Recombinant glycodelin carrying the same type of glycan structures as contraceptive glycodelin-A can be produced in human kidney 293 cells but not in chinese hamster ovary cells.

We have produced human recombinant glycodelin in human kidney 293 cells and in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Structural analyses by lectin immunoassays and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry showed that recombinant human glycodelin produced in CHO cells contains only typical CHO-type glycans and is devoid of any of the N, N'-diacetyllactosediamine (lacdiNAc)-based chains previously identified in glycodelin-A (GdA). By contrast, human kidney 293 cells produced recombinant glycodelin with the same type of carbohydrate structures as GdA. The presence of a beta1-->4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase functioning in the synthesis of lacdiNAc-based glycans in human kidney 293 cells is concluded to be the cause of the occurrence of lacdiNAc-based glycans on glycodelin produced in these cells. Furthermore, human kidney 293 cells were found to be particularly suited for the production of recombinant glycodelin when they were cultured in high glucose media. Lowering the glucose concentration and the addition of glucosamine resulted in higher relative amounts of oligomannosidic-type glycans and complex glycans with truncated antennae. Human glycodelin is an attractive candidate for the development of a contraceptive agent, and this study gives valuable information for selecting the proper expression system and cell culture conditions for the production of a correctly glycosylated recombinant form.

The lactose analog GalNAcbeta1-->4Glc is present in bovine colostrum. Enzymatic basis for its occurrence.

We have isolated from bovine colostrum the lactose analog GalNAcbeta1-->4Glc. The enzymatic basis for its occurrence was studied by assaying the activities of GlcNAcbeta-R beta4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (beta4-GalNAcT) and GlcNAcbeta-R beta4-galactosyltransferase (beta4-GalT) in primary milk and several lactating bovine mammary gland fractions. As the beta4-GalNAcT, which appears to be tightly membrane bound, is induced by the milk protein alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-LA) to act on Glc, it is concluded that beta4-GalNAcT is responsible for the synthesis of GalNAcbeta1-->4Glc in the gland. The comparatively low level (15-20 mg/l) at which this disaccharide is produced may be due to the relatively poor interaction of beta4-GalNAcT with alpha-LA as well as to the fact that alpha-LA does not inhibit the action of the enzyme on N-acetylglucosaminides.

Enzyme-assisted synthesis of Asn-linked diantennary oligosaccharides occurring on glycodelin A.

The preparation of a series of sialylated and fucosylated N,N'-diacetyllactosediamine-type diantennary glycopeptides is reported. By sequential enzymatic action of jack bean beta-galactosidase, snail beta 4-N-acetyl-galactosaminyltransferase, bovine colostrum alpha 6-sialyltransferase and human milk alpha 3-fucosyltransferase, a diantennary glycopeptide obtained from asialo fibrinogen was converted at a 5-mumol scale to a series of structures occurring on the glycoprotein glycodelin A, which potentially inhibit human sperm-egg binding.

Branching and elongation with lactosaminoglycan chains of N-linked oligosaccharides result in a shift toward termination with alpha 2-->3-linked rather than with alpha 2-->6-linked sialic acid residues.

The activity of bovine colostrum CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta-R alpha 2-->6-sialyltransferase (alpha 6-NeuAcT) toward oligosaccharides that form part of complex-type, N-linked glycans appears significantly reduced when a bisecting GlcNAc residue or additional branches are present, or when core GlcNAc residues are absent. By contrast human placenta CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta-R alpha 2-->3-sialyltransferase (alpha 3-NeuAcT) is much less sensitive to structural variations in these acceptors. Furthermore the alpha 3-NeuAcT shows a much higher activity than the alpha 6-NeuAcT with oligosaccharides that form part of linear and branched lactosaminoglycan extensions. These results indicate that, in tissues that express both enzymes, branching and lactosaminoglycan formation of N-linked glycans will cause a shift from termination with alpha 2-->6-linked sialic acid to termination with alpha 2-->3-linked sialic acid residues. These findings provide an enzymatic basis for the sialic acid linkage-type patterns found on the oligosaccharide chains of N-glycoproteins.

