Protein glucosylation and its role in protein folding.

An unconventional mechanism for retaining improperly folded glycoproteins and facilitating acquisition of their native tertiary and quaternary structures operates in the endoplasmic reticulum. Recognition of folding glycoproteins by two resident lectins, membrane-bound calnexin and its soluble homolog, calreticulin, is mediated by protein-linked monoglucosylated oligosaccharides. These oligosaccharides contain glucose (Glc), mannose (Man), and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) in the general form Glc1Man7-9GlcNAc2. They are formed by glucosidase I- and II-catalyzed partial deglucosylation of the oligosaccharide transferred from dolichol diphosphate derivatives to Asn residues in nascent polypeptide chains (Glc3Man9GlcNAc2). Further deglucosylation of the oligosaccharides by glucosidase II liberates glycoproteins from their calnexin/calreticulin anchors. Monoglucosylated glycans are then recreated by the UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (GT), and thus recognized again by the lectins, only when linked to improperly folded protein moieties, as GT behaves as a sensor of glycoprotein conformations. The deglucosylation-reglucosylation cycle continues until proper folding is achieved. The lectin-monoglucosylated oligosaccharide interaction is one of the alternative ways by which cells retain improperly folded glycoproteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. Although it decreases the folding rate, it increases folding efficiency, prevents premature glycoprotein oligomerization and degradation, and suppresses formation of non-native disulfide bonds by hindering aggregation and thus allowing interaction of protein moieties of folding glycoproteins with classical chaperones and other proteins that assist in folding.

Role of N-oligosaccharide endoplasmic reticulum processing reactions in glycoprotein folding and degradation.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the subcellular site where proteins following the secretory pathway acquire their proper tertiary and, in certain cases, quaternary structures. Species that are not yet properly folded are prevented from exit to the Golgi apparatus and, if permanently misfolded, are transported to the cytosol, where they are degraded in the proteasomes. This review deals with a mechanism, applicable to proteins that are N-glycosylated in the ER, by which the quality control of folding is performed. Protein-linked monoglucosylated glycans, formed by glucosidase I- and glucosidase II-dependent partial deglucosylation of the oligosaccharides transferred from dolichol diphosphate derivatives in N-glycosylation (Glc(3)Man(9)GlcNAc(2)), mediate glycoprotein recognition by two ER-resident lectins, membrane-bound calnexin (CNX) and its soluble homologue, calreticulin (CRT). A still not yet fully confirmed interaction between the lectins and the protein moieties of folding glycoproteins may occur after lectin recognition of monoglucosylated structures. Further deglucosylation of glycans by glucosidase II, and perhaps also by a change in CNX/CRT and/or in the substrate glycoprotein conformation, liberates the glycoproteins from their CNX/CRT anchors. Glycans may be then reglucosylated by the UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (GT), and thus be recognized again by CNX/CRT, but only when linked to not yet properly folded protein moieties, as this enzyme behaves as a sensor of glycoprotein conformation. Deglucosylation/reglucosylation cycles catalysed by the opposing activities of glucosidase II and GT only stop when proper folding is achieved. The interaction between CNX/CRT and a monoglucosylated glycan is one of the alternative mechanisms by which cells retain not yet properly folded glycoproteins in the ER; in addition, it enhances folding efficiency by preventing protein aggregation and thus allowing intervention of classical chaperones and other folding-assisting proteins. There is evidence suggesting that both glycoprotein glucosylation and mannose removal, respectively mediated by GT and ER mannosidase I, might be involved in cell recognition of permanently misfolded glycoproteins bound for proteasome degradation.

The activity of a putative polyisoprenol-linked sugar translocase (Wzx) involved in Escherichia coli O antigen assembly is independent of the chemical structure of the O repeat.

