Cloning and Partial Characterization of an Endo-α-(1→6)-d-Mannanase Gene from Bacillus circulans.

Mycobacteria produce two major lipoglycans, lipomannan (LM) and lipoarabinomannan (LAM), whose broad array of biological activities are tightly related to the fine details of their structure. However, the heterogeneity of these molecules in terms of internal and terminal covalent modifications and complex internal branching patterns represent significant obstacles to their structural characterization. Previously, an endo-α-(1→6)-D-mannanase from Bacillus circulans proved useful in cleaving the mannan backbone of LM and LAM, allowing the reducing end of these molecules to be identified as Manp-(1→6) [Manp-(1→2)]-Ino. Although first reported 45 years ago, no easily accessible form of this enzyme was available to the research community, a fact that may in part be explained by a lack of knowledge of its complete gene sequence. Here, we report on the successful cloning of the complete endo-α-(1→6)-D-mannanase gene from Bacillus circulans TN-31, herein referred to as emn. We further report on the successful production and purification of the glycosyl hydrolase domain of this enzyme and its use to gain further insight into its substrate specificity using synthetic mannoside acceptors as well as LM and phosphatidyl-myo-inositol mannoside precursors purified from mycobacteria.

Knockout of an endogenous mannosyltransferase increases the homogeneity of glycoproteins produced in Pichia pastoris.

The yeast Pichia pastoris is a common host for the recombinant production of biopharmaceuticals, capable of performing posttranslational modifications like glycosylation of secreted proteins. However, the activity of the OCH1 encoded α-1,6-mannosyltransferase triggers hypermannosylation of secreted proteins at great heterogeneity, considerably hampering downstream processing and reproducibility. Horseradish peroxidases are versatile enzymes with applications in diagnostics, bioremediation and cancer treatment. Despite the importance of these enzymes, they are still isolated from plant at low yields with different biochemical properties. Here we show the production of homogeneous glycoprotein species of recombinant horseradish peroxidase by using a P. pastoris platform strain in which OCH1 was deleted. This och1 knockout strain showed a growth impaired phenotype and considerable rearrangements of cell wall components, but nevertheless secreted more homogeneously glycosylated protein carrying mainly Man8 instead of Man10 N-glycans as a dominant core glycan structure at a volumetric productivity of 70% of the wildtype strain.

Partial purification of mannosylphosphorylundecaprenol synthase from Micrococcus luteus: a useful enzyme for the biosynthesis of a variety of mannosylphosphorylpolyisoprenol products.

Membrane fractions from Micrococcus luteus catalyze the transfer of mannose from GDP-mannose to mono- and dimannosyldiacylglycerol, mannosylphosphorylundecaprenol (Man-P-Undec), and a membrane-associated lipomannan. This chapter describes the detergent solubilization, partial purification, and properties of Man-P-Undec synthase. The mobility of the mannosyltransferase activity on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicates that the enzyme is a polypeptide with a molecular weight of approx 30.7 kDa. Utilizing the broad specificity of the bacterial mannosyltransferase provides a useful approach for the enzymatic synthesis of a wide variety of Man-P-polyisoprenol products.

MNN5 encodes an iron-regulated alpha-1,2-mannosyltransferase important for protein glycosylation, cell wall integrity, morphogenesis, and virulence in Candida albicans.

The cell walls of microbial pathogens mediate physical interactions with host cells and hence play a key role in infection. Mannosyltransferases have been shown to determine the cell wall properties and virulence of the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. We previously identified a C. albicans alpha-1,2-mannosyltransferase, Mnn5, for its novel ability to enhance iron usage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we have studied the enzymatic properties of purified Mnn5 and characterized its function in its natural host. Mnn5 catalyzes the transfer of mannose to both alpha-1,2- and alpha-1,6-mannobiose, and this activity requires Mn2+ as a cofactor and is regulated by the Fe2+ concentration. An mnn5Delta mutant showed a lowered ability to extend O-linked, and possibly also N-linked, mannans, hypersensitivity to cell wall-damaging agents, and a reduction of cell wall mannosylphosphate content, phenotypes typical of many fungal mannosyltransferase mutants. The mnn5Delta mutant also exhibited some unique defects, such as impaired hyphal growth on solid media and attenuated virulence in mice. An unanticipated phenotype was the mnn5Delta mutant's resistance to killing by the iron-chelating protein lactoferrin, rendering it the first protein found that mediates lactoferrin killing of C. albicans. In summary, MNN5 deletion impairs a wide range of cellular events, most likely due to its broad substrate specificity. Of particular interest was the observed role of iron in regulating the enzymatic activity, suggesting an underlying relationship between Mnn5 activity and cellular iron homeostasis.