Bovine colostrum CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta(1-->4)GlcNAc-R alpha(2-->6)-sialyltransferase is involved in the synthesis of the terminal NeuAc alpha(2-->6)GalNAc beta(1-->4)GlcNAc sequence occurring on N-linked glycans of bovine milk glycoproteins.

Bovine colostrum CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta(-->4)GlcNAc-R alpha(2-->6)-sialyltransferase (alpha 6-sialyltransferase) appears to be capable of catalysing alpha 6-sialylation of the disaccharide GalNAc beta(1-->4)GlcNAc to yield the trisaccharide NeuAc alpha(2-->6)GalNAc beta(1-->4)GlcNAc. This provides an enzymic basis for the occurrence of this sialylated structure on the N-linked glycans of a number of bovine milk glycoproteins. Competition experiments using Gal beta(1-->4)GlcNAc and GalNAc beta(-->4)GlcNAc as acceptors indicate that both substrates are recognized by a single active site on the alpha 6-sialyltransferase. Extrapolation of these results suggests that the NeuAc alpha(2-->6)GalNAc beta(1-->4)GlcNAc structural element occurring on the N-linked glycans of several human glycoproteins are similarly synthesized by the action of a Gal beta(1-->4)GlcNAc-R alpha(2-->6)-sialyltransferase.

Branch specificity of bovine colostrum CMP-sialic acid: Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc-R alpha 2----6-sialyltransferase. Sialylation of bi-, tri-, and tetraantennary oligosaccharides and glycopeptides of the N-acetyllactosamine type.

Using 500-MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy we have investigated the branch specificity that bovine colostrum CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc-R alpha 2----6-sialyltransferase shows in its sialylation of bi-, tri-, and tetraantennary glycopeptides and oligosaccharides of the N-acetyllactosamine type. The enzyme appears to highly prefer the galactose residue at the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----2Man alpha 1----3 branch for attachment of the 1st mol of sialic acid in all the acceptors tested. The 2nd mol of sialic acid becomes linked mainly to the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----2Man alpha 1----6 branch in bi- and triantennary substrates, but this reaction invariably proceeds at a much lower rate. Under the conditions employed, the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----6Man alpha 1----6 branch is extremely resistant to alpha 2----6-sialylation. A higher degree of branching of the acceptors leads to a decrease in the rate of sialylation. In particular, the presence of the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----6Man alpha 1----6 branch strongly inhibits the rate of transfer of both the 1st and the 2nd mol of sialic acid. In addition, it directs the incorporation of the 2nd mol into tetraantennary structures toward the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4Man alpha 1----3 branch. In contrast, the presence of the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4Man alpha 1----3 branch has only minor effects on the rates of sialylation and, consequently, on the branch preference of sialic acid attachment. Results obtained with partial structures of tetraantennary acceptors indicate that the Man beta 1----4GlcNAc part of the core is essential for the expression of branch specificity of the sialyltransferase. The sialylation patterns observed in vivo in glycoproteins of different origin are consistent with the in vitro preference of alpha 2----6-sialyltransferase for the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----2Man alpha 1----3 branch. Our findings suggest that the terminal structures of branched glycans of the N-acetyllactosamine type are the result of the complementary branch specificity of the various glycosyltransferases that are specific for the acceptor sequence Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc-R.

Branch specificity of bovine colostrum CMP-sialic acid: N-acetyllactosaminide alpha 2----6-sialyltransferase. Interaction with biantennary oligosaccharides and glycopeptides of N-glycosylproteins.

By use of 500-MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy, the branch specificity of bovine colostrum CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc-R alpha 2----6-sialyltransferase towards a biantennary glycopeptide and oligosaccharides of the N-acetyllactosamine type, differing in completeness and structure of their core portion, was investigated. In agreement with earlier reports (Van den Eijnden, D. H., Joziasse, D. H., Dorland, L., Van Halbeek H., Vliegenthart, J. F. G., and Schmid, K. (1980) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 92, 839-845), it appears that the enzyme strongly prefers the galactosyl residue at the Man alpha 1----3Man branch of the biantennary glycopeptide for attachment of the first sialic acid residue. This branch specificity is fully preserved with the structure (formula; see text) Reduction of the reducing N-acetylglucosaminyl residue in this structure, however, leads to a decreased branch specificity, whereas removal of this residue results in a random attachment of sialic acid to the galactoses at both branches. The decrease in branch specificity is accompanied by a reduction in the rate of sialic acid transfer to the galactose at the alpha 1----3 branch. Our results indicate that the presence of the aforementioned N-acetylglucosaminyl residue is a minimal structural requirement for branch specificity of the sialyltransferase. We propose that in the interaction of the sialyltransferase with its substrates, this N-acetylglucosaminyl residue functions as a recognition site mediating the correct positioning of the substrate on the enzyme.