During O antigen lipopolysaccharide (LPS) synthesis in bacteria, transmembrane migration of undecaprenylpyrophosphate (Und-P-P)-bound O antigen subunits occurs before their polymerization and ligation to the rest of the LPS molecule. Despite the general nature of the translocation process, putative O-antigen translocases display a low level of amino acid sequence similarity. In this work, we investigated whether complete O antigen subunits are required for translocation. We demonstrate that a single sugar, GlcNAc, can be incorporated to LPS of Escherichia coli K-12. This incorporation required the functions of two O antigen synthesis genes, wecA (UDP-GlcNAc:Und-P GlcNAc-1-P transferase) and wzx (O-antigen translocase). Complementation experiments with putative O-antigen translocases from E. coli O7 and Salmonella enterica indicated that translocation of O antigen subunits is independent of the chemical structure of the saccharide moiety. Furthermore, complementation with putative translocases involved in synthesis of exopolysaccharides demonstrated that these proteins could not participate in O antigen assembly. Our data indicate that recognition of a complete Und-P-P-bound O antigen subunit is not required for translocation and suggest a model for O antigen synthesis involving recognition of Und-P-P-linked sugars by a putative complex made of Wzx translocase and other proteins involved in the processing of O antigen.

Molecular and biochemical characterization of a protein kinase B from Trypanosoma cruzi.

A Trypanosoma cruzi gene, PKB, coding for a putative protein kinase was cloned and sequenced. Analysis of the sequence showed that the encoded protein (called PKB) corresponds to a relatively novel subgroup of Ser/Thr protein kinases denominated protein kinases B (PKB), related to A and C protein kinases (RAC), or protein kinases of the transforming retrovirus AKT8 (Akt) in which the catalytic domains show similarity to corresponding domains of protein kinases A and protein kinases C. Unlike mammalian enzymes belonging to the same subgroup, PKB did not have a pleckstrin (PH)-homologous domain. PKB was expressed in Escherichia coli and the recombinant protein was found to be a Thr-specific protein kinase that required Mn2+ for activity and used ATP as phosphate donor (Km = 1.8 microM). Classical protein kinase A and protein kinase C modulators and inhibitors were found to have only marginal or no effect on PKB activity. Antisera raised against the recombinant protein recognized PKB in Western blotting analysis of cell extracts as a membrane bound protein. Evidence was obtained suggesting the presence of a Cys-linked acyl anchor. Northern and Western blotting analysis showed that PKB was constitutively expressed in the lag, exponential and stationary phases of T. cruzi epimastigote growth, as well as in the amastigote and metacyclic trypomastigote stages of differentiation. This is the first description of the existence of a protein kinase B in trypanosomatid protozoa.

Genetic evidence for the heterodimeric structure of glucosidase II. The effect of disrupting the subunit-encoding genes on glycoprotein folding.

It has been proposed that in rat and murine tissues glucosidase II (GII) is formed by two subunits, GIIalpha and GIIbeta, respectively, responsible for the catalytic activity and the retention of the enzyme in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). To test this proposal we disrupted genes (gls2alpha(+) and gls2beta(+)) encoding GIIalpha and GIIbeta homologs in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Both mutant cells (gls2alpha and gls2beta) were completely devoid of GII activity in cell-free assays. Nevertheless, N-oligosaccharides formed in intact gls2alpha cells were identified as Glc(2)Man(9)GlcNAc(2) and Glc(2)Man(8)GlcNAc(2), whereas gls2beta cells formed, in addition, small amounts of Glc(1)Man(9)GlcNAc(2). It is suggested that this last compound was formed by GIIalpha transiently present in the ER. Monoglucosylated oligosaccharides facilitated glycoprotein folding in S. pombe as mutants, in which formation of monoglucosylated glycoproteins was completely (gls2alpha) or severely (gls2beta and UDP-Glc:glycoprotein:glucosyltransferase null) diminished, showed ER accumulation of misfolded glycoproteins when grown in the absence of exogenous stress as revealed by (a) induction of binding protein-encoding mRNA and (b) accumulation of glycoproteins bearing ER-specific oligosaccharides. Moreover, the same as in mammalian cell systems, formation of monoglucosylated oligosaccharides decreased the folding rate and increased the folding efficiency of glycoproteins as pulse-chase experiments revealed that carboxypeptidase Y arrived at a higher rate but in decreased amounts to the vacuoles of gls2alpha than to those of wild type cells.

Trypanosoma cruzi calreticulin is a lectin that binds monoglucosylated oligosaccharides but not protein moieties of glycoproteins.

Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan parasite that belongs to an early branch in evolution. Although it lacks several features of the pathway of protein N-glycosylation and oligosaccharide processing present in the endoplasmic reticulum of higher eukaryotes, it displays UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase and glucosidase II activities. It is herewith reported that this protozoan also expresses a calreticulin-like molecule, the third component of the quality control of glycoprotein folding. No calnexin-encoding gene was detected. Recombinant T. cruzi calreticulin specifically recognized free monoglucosylated high-mannose-type oligosaccharides. Addition of anti-calreticulin serum to extracts obtained from cells pulse-chased with [35S]Met plus [35S]Cys immunoprecipitated two proteins that were identified as calreticulin and the lysosomal proteinase cruzipain (a major soluble glycoprotein). The latter but not the former protein disappeared from immunoprecipitates upon chasing cells. Contrary to what happens in mammalian cells, addition of the glucosidase II inhibitor 1-deoxynojirimycin promoted calreticulin-cruzipain interaction. This result is consistent with the known pathway of protein N-glycosylation and oligosaccharide processing occurring in T. cruzi. A treatment of the calreticulin-cruzipain complexes with endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H either before or after addition of anti-calreticulin serum completely disrupted calreticulin-cruzipain interaction. In addition, mature monoglucosylated but not unglucosylated cruzipain isolated from lysosomes was found to interact with recombinant calreticulin. It was concluded that the quality control of glycoprotein folding appeared early in evolution, and that T. cruzi calreticulin binds monoglucosylated oligosaccharides but not the protein moiety of cruzipain. Furthermore, evidence is presented indicating that glucosyltransferase glucosylated cruzipain at its last folding stages.

Uridine diphosphate-glucose transport into the endoplasmic reticulum of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: in vivo and in vitro evidence.

It has been proposed that synthesis of beta-1,6-glucan, one of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall components, is initiated by a uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucose-dependent reaction in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Because this sugar nucleotide is not synthesized in the lumen of the ER, we have examined whether or not UDP-glucose can be transported across the ER membrane. We have detected transport of this sugar nucleotide into the ER in vivo and into ER-containing microsomes in vitro. Experiments with ER-containing microsomes showed that transport of UDP-glucose was temperature dependent and saturable with an apparent Km of 46 microM and a Vmax of 200 pmol/mg protein/3 min. Transport was substrate specific because UDP-N-acetylglucosamine did not enter these vesicles. Demonstration of UDP-glucose transport into the ER lumen in vivo was accomplished by functional expression of Schizosaccharomyces pombe UDP-glucose:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (GT) in S. cerevisiae, which is devoid of this activity. Monoglucosylated protein-linked oligosaccharides were detected in alg6 or alg5 mutant cells, which transfer Man9GlcNAc2 to protein; glucosylation was dependent on the inhibition of glucosidase II or the disruption of the gene encoding this enzyme. Although S. cerevisiae lacks GT, it contains Kre5p, a protein with significant homology and the same size and subcellular location as GT. Deletion mutants, kre5Delta, lack cell wall beta-1,6 glucan and grow very slowly. Expression of S. pombe GT in kre5Delta mutants did not complement the slow-growth phenotype, indicating that both proteins have different functions in spite of their similarities.

Reglucosylation of glycoproteins and quality control of glycoprotein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum of yeast cells.

Proteins entering the secretory pathway may be glycosylated upon transfer of an oligosaccharide (Glc3Man9GlcNAc2) from a dolichol-P-P derivative to nascent polypeptide chains in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Oligosaccharides are then deglucosylated by glucosidases I and II (GII). Also in the ER, glycoproteins acquire their final tertiary structures, and species that fail to fold properly are retained and eventually degraded in the proteasome. It has been proposed that in mammalian cells the monoglucosylated oligosaccharides generated either by partial deglucosylation of the transferred compound or by reglucosylation of glucose-free oligosaccharides by the UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (GT) are recognized by ER resident lectins (calnexin and/or calreticulin). GT is a sensor of glycoprotein conformation as it only glucosylates misfolded species. The lectin-monoglucosylated oligosaccharide interaction would retain glycoproteins in the ER until correctly folded, and also facilitate their acquisition of proper tertiary structures by preventing aggregation. GII would liberate glycoproteins from the calnexin/calreticulin anchor, but species not properly folded would be reglucosylated by GT, and so continue to be retained by the lectins. Only when the protein becomes properly folded would it cease to be retained by the lectins. This review presents evidence suggesting that a similar quality control mechanism of glycoprotein folding is operative in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and that the mechanism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae probably differs substantially from that occurring in mammalian and Sch. pombe cells.