Characterization of a gene which encodes a mannosyltransferase homolog of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis.

We screened an expression library of the yeast form of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis with a pool of human sera that was pre-adsorbed with mycelium, from patients with paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). A sequence (PbYmnt) was obtained and characterized. A genomic clone was obtained by PCR of P. brasiliensis total DNA. The sequence contained a single open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein of 357 amino acid residues, with a molecular mass of 39.78 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence exhibited identity to mannosyl- and glycosyltransferases from several sources. A DXD motif was present in the translated gene and this sequence is characteristic of the glycosyltransferases. Hydropathy analysis revealed a single transmembrane region near the amino terminus of the molecule that suggested a type II membrane protein. The PbYmnt was expressed preferentially in the yeast parasitic phase. The accession number of the nucleotide sequence of PbYmnt and its flanking regions is AF374353. A recombinant protein was generated in Escherichia coli. Our data suggest that PbYmnt encodes one member of a glycosyltransferase family of proteins and that our strategy was useful in the isolation of differentially expressed genes.

Characterization of a putative alpha-mannosyltransferase involved in phosphatidylinositol trimannoside biosynthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Phosphatidyl-myo-inositol mannosides (PIMs), lipomannan (LM) and lipoarabinomannan (LAM) are an important class of bacterial factors termed modulins that are found in tuberculosis and leprosy. Although their structures are well established, little is known with respect to the molecular aspects of the biosynthetic machinery involved in the synthesis of these glycolipids. On the basis of sequence similarity to other glycosyltransferases and our previous studies defining an alpha-mannosyltransferase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, named PimB [Schaeffer, Khoo, Besra, Chatterjee, Brennan, Belisle and Inamine (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 31625-31631], which catalysed the formation of triacyl (Ac(3))-PIM(2) (i.e. the dimannoside), we have identified a related gene from M. tuberculosis CDC1551, now designated pimC. The use of a cell-free assay containing GDP-[(14)C]mannose, amphomycin and membranes from Myobacterium smegmatis overexpressing PimC led to the synthesis of a new alkali-labile PIM product. Fast-atom-bombardment MS established the identity of the new enzymically synthesized product as Ac(3)PIM(3) (i.e. the trimannoside). The results indicate that pimC encodes an alpha-mannosyltransferase involved in Ac(3)PIM(3) biosynthesis. However, inactivation of pimC in Myobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) did not affect the production of higher PIMs, LM and LAM when compared with wild-type M. bovis BCG, suggesting the existence of redundant gene(s) or an alternate pathway that may compensate for this PimC deficiency. Further analyses, which compared the distribution of pimC in a panel of M. tuberculosis strains, revealed that pimC was present in only 22% of the clinical isolates examined.

Partial purification and characterization of dolichol phosphate mannose synthase from Entamoeba histolytica.

Dolichol phosphate mannose synthase, an essential enzyme in glycoprotein biosynthesis, was partially purified from E.histolytica by hydrophobic interaction and affinity chromatography with octyl Sepharose CL-4B and Affi-Gel 501, respectively. Reducing agents, particularly dithiothreitol, positively influenced enzyme activity and stability, indicating a role of sulfhydryl groups on the transferase function. Activity did not depend on phospholipids; however, it was significantly stimulated by phosphatidylethanolamine and to a lower extent by other common phospholipids. Mixtures consisting of activating phospholipids did not exert an additive effect. In vitro phosphorylation with a cAMP-dependent protein kinase resulted in enzyme activation. This alteration was not associated with a change in the K(m) for the substrate but rather with a 2.6-fold increase in V(max). Phosphorylation in the presence of [gamma-(32)P]ATP resulted in strong labeling of two polypeptides, one of which exhibited the molecular mass reported for the enzyme from other organisms. Whether phosphorylation functions in vivo as a mechanism of regulation of dolichol phosphate mannose synthesis in E.histolytica remains to be determined.

