Functional Characterization and Structural Basis of an Efficient Di-C-glycosyltransferase from Glycyrrhiza glabra.

A highly efficient di-C-glycosyltransferase GgCGT was discovered from the medicinal plant Glycyrrhiza glabra. GgCGT catalyzes a two-step di-C-glycosylation of flopropione-containing substrates with conversion rates of >98%. To elucidate the catalytic mechanisms of GgCGT, we solved its crystal structures in complex with UDP-Glc, UDP-Gal, UDP/phloretin, and UDP/nothofagin, respectively. Structural analysis revealed that the sugar donor selectivity was controlled by the hydrogen-bond interactions of sugar hydroxyl groups with D390 and other key residues. The di-C-glycosylation capability of GgCGT was attributed to a spacious substrate-binding tunnel, and the G389K mutation could switch di- to mono-C-glycosylation. GgCGT is the first di-C-glycosyltransferase with a crystal structure, and the first C-glycosyltransferase with a complex structure containing a sugar acceptor. This work could benefit the development of efficient biocatalysts to synthesize C-glycosides with medicinal potential.

Repetitive Batch Mode Facilitates Enzymatic Synthesis of the Nucleotide Sugars UDP-Gal, UDP-GlcNAc, and UDP-GalNAc on a Multi-Gram Scale.

The availability of nucleotide sugars is considered as bottleneck for Leloir-glycosyltransferases mediated glycan synthesis. A breakthrough for the synthesis of nucleotide sugars is the development of salvage pathway like enzyme cascades with high product yields from affordable monosaccharide substrates. In this regard, the authors aim at high enzyme productivities of these cascades by a repetitive batch approach. The authors report here for the first time that the exceptional high enzyme cascade stability facilitates the synthesis of Uridine-5'-diphospho-α-d-galactose (UDP-Gal), Uridine-5'-diphospho-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc), and Uridine-5'-diphospho-N-acetylgalactosamine (UDP-GalNAc) in a multi-gram scale by repetitive batch mode. The authors obtained 12.8 g UDP-Gal through a high mass based total turnover number (TTNmass ) of 494 [gproduct /genzyme ] and space-time-yield (STY) of 10.7 [g/L*h]. Synthesis of UDP-GlcNAc in repetitive batch mode gave 11.9 g product with a TTNmass of 522 [gproduct /genzyme ] and a STY of 9.9 [g/L*h]. Furthermore, the scale-up to a 200 mL scale using a pressure operated concentrator was demonstrated for a UDP-GalNAc producing enzyme cascade resulting in an exceptional high STY of 19.4 [g/L*h] and 23.3 g product. In conclusion, the authors demonstrate that repetitive batch mode is a versatile strategy for the multi-gram scale synthesis of nucleotide sugars by stable enzyme cascades.

Protein NMR Studies of Substrate Binding to Human Blood Group†A and B Glycosyltransferases.

Donor and acceptor substrate binding to human blood group A and B glycosyltransferases (GTA, GTB) has been studied by a variety of protein NMR experiments. Prior crystallographic studies had shown these enzymes to adopt an open conformation in the absence of substrates. Binding either of the donor substrate UDP-Gal or of UDP induces a semiclosed conformation. In the presence of both donor and acceptor substrates, the enzymes shift towards a closed conformation with ordering of an internal loop and the C-terminal residues, which then completely cover the donor-binding pocket. Chemical-shift titrations of uniformly 2 H,15 N-labeled GTA or GTB with UDP affected about 20 % of all crosspeaks in 1 H,15 N TROSY-HSQC spectra, reflecting substantial plasticity of the enzymes. On the other hand, it is this conformational flexibility that impedes NH backbone assignments. Chemical-shift-perturbation experiments with δ1-[13 C]methyl-Ile-labeled samples revealed two Ile residues-Ile123 at the bottom of the UDP binding pocket, and Ile192 as part of the internal loop-that were significantly disturbed upon stepwise addition of UDP and H-disaccharide, also revealing long-range perturbations. Finally, methyl TROSY-based relaxation dispersion experiments do not reveal micro- to millisecond timescale motions. Although this study reveals substantial conformational plasticity of GTA and GTB, the matter of how binding of substrates shifts the enzymes into catalytically competent states remains enigmatic.

The structural basis of substrate promiscuity in UDP-hexose 4-epimerase from the hyperthermophilic Eubacterium Thermotoga maritima.