The UDP-Glc:Glycoprotein glucosyltransferase is essential for Schizosaccharomyces pombe viability under conditions of extreme endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Interaction of monoglucosylated oligosaccharides with ER lectins (calnexin and/or calreticulin) facilitates glycoprotein folding but this interaction is not essential for cell viability under normal conditions. We obtained two distinct single Schizosaccharomyces pombe mutants deficient in either one of the two pathways leading to the formation of monoglucosylated oligosaccharides. The alg6 mutant does not glucosy- late lipid-linked oligosaccharides and transfers Man9GlcNAc2 to nascent polypeptide chains and the gpt1 mutant lacks UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (GT). Both single mutants grew normally at 28 degreesC. On the other hand, gpt1/alg6 double-mutant cells grew very slowly and with a rounded morphology at 28 degreesC and did not grow at 37 degreesC. The wild-type phenotype was restored by transfection of the double mutant with a GT-encoding expression vector or by addition of 1 M sorbitol to the medium, indicating that the double mutant is affected in cell wall formation. It is suggested that facilitation of glycoprotein folding mediated by the interaction of monoglucosylated oligosaccharides with calnexin is essential for cell viability under conditions of extreme ER stress such as underglycosylation of proteins caused by the alg6 mutation and high temperature. In contrast, gls2/alg6 double-mutant cells that transfer Man9GlcNAc2 and that are unable to remove the glucose units added by GT as they lack glucosidase II (GII), grew at 37 degreesC and had, when grown at 28 degreesC, a phenotype of growth and morphology almost identical to that of wild-type cells. These results indicate that facilitation of glycoprotein folding mediated by the interaction of calnexin and monoglucosylated oligosaccharides does not necessarily require cycles of reglucosylation-deglucosylation catalyzed by GT and GII.

A misfolded protein conformation is not a sufficient condition for in vivo glucosylation by the UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase.

A key element in the quality control of glycoprotein folding is the UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (GT), which in cell-free assays exclusively glucosylates misfolded glycoproteins. In order to test if such a protein conformation is a sufficient condition for in vivo glucosylation of all N-linked oligosaccharides by GT, a Schizosaccharomyces pombe double mutant (gls2/alg6) was constructed. With this mutant, Man9GlcNAc2 is transferred to proteins and no removal of glucose units added by GT occurs as it lacks glucosidase II. The same proportion of glucosylated (Glc1Man9GlcNAc2) and unglucosylated (Man9GlcNAc2 and Man8GlcNAc2) endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-specific compounds was produced when cells were pre-incubated for 10, 20 or 30 min and further incubated with [14C]glucose for 10 min at 28 degrees C with or without 5 mM dithiothreitol (DTT), thus indicating not only that DTT did not affect protein glucosylation but also that no increased glucosylation of glycoproteins occurred in the presence of the drug. Monitoring Golgi-specific modifications of oligosaccharides after pulse-chase experiments performed in the presence or absence of 5 mM DTT showed that exit of the bulk of glycoproteins synthesized from the ER and thence their proper folding had been prevented by the drug. Cells pulse-chase labeled at 37 degrees C in the absence of DTT also yielded glucosylated and unglucosylated protein-linked oligosaccharides without Golgi-specific modifications. It was concluded that a misfolded protein conformation is not a sufficient condition for in vivo glucosylation of all N-linked oligosaccharides by GT.

The quality control of glycoprotein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum, a trip from trypanosomes to mammals.

