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T Krusius

Publications and source records attributed to T Krusius.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Molecular cloning of proteoglycan core proteins.

Recombinant DNA methods have been used to analyse core proteins of two different proteoglycans, one from a rat yolk sac tumour and the other from human fibroblasts and fetal membrane tissue. The processed core protein of the yolk sac tumour proteoglycan is a 104-amino acid polypeptide. This polypeptide contains a 49-amino acid serine-glycine repeat which clearly serves as the chondroitin sulphate attachment region. Genomic and mRNA blots suggest that this core protein is a member of a multigene family the members of which share the Ser-Gly repeat. The fibroblast/fetal membrane proteoglycan has a 329-amino acid core protein which is also processed from a larger precursor. This core protein contains three individual Ser-Gly dipeptides, one of which is known to be substituted with a chondroitin/dermatan sulphate side-chain. The availability of proteoglycan cDNA clones will facilitate gene transfer studies aimed at identifying the recognition sequences for the addition of the glycosaminoglycan. Gene transfer should also allow studies on the effects of proteoglycan expression on cellular properties such as adhesion and tumorigenicity.

Aggrecans↗

Enrichment of high mannose-type glycans in nervous tissue glycoproteins in neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis.

In view of the hypothesis that a biochemical abnormality in the childhood forms of neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis may lie in the utilization of dolichols in glycoprotein synthesis, we analyzed the oligosaccharide structures of brain glycoproteins in infantile neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis (INCL). Lectin affinity chromatography of purified glycopeptides and of oligosaccharides prepared by hydrazinolysis showed an increase in high mannose-type glycopeptides and a decrease in tri- and tetra-antennary glycopeptides in INCL brain when compared with control brain. These changes were more pronounced in the storage cytosomes than in whole brain. Methylation analysis of the isolated glycopeptide fractions did not reveal differences in substitution patterns of the individual sugar residues between INCL and control brain. In INCL the core disaccharide of the O-glycosidically-linked oligosaccharides was sialylated to a higher degree than in control brain indicating that the structural changes were not confined only to N-glycosidically-linked carbohydrate chains. The observed structural changes in the carbohydrate chains of brain glycopeptides in INCL could be explained by a defect in the biosynthesis of glycoproteins. Alternatively, the changes may reflect the increased glial cell population in the degenerating brain. In fact, the elution profiles in lectin chromatography of oligosaccharides prepared from cultured rat glioma cells resembled those from INCL brain.

Adolescent↗

Studies on structure-activity relationship of gossypol, gossypol ethers and three naphthaldehydes in the inhibition of spermatozoal metabolism.

Gossypol tetramethyl ether [C30 H24 O2(OCH3)4] and gossypol hexamethyl ether [C30 H24 O2(OCH3)6], which in contrast to gossypol are stable compounds, were tested for their ability to depress fructose degradation in fresh human sperm cells. Both ethers inhibited spermatozoal fructolysis, yet less effectively than did the parent compound. A synthetic compound, O-hydroxylnaphthaldehyde, and two commercially available preparations, 1- and 2-naphthaldehydes, were also tested under the same experimental conditions. These preparations represent about half of the gossypol molecule and possess a reactive aldehyde group in their molecules. Their inhibitory effect on fructose degradation in fresh human sperm cells, however, was considerably smaller than that of gossypol itself. It thus appears that the whole ring structure of gossypol rather than the intact aldehyde group is required for an effective inhibition of spermatozoal energy metabolism.

Aldehydes↗

Primary structure of an extracellular matrix proteoglycan core protein deduced from cloned cDNA.

The core protein of a small chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycan expressed by human fibroblasts and present in extracellular matrices in association with collagen has been cloned from a lambda gt11 fibroblast cDNA library. cDNA clones were isolated by use of antibodies specific for the intact proteoglycan and antibodies against a peptide synthesized on the basis of the amino-terminal sequence of the core protein. A 1.8-kilobase cDNA was found to code for a prepro core protein composed of a signal peptide, a propeptide, and a mature core protein of 329 amino acids. The amino-terminal amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA sequence was identical to that previously obtained by protein sequencing. The core protein contains three Ser-Gly dipeptide sequences, of which one is substituted with glycosaminoglycan. A protein data base homology search established the core protein sequence is a unique sequence distinct from published amino acid sequences. RNA blot hybridizations, performed using the cloned cDNA as a probe, revealed two related transcripts of 1.6 and 1.9 kilobases in RNA from both human fibroblast and placental tissue. Hybridization of genomic DNA restriction fragments suggested that there is one gene for the core protein of this proteoglycan and possibly one other closely related gene. Availability of the cloned cDNA for the proteoglycan now makes it possible to apply methods of molecular biology to study the collagen-binding and cell attachment-inhibiting properties of this proteoglycan.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

cDNA and amino acid sequences of the cell adhesion protein receptor recognizing vitronectin reveal a transmembrane domain and homologies with other adhesion protein receptors.