UDP-galactose 4-epimerase (GalE) catalyzes the interconversion of UDP-glucose (UDP-Glc) and UDP-galactose (UDP-Gal), which is a pivotal step in the Leloir pathway for d-galactose metabolism. Although GalE is widely distributed in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, little information is available regarding hyperthermophilic GalE. We overexpressed the TM0509 gene, encoding a putative GalE from Thermotoga maritima (TMGalE), in Escherichia coli and characterized the encoded protein. To further investigate the molecular basis of this enzyme's catalytic function, we determined the crystal structures of TMGalE and TMGalE bound to UDP-Glc at resolutions of 1.9 Å and 2.0 Å, respectively. The enzyme was determined to be a homodimer with a molecular mass of 70 kDa. The enzyme could reversibly catalyze the epimerization of UDP-GalNAc/UDP-GlcNAc as well as UDP-Gal/UDP-Glc at elevated temperatures, with an apparent optimal temperature and pH of 80 °C and 7.0, respectively. Our data showed that TM0509 is a UDP-galactosugar 4-epimerase involved in d-galactose metabolism; consequently, this study provides the first detailed characterization of a hyperthermophilic GalE. Moreover, the promiscuous substrate specificity of TMGalE, which is more similar to human GalE than E. coli GalE, supports the notion that TMGalE might exhibit the earliest form of sugar-epimerizing enzymes in the evolution of galactose metabolism.

Specificity of a UDP-GalNAc pyranose-furanose mutase: a potential therapeutic target for Campylobacter jejuni infections.

Pyranose-furanose mutases are essential enzymes in the life cycle of a number of microorganisms, but are absent in mammalian systems, and hence represent novel targets for drug development. To date, all such mutases show preferential recognition of a single substrate (e.g., UDP-Gal). We report here the detailed structural characterization of the first bifunctional pyranose-furanose mutase, which recognizes both UDP-Gal and UDP-GalNAc. The enzyme under investigation (cjUNGM) is involved in the biosynthesis of capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) in Campylobacter jejuni 11168. These CPSs are known virulence factors that are required for adhesion and invasion of human epithelial cells. Using a combination of UV/visible spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, saturation transfer difference NMR spectroscopy, molecular dynamics and CORCEMA-ST calculations, we have characterized the binding of the enzyme to both UDP-Galp and UDP-GalpNAc, and compared these interactions with those of a homologous monofunctional mutase enzyme from E. coli (ecUGM). These studies reveal that two arginines in cjUNGM, Arg59 and Arg168, play critical roles in the catalytic mechanism of the enzyme and in controlling its specificity to ultimately lead to a GalfNAc-containing CPS. In ecUGM, these arginines are replaced with histidine and lysine, respectively, and this results in an enzyme that is selective for UDP-Gal. We propose that these changes in amino acids allow C. jejuni 11168 to produce suitable quantities of the sugar nucleotide substrate required for the assembly of a CPS containing GalfNAc, which is essential for viability.

Crystal structures of ß-1,4-galactosyltransferase 7 enzyme reveal conformational changes and substrate binding.

The ß-1,4-galactosyltransferase 7 (ß4GalT7) enzyme is involved in proteoglycan synthesis. In the presence of a manganese ion, it transfers galactose from UDP-galactose to xylose on a proteoglycan acceptor substrate. We present here the crystal structures of human ß4GalT7 in open and closed conformations. A comparison of these crystal structures shows that, upon manganese and UDP or UDP-Gal binding, the enzyme undergoes conformational changes involving a small and a long loop. We also present the crystal structures of Drosophila wild-type ß4GalT7 and D211N ß4GalT7 mutant enzymes in the closed conformation in the presence of the acceptor substrate xylobiose and the donor substrate UDP-Gal, respectively. To understand the catalytic mechanism, we have crystallized the ternary complex of D211N ß4GalT7 mutant enzyme in the presence of manganese with the donor and the acceptor substrates together in the same crystal structure. The galactose moiety of the bound UDP-Gal molecule forms seven hydrogen bonds with the protein molecule. The nonreducing end of the xylose moiety of xylobiose binds to the hydrophobic acceptor sugar binding pocket created by the conformational changes, whereas its extended xylose moiety forms hydrophobic interactions with a Tyr residue. In the ternary complex crystal structure, the nucleophile O4 oxygen atom of the xylose molecule is found in close proximity to the C1 and O5 atoms of the galactose moiety. This is the first time that a Michaelis complex of a glycosyltransferase has been described, and it clearly suggests an SN2 type catalytic mechanism for the ß4GalT7 enzyme.