Solubilization and one-step purification of mannosylphosphodolichol synthase from Trichoderma reesei.

Mannosylphosphodolichol synthase (MPD-synthase) (EC 2.4.1.830) catalyzing formation of MPD from GDPMan and dolichylphosphate (PD) has been purified from T. reesei cellular membranes almost to homogeneity. Selective solubilization of the enzyme was followed by one step purification on Phenyl-Sepharose column. SDS/ PAGE of the purified enzyme fraction revealed the presence of a protein band of 31 kDa corresponding to the apparent molecular mass of the MPD-synthase purified from S. cerevisiae [Babczinski, P. et al. (1980) Eur. J. Biochem. 105, 509-515; Haselbeck A. (1989) Eur. J. Biochem. 181, 663-668]. During solubilization, the enzyme was stabilized by the presence of a lipophilic substrate dolichylphosphate and phospholipids as well as by protease inhibitors. The Phenyl-Sepharose purified enzyme had an absolute requirement for dolichylphosphate and was activated by cAMP dependent protein kinase.

Mannosylphosphoryldolichol-mediated O-mannosylation of yeast glycoproteins: stereospecificity and recognition of the alpha-isoprene unit by a purified mannosyltransferase.

Mannosylphosphoryldolichol (Man-P-Dol):protein O-mannosyltransferase (PMT1) was solubilized by extracting a crude microsomal fraction from Saccharomyces cerevisiae with 1.2% Chaps-0.5% desoxycholate and purified 120-fold by standard chromatographic procedures. These very stable, partially purified preparations of PMT1 catalyzed the transfer of mannosyl units from exogenous Man-P-Dol to serine/threonine residues in the synthetic peptide acceptor, Tyr-Asn-Pro-Thr-Ser-Val-NH2, forming O-mannosidic linkages of the alpha-configuration. The specificity of yeast PMT1 was defined with respect to the recognition of the saturated alpha-isoprene unit, the chain length of the dolichyl moiety, and the anomeric configuration of the mannosyl-phosphoryl linkage of the lipophilic mannosyl donor. When Man-P-Dol95 and mannosylphosphorylpolyprenol (Man-P-Poly95), which contains a fully unsaturated polyprenyl chain, were compared as substrates, the initial rate for peptide mannosylation was dramatically higher with Man-P-Dol95 relative to Man-P-Poly95. The chain length of the dolichyl moiety also influenced the mannolipid-enzyme interaction as the partially purified PMT1 had a higher affinity for Man-P-Dol95 than for Man-P-Dol55. When beta-Man-P-Dol95 was compared with chemically synthesized alpha-Man-P-Dol95 as a mannosyl donor, a strict stereo-specificity was observed for the presence of a beta-mannosyl-phosphoryl linkage. In summary, a procedure for isolating a stable, partially purified preparation of PMT1 from S. cerevisiae is described. Enzymological studies with these preparations of PMT1 provide the first evidence that the recognition of the lipophilic mannosyl donor is stereospecific. These results also demonstrate that maximal O-mannosylation of serine/threonine residues in yeast glycoproteins catalyzed by the partially purified preparation of PMT1 requires the presence of a saturated alpha-isoprene unit in the dolichyl moiety of Man-P-Dol.

Photoidentification of mannosyltransferases of dolichol cycle in the mammary gland. Purification and characterization of GDP-Man:Man beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta 1-->4GlcNAc-P-P-dolichol mannosyltransferase.

