O-fucosylation of thrombospondin type 1 repeats restricts epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and maintains epiblast pluripotency during mouse gastrulation.

Thrombospondin type 1 repeat (TSR) superfamily members regulate diverse biological activities ranging from cell motility to inhibition of angiogenesis. In this study, we verified that mouse protein O-fucosyltransferase-2 (POFUT2) specifically adds O-fucose to TSRs. Using two Pofut2 gene-trap lines, we demonstrated that O-fucosylation of TSRs was essential for restricting epithelial to mesenchymal transition in the primitive streak, correct patterning of mesoderm, and localization of the definitive endoderm. Although Pofut2 mutant embryos established anterior/posterior polarity, they underwent extensive mesoderm differentiation at the expense of maintaining epiblast pluripotency. Moreover, mesoderm differentiation was biased towards the vascular endothelial cell lineage. Localization of Foxa2 and Cer1 expressing cells within the interior of Pofut2 mutant embryos suggested that POFUT2 activity was also required for the displacement of the primitive endoderm by definitive endoderm. Notably, Nodal, BMP4, Fgf8, and Wnt3 expression were markedly elevated and expanded in Pofut2 mutants, providing evidence that O-fucose modification of TSRs was essential for modulation of growth factor signaling during gastrulation. The ability of Pofut2 mutant embryos to form teratomas comprised of tissues from all three germ layer origins suggested that defects in Pofut2 mutant embryos resulted from abnormalities in the extracellular environment. This prediction is consistent with the observation that POFUT2 targets are constitutive components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) or associate with the ECM. For this reason, the Pofut2 mutants represent a valuable tool for studying the role of O-fucosylation in ECM synthesis and remodeling, and will be a valuable model to study how post-translational modification of ECM components regulates the formation of tissue boundaries, cell movements, and signaling.

Transient in utero disruption of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator causes phenotypic changes in alveolar type II cells in adult rats.

BACKGROUND: Mechanicosensory mechanisms regulate cell differentiation during lung organogenesis. We have previously demonstrated that cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) was integral to stretch-induced growth and development and that transient expression of antisense-CFTR (ASCFTR) had negative effects on lung structure and function. In this study, we examined adult alveolar type II (ATII) cell phenotype after transient knock down of CFTR by adenovirus-directed in utero expression of ASCFTR in the fetal lung. RESULTS: In comparison to (reporter gene-treated) Controls, ASCFTR-treated adult rat lungs showed elevated phosphatidylcholine (PC) levels in the large but not in the small aggregates of alveolar surfactant. The lung mRNA levels for SP-A and SP-B were lower in the ASCFTR rats. The basal PC secretion in ATII cells was similar in the two groups. However, compared to Control ATII cells, the cells in ASCFTR group showed higher PC secretion with ATP or phorbol myristate acetate. The cell PC pool was also larger in the ASCFTR group. Thus, the increased surfactant secretion in ATII cells could cause higher PC levels in large aggregates of surfactant. In freshly isolated ATII cells, the expression of surfactant proteins was unchanged, suggesting that the lungs of ASCFTR rats contained fewer ATII cells. Gene array analysis of RNA of freshly isolated ATII cells from these lungs showed altered expression of several genes including elevated expression of two calcium-related genes, Ca2+-ATPase and calcium-calmodulin kinase kinase1 (CaMkk1), which was confirmed by real-time PCR. Western blot analysis showed increased expression of calmodulin kinase I, which is activated following phosphorylation by CaMkk1. Although increased expression of calcium regulating genes would argue in favor of Ca2+-dependent mechanisms increasing surfactant secretion, we cannot exclude contribution of alternate mechanisms because of other phenotypic changes in ATII cells of the ASCFTR group. CONCLUSION: Developmental changes due to transient disruption of CFTR in fetal lung reflect in altered ATII cell phenotype in the adult life.

O-fucosylation of thrombospondin type 1 repeats in ADAMTS-like-1/punctin-1 regulates secretion: implications for the ADAMTS superfamily.