Base-modified donor analogues reveal novel dynamic features of a glycosyltransferase.

Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are enzymes that are involved, as Nature's "glycosylation reagents," in many fundamental biological processes including cell adhesion and blood group biosynthesis. Although of similar importance to that of other large enzyme families such as protein kinases and proteases, the undisputed potential of GTs for chemical biology and drug discovery has remained largely unrealized to date. This is due, at least in part, to a relative lack of GT inhibitors and tool compounds for structural, mechanistic, and cellular studies. In this study, we have used a novel class of GT donor analogues to obtain new structural and enzymological information for a representative blood group GT. These analogues interfere with the folding of an internal loop and the C terminus, which are essential for catalysis. Our experiments have led to the discovery of an entirely new active site folding mode for this enzyme family, which can be targeted in inhibitor development, similar to the DFG motif in protein kinases. Taken together, our results provide new insights into substrate binding, dynamics, and utilization in this important enzyme family, which can very likely be harnessed for the rational development of new GT inhibitors and probes.

One-pot three-enzyme synthesis of UDP-Glc, UDP-Gal, and their derivatives.

A UTP-glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (SpGalU) and a galactokinase (SpGalK) were cloned from Streptococcus pneumoniae TIGR4 and were successfully used to synthesize UDP-galactose (UDP-Gal), UDP-glucose (UDP-Glc), and their derivatives in an efficient one-pot reaction system. The reaction conditions for the one-pot multi-enzyme synthesis were optimized and nine UDP-Glc/Gal derivatives were synthesized. Using this system, six unnatural UDP-Gal derivatives, including UDP-2-deoxy-Galactose and UDP-GalN3 which were not accepted by other approach, can be synthesized efficiently in a one pot fashion. More interestingly, this is the first time it has been reported that UDP-Glc can be synthesized in a simpler one-pot three-enzyme synthesis reaction system.

Biochemical and biophysical characterization of the sialyl-/hexosyltransferase synthesizing the meningococcal serogroup W135 heteropolysaccharide capsule.

Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis and sepsis. Crucial virulence determinants of pathogenic Nm strains are the polysaccharide capsules that support invasion by hindering complement attack. In NmW-135 and NmY the capsules are built from the repeating units (→ 6)-α-D-Gal-(1 → 4)-α-Neu5Ac-(2 →)n and (→ 6)-α-D-Glc-(1 → 4)-α-Neu5Ac-(2 →)n, respectively. These unusual heteropolymers represent unique examples of a conjugation between sialic acid and hexosyl-sugars in a polymer chain. Moreover, despite the various catalytic strategies needed for sialic acid and hexose transfer, single enzymes (SiaDW-135/Y) have been identified to form these heteropolymers. Here we used SiaDW-135 as a model system to delineate structure-function relationships. In size exclusion chromatography active SiaDW-135 migrated as a monomer. Fold recognition programs suggested two separate glycosyltransferase domains, both containing a GT-B-fold. Based on conserved motifs predicted folds could be classified as a hexosyl- and sialyltransferase. To analyze enzyme properties and interplay of the two identified glycosyltransferase domains, saturation transfer difference NMR and mutational studies were carried out. Simultaneous and independent binding of UDP-Gal and CMP-Sia was seen in the absence of an acceptor as well as when the catalytic cycle was allowed to proceed. Enzyme variants with only one functionality were generated by site-directed mutagenesis and shown to complement each other in trans when combined in an in vitro test system. Together the data strongly suggests that SiaDW-135 has evolved by fusion of two independent ancestral genes encoding sialyl- and galactosyltransferase activity.

Optimised chemical synthesis of 5-substituted UDP-sugars and their evaluation as glycosyltransferase inhibitors.

We have investigated the applicability of different chemical methods for pyrophosphate bond formation to the synthesis of 5-substituted UDP-galactose and UDP-N-acetylglucosamine derivatives. The use of phosphoromorpholidate chemistry, in conjunction with N-methyl imidazolium chloride as the promoter, was identified as the most reliable synthetic protocol for the preparation of these non-natural sugar-nucleotides. Under these conditions, the primary synthetic targets 5-iodo UDP-galactose and 5-iodo UDP-N-acetylglucosamine were consistently obtained in isolated yields of 40-43%. Both 5-iodo UDP-sugars were used successfully as substrates in the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling with 5-formylthien-2-ylboronic acid under aqueous conditions. Importantly, 5-iodo UDP-GlcNAc and 5-(5-formylthien-2-yl) UDP-GlcNAc showed moderate inhibitory activity against the GlcNAc transferase GnT-V, providing the first examples for the inhibition of a GlcNAc transferase by a base-modified donor analogue.