The present review deals with the stages of synthesis and processing of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides occurring in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum and their relationship to the acquisition by glycoproteins of their proper tertiary structures. Special emphasis is placed on reactions taking place in trypanosomatid protozoa since their study has allowed the detection of the transient glucosylation of glycoproteins catalyzed by UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase and glucosidase II. The former enzyme has the unique property of covalently tagging improperly folded conformations by catalyzing the formation of protein-linked Glc1Man7GlcNAc2, Glc1Man8GlcNac2 and Glc1Man9GlcNAc2 from the unglucosylated proteins. Glucosyl-transferase is a soluble protein of the endoplasmic reticulum that recognizes protein domains exposed in denatured but not in native conformations (probably hydrophobic amino acids) and the innermost N-acetylglucosamine unit that is hidden from macromolecular probes in most native glycoproteins. In vivo, the glucose units are removed by glucosidase II. The influence of oligosaccharides in glycoprotein folding is reviewed as well as the participation of endoplasmic reticulum chaperones (calnexin and calreticulin) that recognize monoglucosylated species in the same process. A model for the quality control of glycoprotein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum, i.e., the mechanism by which cells recognize the tertiary structure of glycoproteins and only allow transit to the Golgi apparatus of properly folded species, is discussed. The main elements of this control are calnexin and calreticulin as retaining components, the UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase as a sensor of tertiary structures and glucosidase II as the releasing agent.

The quality control of glycoprotein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum, a trip from trypanosomes to mammals

The present review deals with the stages of synthesis and processing of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides occurring in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum and their relationship to the acquisition by glycoproteins of their proper tertiary structures. Special emphasis is placed on reactions taking place in trypanosomatid protozoa since their study has allowed the detection of the transient glucosylation of glycoproteins catalyzed by UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glycosytransferase and glucosidade II. The former enzyme has the unique property of covalently tagging improperly folded conformations by catalyzing the formation of protein-linked Glc(1)Man(7)GlcNAc(2), Glc(1)Man(8)GlcNac(2) and Glc(1)Man(9)GlcNAc(2) from the unglucosylated proteins. Glucosyltransferase is a soluble protein of the endoplasmic reticulum that recognizes protein domains exposed in denatured but not in native conformations (probably hydrophobic amino acids) and the innermost N-acetylglucosamine unit that is hidden from macromolecular probes in most native glycoproteins. In vivo, the glucose units are removed by glucosidase II. The influence of oligosaccharides in glycoprotein folding is reviewed as well as the participation of endoplasmic reticulum chaperones (calnexin and calreticulin) that recognize monoglucosylated species in the same process. A model for the quality control of glycoprotein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum, i.e., the mechanism by which cells recognize the tertiary structure of glycoproteins and only allow transit to the Golgi apparatus of properly folded species, is discussed. The main elements of this control are calnexin and calreticulin as retaining components, the UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase as a sensor of tertiary structures and glucosidase II as the releasing agent.

The interaction of the UDP-GLC:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase with the acceptor glycoprotein.

The UDP-Glyc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase is a soluble protein of the endoplasmic reticulum that in cell-free assays glucosylates denatured but not native glycoproteins. It has been postulated that the enzyme participates in the quality control mechanism of glycoprotein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum by which only properly folded species are transported to the Golgi apparatus. This paper reports studies on the protein determinants that upon recognition by the glucosyltransferase allow the selective glucosylation of denatured glycoproteins. It is shown here that extensive chemical modification of denatured soybean agglutinin does not modify its glucose acceptor capacity, thus suggesting that the protein determinants recognized by the glucosyltransferase are not formed by specific amino acids. Moreover, it is reported that the enzyme binds patches of hydrophobic amino acids exposed in denatured but not in native conformations. As exposure of such residues is the only feature common to all misfolded conformations, it is suggested that binding to hydrophobic amino acids forms part of the recognition mechanism of denatured conformations by the glucosyltransferase.

The use of UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase for radiolabeling protein-linked high mannose-type oligosaccharides.

A simple method for specifically radiolabeling high mannose-type oligosaccharides linked to protein backbones has been developed. The method is based on the fact that incubation of rat liver UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase, glucose-labelled UDP-Glc and a denatured high mannose-type glycoprotein target leads to the glucosylation of the oligosaccharide. In the case described here it allowed to follow easily the purification, by HPLC and affinity chromatography, of labelled glycopeptides obtained by controlled proteolysis of cruzipain, a cysteine proteinase isolated from the human pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi. It was thus determined that the N-glycosylation site in Asn33 of cruzipain is occupied by high mannose-type oligosaccharides.