Branch specificity of bovine colostrum and calf thymus UDP-Gal: N-acetylglucosaminide beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase.

The branch specificity of bovine colostrum and calf thymus UDP-Gal:N-acetylglucosaminide beta-1----4-galactosyltransferase toward several branched oligosaccharides, which form part of the complex-type N-glycans of glycoproteins, was investigated. A novel method was used based on acetolysis of the bi[14C,3H] galactosylated oligosaccharide products formed by the enzymes in vitro and analysis of the acetolysis fragments by high-pressure liquid chromatography. It could be established that the galactosylation of different oligosaccharide branches occurred in a preferred order. No difference in branch specificity was observed between the soluble bovine colostrum galactosyltransferase and the enzyme that had been solubilized from calf thymus membranes. A preferential pathway for the biosynthesis of bisialylated biantennary glycans is proposed.

Biosynthesis of blood-group I and i substances. Specificity of bovine colostrum beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminide beta 1 leads to 4 galactosyltransferase.

Highly purified bovine colostrum beta-N-acetylglucosaminide beta 1 leads to 4 galactosyltransferase was used to investigate the galactosylation of the synthetic, branched trisaccharide GlcNAcbeta 1 leads to 3(GlcNAcbeta 1 leads to 6)Gal, which is the branching point in blood-group I antigenic structures. Two galactose residues could readily be incorporated from UDP-galactose into the trisaccharide, yielding a pentasaccharide with the following structure: Galbeta 1 leads to 4GlcNAcbeta 1 leads to 3(Galbeta 1 leads to 4GlcNAcbeta 1 leads to 6)Gal. From a partially completed incubation an intermediate tetrasaccharide was isolated, the structure of which was investigated by use of an acetolysis method, involving high-pressure liquid chromatography and double labelling techniques. It appeared that this intermediate consisted for more than 95% of one of two possible structures: GlcNAcbeta 1 leads to 3(Galbeta 1 leads to 4GlcNAcbeta 1 leads to 6)Gal. This reveals that the enzymatic galactosylation of the trisaccharide proceeds in a highly preferred order, in which the 1 leads to 6-linked N-acetylglucosamine residue is galactosylated first and thus that the galactosyltransferase displays a high degree of 'branch specificity'. Kinetic data suggest that galactosylation of the 1 leads to 6-linked N-acetylglucosamine in the trisaccharide enhances the acceptor properties of the 1 leads to 3-linked N-acetylglucosamine residue.

Sialylation in vitro of purified human liver beta-D-N-acetylhexosaminidase.

In order to study structure-function relationships of lysosomal enzymes, human liver beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase (2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-hexoside acetamidodeoxyhexohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.52) has been purified by an extraction/affinity chromatography/ion-exchange procedure. The isoenzymes A and B, native as well as neuraminidase-treated, were incubated with a partially purified preparation of bovine colostrum sialyltransferase (CMP-N-acetylneuraminate: D-galactosyl-glycoprotein N-acetylneuraminyltransferase, EC 2.4.99.1). Native beta-N-acetylhexosaminidases were found to be poor acceptors for the sialyltransferase used. However, incorporation of sialic acid into neuraminidase-treated beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase A and B amounted to a 58 to 72% saturation of the theoretical acceptor sites, respectively. The acceptor specificity of the sialyltransferase suggests that Gal beta(1 leads to 4)-GlcNAc units may be present on at least part of the beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase A and B molecules. However, oligomannosidic-type chains may also occur on the lysosomal enzyme, as shown by sugar composition of the enzyme. The presence and/or amount of sialic acid residues does not appear to affect the kinetic properties of beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase A and B towards 4-methylumbelliferyl glycoside substrate.