One-step synthesis of novel glycosyltransferase inhibitors.

A one-step synthesis of two 5-CF(3) UDP-sugars is reported. These non-natural sugar-nucleotides are micromolar inhibitors of two different galactosyltransferases.

Synthesis of 2-fluoro and 4-fluoro galactopyranosyl phosphonate analogues of UDP-Gal.

Two novel nonisosteric UDP-Gal analogues, (2-deoxy-2-fluoro- and 4-deoxy-4-fluoro-α-D-galactopyranosyl) phosphonoyl phosphates, were synthesized by optimized multistep procedures starting from 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-D-galactal and allyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-α-D-glucopyranoside, respectively. The key steps were a Michaelis-Arbuzov reaction of respective deoxy-fluoro-D-galactopyranosyl acetate with triethyl phosphite followed by a Moffatt-Khorana coupling reaction with UMP-morpholidate. The structure of all new compounds was confirmed by NMR and mass spectroscopies..

Efficient one-pot multienzyme synthesis of UDP-sugars using a promiscuous UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase from Bifidobacterium longum (BLUSP).

A promiscuous UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase (BLUSP) was cloned from Bifidobacterium longum strain ATCC55813 and used efficiently with a Pasteurella multocida inorganic pyrophosphatase (PmPpA) with or without a monosaccharide 1-kinase for one-pot multienzyme synthesis of UDP-galactose, UDP-glucose, UDP-mannose, and their derivatives. Further chemical diversification of a UDP-mannose derivative resulted in the formation of UDP-N-acetylmannosamine.

Inhibition of galactosyltransferases by a novel class of donor analogues.

Galactosyltransferases (GalT) are important molecular targets in a range of therapeutic areas, including infection, inflammation, and cancer. GalT inhibitors are therefore sought after as potential lead compounds for drug discovery. We have recently discovered a new class of GalT inhibitors with a novel mode of action. In this publication, we describe a series of analogues which provide insights, for the first time, into SAR for this new mode of GalT inhibition. We also report that a new C-glycoside, designed as a chemically stable analogue of the most potent inhibitor in this series, retains inhibitory activity against a panel of GalTs. Initial results from cellular studies suggest that despite their polarity, these sugar-nucleotides are taken up by HL-60 cells. Results from molecular modeling studies with a representative bacterial GalT provide a rationale for the differences in bioactivity observed in this series. These findings may provide a blueprint for the rational development of new GalT inhibitors with improved potency.

The C-terminal domain of the Salmonella enterica WbaP (UDP-galactose:Und-P galactose-1-phosphate transferase) is sufficient for catalytic activity and specificity for undecaprenyl monophosphate.

Two families of membrane enzymes catalyze the initiation of the synthesis of O-antigen lipopolysaccharide. The Salmonella enterica Typhimurium WbaP is a prototypic member of one of these families. We report here the purification and biochemical characterization of the WbaP C-terminal (WbaP(CT)) domain harboring one putative transmembrane helix and a large cytoplasmic tail. An N-terminal thioredoxin fusion greatly improved solubility and stability of WbaP(CT) allowing us to obtain highly purified protein. We demonstrate that WbaP(CT) is sufficient to catalyze the in vitro transfer of galactose (Gal)-1-phosphate from uridine monophosphate (UDP)-Gal to the lipid carrier undecaprenyl monophosphate (Und-P). We optimized the in vitro assay to determine steady-state kinetic parameters with the substrates UDP-Gal and Und-P. Using various purified polyisoprenyl phosphates of increasing length and variable saturation of the isoprene units, we also demonstrate that the purified enzyme functions highly efficiently with Und-P, suggesting that the WbaP(CT) domain contains all the essential motifs to catalyze the synthesis of the Und-P-P-Gal molecule that primes the biosynthesis of bacterial surface glycans.

Newborn screening for galactosemia by a second-tier multiplex enzyme assay using UPLC-MS/MS in dried blood spots.