A new stress protein: synthesis of Schizosaccharomyces pombe UDP--Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase mRNA is induced by stress conditions but the enzyme is not essential for cell viability.

We have identified and begun the characterization of the gene encoding UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. This gene, here designated gpt1, codes for a polypeptide having a signal peptide of 18 amino acids followed by 1429 amino acids with no transmembrane domain, as expected for a soluble protein of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The C-terminal tetrapeptide PDEL most probably corresponds to a novel ER retention signal in this fission yeast. Synthesis of the corresponding mRNA was induced 2- to 9-fold by conditions known to affect glycoprotein folding in the ER (e.g. heat shock, culture in the presence of a Ca2+ionophore, 2-mercaptoethanol or inhibitors of protein N-glycosylation such as tunicamycin or 2-deoxyglucose). This is the first evidence obtained in vivo that supports the proposed involvement of the enzyme in the quality control of glycoprotein folding in the ER. Thus far, the said involvement was inferred solely from the ability of the enzyme to glucosylate misfolded but not native glycoproteins in cell-free assays. The gpt1 gene was disrupted and gpt1- cells were found to be viable. Moreover, no significant differences in the growth rate patterns at 18, 28 or 39 degrees C or in cell morphology between gpt1+ and gpt1- cells were observed, although they differed slightly in size.

The molecular basis for the recognition of misfolded glycoproteins by the UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase.

The UDP-Glc:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase is a soluble enzyme of the endoplasmic reticulum that glucosylates protein-linked Man7-9GlcNAc2 to form the monoglucosylated derivatives. In vivo the reaction products are immediately deglucosylated by glucosidase II. The glucosyltransferase has a unique property: it glucosylates misfolded, but not native, glycoproteins. It has been proposed that the glucosyltransferase participates, together with calnexin, in the control mechanism by which only properly folded glycoproteins can exit from the endoplasmic reticulum. In this paper it is demonstrated that the glucosyltransferase recognizes two elements in the acceptor substrates: the innermost N-acetylglucosamine unit of the oligosaccharide and protein domains exposed in denatured, but not in native, conformations. Both determinants have to be covalently linked. In many cases the first element is not accessible to macromolecular probes in native conformations. Concerning the protein domains, it is demonstrated here that the glucosyltransferase interacts with hydrophobic amino acids exposed in denatured conformations. More disordered conformations, i.e. those exposing more hydrophobic amino acids, were found to be those having higher glucose acceptor capacity. It is suggested that both accessibility of the innermost N-acetylglucosamine unit and binding to hydrophobic patches determine the exclusive glucosylation of misfolded conformations by the glucosyltransferase.

Characterization of the mannose 6-phosphate-dependent pathway of lysosomal enzyme routing in an invertebrate.

The mannose 6-phosphate (Man6P)-dependent pathway for routing lysosomal enzymes was characterized in the hepatopancreas of the estuary crab Chasmagnatus granulata: (a) an acid alpha-L-fucosidase was purified to homogeneity from the above-mentioned organ and was shown to contain mannose-linked phosphate residues; (b) high-mannose-type oligosaccharides isolated from a protein fraction enriched in acid hydrolases were found to contain acid-labile N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues; (c) a membrane-bound UDP-GlcNAc:lysosomal enzyme GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase was detected that phosphorylated the estuary-crab alpha-L-fucosidase and bovine uteroferrin but not bovine pancreas ribonuclease B; (d) a GlcNAc-1-phosphodiester alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase that released GlcNAc units from GlcNAc alpha 1-P6Man alpha 1-methyl was detected in microsomal membranes of the hepatopancreas; (e) two detergent-solubilized microsomal proteins having molecular masses of 205 and 215 kDa that were retained by a Man6P-rich mannan-Sepharose column, from where they were eluted with Man6P but not with glucose 6-phosphate, were recognized by antisera raised against bovine large (215 kDa) and small (46 kDa) Man6P receptors. This is the first description of all the components of the Man6P-dependent mechanism for routing lysosomal enzymes in an invertebrate.