The ADAMTS superfamily contains several metalloproteases (ADAMTS proteases) as well as ADAMTS-like molecules that lack proteolytic activity. Their common feature is the presence of one or more thrombospondin type-1 repeats (TSRs) within a characteristic modular organization. ADAMTS like-1/punctin-1 has four TSRs. Previously, O-fucosylation on Ser or Thr mediated by the endoplasmic reticulum-localized enzyme protein-O-fucosyltransferase 2 (POFUT2) was described for TSRs of thrombospondin-1, properdin, and F-spondin within the sequence Cys-Xaa(1)-Xaa(2)-(Ser/Thr)-Cys-Xaa-Xaa-Gly (where the fucosylated residue is underlined). On mass spectrometric analysis of tryptic peptides from recombinant secreted human punctin-1, the appropriate peptides from TSR2, TSR3, and TSR4 were found to bear either a fucose monosaccharide (TSR3, TSR4) or a fucose-glucose disaccharide (TSR2, TSR3, TSR4). Although mass spectral analysis did not unambiguously identify the relevant peptide from TSR1, metabolic labeling of cells expressing TSR1 and the cysteine-rich module led to incorporation of [(3)H]fucose into this construct. Mutation of the putative modified Ser/Thr residues in TSR2, TSR3, and TSR4 led to significantly decreased levels of secreted punctin-1. Similarly, expression of punctin-1 in Lec-13 cells that are deficient in conversion of GDP-mannose to GDP-fucose substantially decreased the levels of secreted protein, which were restored upon culture in the presence of exogenous l-fucose. In addition, mutation of the single N-linked oligosaccharide in punctin-1 led to decreased levels of secreted punctin-1. Taken together, the data define a critical role for N-glycosylation and O-fucosylation in the biosynthesis of punctin-1. From a broad perspective, these data suggest that O-fucosylation may be a widespread post-translational modification in members of the ADAMTS superfamily with possible regulatory consequences.

O-fucosylation is required for ADAMTS13 secretion.

ADAMTS13 is a plasma metalloproteinase that cleaves von Willebrand factor to smaller, less thrombogenic forms. Deficiency of ADAMTS13 activity in plasma leads to thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. ADAMTS13 contains eight thrombospondin type 1 repeats (TSR), seven of which contain a consensus sequence for the direct addition of fucose to the hydroxyl group of serine or threonine. Mass spectral analysis of tryptic peptides derived from human ADAMTS13 indicate that at least six of the TSRs are modified with an O-fucose disaccharide. Analysis of [(3)H]fucose metabolically incorporated into ADAMTS13 demonstrated that the disaccharide has the structure glucose-beta1,3-fucose. Mutation of the modified serine to alanine in TSR2, TSR5, TSR7, and TSR8 reduced the secretion of ADAMTS13. Mutation of more than one site dramatically reduced secretion regardless of the sites mutated. When the expression of protein O-fucosyltransferase 2 (POFUT2), the enzyme that transfers fucose to serines in TSRs, was reduced using siRNA, the secretion of ADAMTS13 decreased. A similar outcome was observed when ADAMTS13 was expressed in a cell line unable to synthesize the donor for fucose addition, GDP-fucose. Although overexpression of POFUT2 did not affect the secretion of wild-type ADAMTS13, it did increase the secretion of the ADAMTS13 TSR1,2 double mutant but not that of ADAMTS13 TSR1-8 mutant. Together these findings indicate that O-fucosylation is functionally significant for secretion of ADAMTS13.

In vitro reconstitution of the modulation of Drosophila Notch-ligand binding by Fringe.

Notch signaling plays critical roles in animal development and physiology. The activation of Notch receptors by their ligands is modulated by Fringe-dependent glycosylation. Fringe catalyzes the addition of N-acetylglucosamine in a beta1,3 linkage onto O-fucose on epidermal growth factor-like domains. This modification of Notch by Fringe influences the binding of Notch ligands to Notch receptors. However, prior studies have relied on in vivo glycosylation, leaving unresolved the question of whether addition of N-acetylglucosamine is sufficient to modulate Notch-ligand interactions on its own, or whether instead it serves as a precursor to subsequent post-translational modifications. Here, we describe the results of in vitro assays using purified components of the Drosophila Notch signaling pathway. In vitro glycosylation and ligand binding studies establish that the addition of N-acetylglucosamine onto O-fucose in vitro is sufficient both to enhance Notch binding to the Delta ligand and to inhibit Notch binding to the Serrate ligand. Further elongation by galactose does not detectably influence Notch-ligand binding in vitro. Consistent with these observations, carbohydrate compositional analysis and mass spectrometry on Notch isolated from cells identified only N-acetylglucosamine added onto Notch in the presence of Fringe. These observations argue against models in which Fringe-dependent glycosylation modulates Notch signaling by acting as a precursor to subsequent modifications and instead establish the simple addition of N-acetylglucosamine as a basis for the effects of Fringe on Drosophila Notch-ligand binding.