Galactosemia is one of the most important inherited metabolic disorders detected by newborn screening tests. Abnormal results during screening should be confirmed by enzyme activity assays. Recently, we developed a multiplex enzyme assay for galactosemia in erythrocytes using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). In this study, we proposed a second-tier multiplex enzyme assay for galactosemia that can be directly applied to dried blood spots (DBSs). Supernatants from two rehydrated-punched 3.2-mm DBSs were incubated with a reaction mixture containing [¹³C6]galactose, [¹³C2]galactose-1-phosphate, and UDP-glucose as substrates for three galactose-metabolizing enzymes. After a 4-hour incubation, the end products from the combined reaction mixture, [¹³C6]galactose-1-phosphate, UDP-[¹³C2]galactose, and UDP-galactose, were simultaneously measured using UPLC-MS/MS. Substrates, products, and internal standards from the mixture of the three enzyme reactions were clearly separated in the UPLC-MS/MS system, with an injection cycle time of 10 min. Intra- and inter-assay imprecisions of the UPLC-MS/MS were 8.4-14.8% and 13.2-15.7% CV, respectively. Enzyme activities in DBSs from 37 normal individuals and 10 patients with enzyme deficiencies were analyzed. DBSs from galactosemia patients showed consistently lower enzyme activities as compared to those of normal individuals. In conclusion, multiplex enzyme assays using UPLC-MS/MS can be successfully applied to DBS analysis. This method allows a fast and effective second-tier test for newborns showing abnormal screening results.

The first C-glycosidic analogue of a novel galactosyltransferase inhibitor.

Structural analogues and mimics of the natural sugar-nucleotide UDP-galactose (UDP-Gal) are sought after as chemical tools for glycobiology and drug discovery. We have recently developed a novel class of galactosyltransferase (GalT) inhibitors derived from UDP-Gal, bearing an additional substituent at the 5-position of the uracil base. Herein we report the first C-glycosidic derivative of this new class of GalT inhibitors. We describe a practical convergent synthesis of the new UDP-C-Gal derivative, including a systematic study into the use of radical chemistry for the preparation of galactosyl ethylphosphonate, a key synthetic intermediate. The new inhibitor showed activity against a bacterial UDP-Gal 4'-epimerase at micromolar concentrations. This is the first example of a base-modified UDP-sugar as an inhibitor of a UDP-sugar-dependent enzyme which is not a glycosyltransferase, and these results may therefore have implications for the design of inhibitors of these enzymes in the future.

Promiscuous activity of ER glucosidase II discovered through donor specificity analysis of UGGT.

In glycoprotein quality control system in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), UGGT (UDP-glucose:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase) and glucosidase II (G-II) play key roles. UGGT serves as a glycoprotein folding sensor by virtue of its unique specificity to glucosylate glycoproteins at incompletely folded stage. By using various UDP-Glc analogues, we first analyzed donor specificity of UGGT, which was proven to be rather narrow. However, marginal activity was observed with UDP-galactose and UDP-glucuronic acid as well as with 3-, 4- and 6-deoxy glucose analogues to give corresponding transfer products. Intriguingly, G-II smoothly converted all of them back to Man(9)GlcNAc(2), providing an indication that G-II has a promiscuous activity as a broad specificity hexosidase.

Concise syntheses of selective inhibitors against α-1,3-galactosyltransferase.

Several iminosugar-based uridine diphosphate galactose (UDP-Gal) mimetics 1-4 including d- and l-epimers were designed and synthesized by concise routes, and these synthetic compounds were evaluated for the inhibition of α-1,3- and ß-1,4-galactosyltransferases in vitro. The experimental data demonstrated that l-epimer 2 displayed the strongest inhibitory activity with moderate selectivity against α-1,3-galactosyltransferase.

Synthesis of sialyllactosamine clusters using carbosilane as core scaffolds by means of chemical and enzymatic approaches.

An efficient synthesis of sialyllactosamine (SiaLacNAc) clusters using carbosilanes as core scaffolds has been accomplished by means of chemical and enzymatic approaches. N-Acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) clusters having O-glycosidic linkage or S-glycosidic linkage were chemically synthesized from known intermediates in high yields. The GlcNAc clusters were first used as substrates for beta1,4 galactosyl transferase using UDP-galactose (UDP-Gal) as a sugar source to provide corresponding N-acetyllactosamine clusters. Further sugar elongation of the LacNAc clusters was demonstrated using alpha2,3 sialyl transferase and CMP-neuraminic acid (CMP-NANA) to yield the corresponding SiaLacNAc clusters.