man beta 1-4GlcNAc. Structural characterization of the oligosaccharide and of its reduced analogue by sugar composition analysis, methylation analysis, gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and 500-MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy gave conclusive evidence for a novel urinary constituent: NeuAc alpha 2-6Man beta 1-4GlcNAc. This linear trisaccharide can be considered as the result of an alpha 2-6-sialylation of the major accumulating compound, Man beta 1-4GlcNAc. The hitherto unknown linkage between sialic acid and mannose was shown to be susceptible to sialidase digestion.

Structure determination of five sialylated trisaccharides with core types 1, 3 or 5 isolated from bovine submaxillary mucin

In this study we have investigated the structures of five sialylated trisaccharides released from bovine submaxillary mucin by alkaline borohydride treatment and isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Three of the trisaccharides contained NeuAc while two contained NeuGc. One oligosaccharide contained core-type 1, two contained core-type 3 and two contained core-type 5. The structures, determined by a combination of one- and two-dimensional 1H-NMR spectroscopy at 270 MHz and methylation analysis involving gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, were as follows: A4b, GalNAc alpha(1----3) [NeuAc alpha(2----6)]GalNAcol; A4c, GlcNAc beta(1----3)[NeuAc alpha(2----6)]GalNAcol; A4d, Gal beta(1----3)[NeuAc alpha(2----6)]GalNAcol; A4e, GalNAc alpha(1----3)-[NeuGc alpha(2----6)]GalNAcol; A4f, GlcNAc beta(1----3)[NeuGc alpha (2----6)]GalNAcol. The oligosaccharides occurred in the approximate molar ratios 1.0:12.0:0.3:0.2:2.0. This is the first report of oligosaccharides containing core-type 5 and of the occurrence of oligosaccharides A4b, A4e, and A4f in bovine submaxillary mucin. 1H-NMR data for structure A4e, which is a novel structure, are presented for the first time.

Erythrocyte gangliosides act as receptors for Neisseria subflava: identification of the Sia-1 adhesin

Neisseria gonorrhoeae was recently shown to bind to a subset of lactose-containing glycolipids (N. Strömberg, C. Deal, G. Nyberg, S. Normark, M. So, and K.-A. Karlsson, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4902-4906, 1988). A number of commensal Neisseria strains were also shown to be lactose binders. In addition, Neisseria subflava bound to immobilized gangliosides, such as hematoside and sialosyl paragloboside, carrying the NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4Glc sequence. To a lesser extent, N. gonorrhoeae also bound to this receptor in vitro. In N. subflava GN01, this binding property mediated agglutination of human erythrocytes in a neuraminidase-sensitive fashion. Nitrosoguanidine-induced nonhemagglutinative mutants of N. subflava GN01 had lost the ability to bind hematoside and sialosylparagloboside but remained able to bind lactosylceramide and gangliotetraosylceramide. These mutants fell into three classes with respect to their outer membrane protein profiles in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Class 1 mutants were identical to the parent strain save for the loss of a 27-kilodalton (kDa) protein. Class 2 mutants showed an outer membrane protein profile identical to that of the wild type, whereas mutants belonging to class 3 showed a number of changes, including the apparent absence of the 27-kDa protein. The 27-kDa protein from N. subflava GN01 was purified from the supernatant. A polyclonal antiserum to the purified Sia-1 protein as well as a Sia-1-specific monoclonal antibody inhibited hemagglutination by strain GN01. The purified Sia-1 protein in the presence of diluted anti-Sia-1 antiserum mediated a neuraminidase-sensitive hemagglutination. The purified Sia protein from a class 2 mutant was not able to hemagglutinate when cross-linked with antibodies, suggesting that it is a mutant form of Sia-1 affected in the receptor-binding site. Immunoelectron microscopy with a Sia-1-specific monoclonal antibody revealed that the adhesin was nonfimbrial in nature, with aggregates of the adhesin extended out from the cells in a patchy fashion.

Characterization of the binding of propionibacterium granulosum to glycosphingolipids adsorbed on surfaces. An apparent recognition of lactose which is dependent on the ceramide structure.

The binding properties of a strain of Propionibacterium granulosum derived from human skin was investigated with reference to glycosphingolipids separated on thin layer chromatograms or coated in microtiter wells using externally (125I) and metabolically [( 35S]methionine) labeled bacteria. Binding was found to lactosylceramide (LacCer; Gal beta 1-4Glc beta 1-Cer) but not to glycolipids lacking the lactose sequence (i.e. Glc beta 1-Cer, Gal beta 1-Cer or Gal alpha 1-4Gal beta 1-Cer). In microtiter wells, binding occurred at 50 ng and became half-maximal at the theoretical value for a monomolecular layer of LacCer (i.e. 100-200 ng/well). The bacteria also bound to glycolipids with various substitutions (e.g. GalNAc beta 1-4, Gal beta 1-3GalNAc beta 1-4, Fuc alpha 1-2Gal beta 1-3GalNAc beta 1-4, Gal alpha 1-3, GlcNAc beta 1-3, Gal beta 1-3GlcNAc beta 1-3, Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3, and Gal beta 1-3(Fuc alpha 1-4)GlcNAc beta 1-3) at the Gal of LacCer, although only those species with GalNAc beta 1-4 or Gal beta 1-3GalNAc beta 1-4 were as active as LacCer itself. Glycolipids with other additions (e.g. Gal alpha 1-4 and NeuAc alpha 2-3) were negative. For unsubstituted LacCer, the binding required either a trihydroxy base or 2-hydroxy fatty acid, specifying the epithelial type of ceramide; LacCer composed of a dihydroxy base and nonhydroxy fatty acid was negative. This is interpreted as indicating that the proper presentation of the binding epitope depends on the ceramide structure. The relevance of this to biological membranes has not yet been established. Neither free lactose (up to 20 mg/ml) nor lactose-bovine serum albumin (5 mg/ml) prevented the binding of bacteria to LacCer, two facts that support the solid-phase binding data demonstrating a low affinity binding and the crucial importance of a particular lactose epitope.

Structure of the oligosaccharide of hen phosvitin as determined by two-dimensional proton NMR of the intact glycoprotein

The major form of the oligosaccharide of hen phosvitin was studied with two-dimensional 1H NMR of the intact glycoprotein. Its structure was determined from an analysis of the chemical shifts of the structural reporter groups, and it was further confirmed by comparison to several related model oligosaccharides. The oligosaccharide is N-linked and is present in a 1:1 stoichiometry to the protein. It has a complex type 1 triantennary structure with two NeuAc alpha 2,6Gal beta 1,4GlcNAc beta 1,2 arms linked to the Man-4 and Man-4' and a third Gal beta 1, 4GlcNAc beta 1,4 arm attached to the Man-4. The oligosaccharide contains the common core sequence which is present in all N-linked glycoproteins [Man alpha 1,3(Man alpha 1,6)-Man beta 1,4GlcNAc beta 1,4GlcNAc beta 1,N]. In the course of this study, we have found that unique spin systems for the GlcNAc and NeuAc are obtained for spectra recorded in 90% H2O. Their NH peaks were assigned at low pH, and these assignments proved useful for confirming the identity of cross-peaks in the anomeric region. In addition, the protons of GlcNAc-1 could be correlated to the NH of the asparagine link. The cross-peak patterns determined in phase-sensitive 2D experiments for the H1,H2 protons have a different appearance for each type of monosaccharide, and this information was also used for making first-order assignments. A comparison with model compounds suggests that the solution conformation of the oligosaccharide is not affected by its attachment to the protein.