Glc3Man9GlcNAc2-P-P-Dol serves as the major precursor for the biosynthesis of asparagine-linked glycoproteins in eukaryotes. The first 5 of the 9 mannosyl residues during the assembly of the oligosaccharide moiety within the dolichol cycle in the endoplasmic reticulum are incorporated directly by the action of GDP-Man-requiring mannosyltransferases while the remaining last 4 mannosyl residues are transferred by Man-P-Dol-requiring enzymes. In an earlier study (Shailubhai, K., Illeperuma, C., Tayal, M., and Vijay, I. K. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 14105-14108), we identified the enzyme UDP-Glc:Dol-P glucosyltransferase by photolabeling rat mammary microsomes with 5-N3-[beta-32P]UDP-Glc. Applying a similar strategy, GDP-hexanolamine-125I-azidosalicylic acid, an analog of GDP-Man, was found to photolabel two polypeptides of 37 and 69 kDa among the microsomal proteins of the rat mammary gland. A differential ammonium sulfate saturation (60-80%) of the detergent-solubilized microsomal proteins enriched the 69-kDa polypeptide. Photolabeling of this polypeptide was specifically inhibited by guanine-containing nucleotides and nucleotide-sugars and was associated with a GDP-Man-requiring mannosyltransferase. The mannosyltransferase was purified nearly 16,000-fold and shown to contain the 69-kDa polypeptide. The purified enzyme catalyzes the transfer of [14C]Man from GDP-[14C]Man to Man beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta 1-->4GlcNAc-P-P-Dol in alpha 1,3-linkage to give [14C]Man alpha 1-->3Man beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta 1-->4GlcNAc-P-P-Dol as the product. Antibodies raised against the 69-kDa polypeptide removed the enzymatic activity from the detergent extract of the rat mammary microsomes and reacted specifically with a polypeptide band of the same size on immunoblots. The purified enzyme showed a pH optima of 7.4-7.8, Km approximately 4 microM for GDP-Man, approximately 2-fold activation by phosphatidylcholine, and a strong inhibition by sulfhydryl-selective reagents, N-ethylmaleimide and p-chloromercuribenzoate. The availability of the highly purified enzyme and a monospecific antibody should allow its molecular cloning for investigating the regulation of the machinery for protein N-glycosylation upon hormonally modulated growth and differentiation of the mammary gland during its ontogeny.

Mitochondrial dolichyl-phosphate mannose synthase. Purification and immunogold localization by electron microscopy.

Mitochondrial dolichyl-phosphate mannose synthase has been purified to homogeneity using an original procedure, reconstitution into specific phospholipid vesicles and sedimentation on a sucrose gradient as final step. The enzyme has an apparent molecular mass of 30 kDa on an SDS/polyacrylamide gel. Increased enzyme activity could be correlated with this polypeptide band. A specific antibody was raised in rabbits against this transferase. Specific IgG obtained from the immune serum removed enzymatic activity from a detergent extract of mitochondrial outer membrane and reacted specifically with the 30-kDa band on immunoblots. Furthermore, an immunocytochemical experiment proved the localization of dolichyl-phosphate mannose synthase on the cytosolic face of the outer membrane of mitochondria.

Partial purification and characterization of beta-mannosyltransferase from suspension-cultured soybean cells.

The beta-mannosyltransferase that catalyzes the synthesis of Man-beta-GlcNAc-GlcNAc-PP-dolichol from GDP-mannose and dolichyl-PP-GlcNAc-GlcNAc was solubilized from microsomes of suspension-cultured soybean cells by treatment with 1.5% Triton X-100 and was purified about 700-fold by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, hydroxylapatite, and a GDP affinity column. The purified enzyme was reasonably stable in the presence of 20% glycerol and 0.5 mM dithiothreitol. The enzyme required either detergent (Triton X-100 or NP-40) or phospholipid for maximum activity, but the effects of these two were not additive. Thus, either phosphatidylcholine or Triton X-100 could give maximum stimulation. In terms of phospholipid stimulation, both the head group and the acyl chain appeared to be important since phosphatidylcholines with 18-carbon unsaturated fatty acids were most effective. The purified enzyme had a sharp pH optimum of 6.9-7.0 and required a divalent cation. Mg2+ was the best metal ion with optimum activity occurring at 6 mM, but Mn2+ was reasonably effective while Ca2+ was slightly stimulatory. The Km for GDP-mannose was calculated to be 1.7 X 10(-6) M and that for dolichyl-PP-GlcNAc-GlcNAc about 9 X 10(-6) M. The enzyme was inhibited by a number of guanosine nucleotides such as GDP-glucose, GDP, GMP, and GTP, but various uridine and adenosine nucleotides were without effect. The purified enzyme was apparently free of alpha-1,3-mannosyltransferase (and perhaps other mannosyltransferases) and dolichyl-P-mannose synthase since the only product seen from dolichyl-PP-GlcNAc-GlcNAc and GDP-mannose was Man-beta-GlcNAc-GlcNAc-PP-dolichol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)