Cells adhere to vitronectin substrates through a cell surface receptor that recognizes an Arg-Gly-Asp sequence in vitronectin. The receptor is a glycoprotein composed of a 150-kDa alpha and a 115-kDa beta subunit. The alpha subunit consists of two disulfide-bonded chains of 125 kDa and 25 kDa. cDNA clones were isolated for the alpha subunit of the vitronectin receptor from a phage lambda gt11 expression library made with RNA from a human fibroblast cell line, IMR-90. The identity of the clones that had been selected from the library based on immunological criteria was verified by comparison of DNA and protein sequences. NH2-terminal sequences were obtained for each of the alpha-subunit chains. The sequence of the 25-kDa chain of the alpha subunit was found in a cDNA clone, and the amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA establishes the complete amino acid sequence of the 25-kDa chain. This chain contains a membrane-spanning domain as well as a putative intracytoplasmic region that is 32 amino acids long and consists mostly of polar amino acids. Comparison of the cDNA and protein sequences shows that the 25-kDa chain is generated by proteolytic cleavage of an alpha-subunit precursor, the partial sequence of which is contained in the cDNA clones. These clones contain 1910 base pairs of open reading frame and a 3' untranslated sequence. RNA blot hybridization detected one transcript of about 7 kilobases in RNA from fibroblastic and epithelial cells. Together, the cDNA clones cover 4442 bases of this RNA. The alpha-subunit sequence showed strong homology with the sequence of the alpha subunit of fibronectin receptor. Moreover, the NH2-terminal protein sequence of the 125-kDa chain was homologous with the NH2-terminal sequences of two other cell surface proteins, lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) and macrophage antigen 1 (Mac-1), which have been implicated as receptors for adhesion proteins of leukocytes. These results establish several of the structural features in the vitronectin receptor and suggest the existence of a superfamily of receptors for cell adhesion proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structure of the carbohydrate units of human amniotic fluid fibronectin.

Human amniotic fluid fibronectin was found to contain three types of carbohydrates: complex-type N-glycosidic glycans, lactosaminoglycans, and O-glycosidic glycans. The structures of the complex-type glycans were established by carbohydrate and methylation analysis, Smith degradation, sequential exoglycosidase treatments, lectin chromatography, and DEAE-Sephadex chromatography. Lactosaminoglycans were analyzed by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, and the O-glycosidically-linked oligosaccharides by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-pressure liquid chromatography. The results show that amniotic fluid fibronectin contains 2 mol of biantennary and 2-3 mol of triantennary, complex-type N-glycosidic glycans. Unlike the N-glycosidic glycans of human adult plasma fibronectin, which contain only traces of fucose and are completely sialylated, the glycans from amniotic fluid fibronectin are fucosylated and only partially sialylated. The complex-type N-glycosidic glycans present in amniotic fluid fibronectin also include a fractional amount (0.1 mol) of glycans with a polylactosaminyl structure. In addition, 4 mol of O-glycosidic oligosaccharides, which have not previously been described in fibronectins, were found in amniotic fluid fibronectin. The major oligosaccharides in this fraction have the structures Gal beta 1----3GalNAcol, NeuNAc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----3GalNAcol and NeuNAc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----3(NeuNAc alpha 2----6)GalNAcol. O-glycosidically linked oligosaccharides were also detected in human adult plasma fibronectin but in smaller amounts than in amniotic fluid fibronectin. These results show that amniotic fluid fibronectin differs from plasma fibronectin with regard to the number of glycans attached to the polypeptide and that the glycans present in these two fibronectins differ in structure.

Amniotic Fluid↗

Structural studies on glycoprotein oligosaccharides of chromaffin granule membranes and dopamine beta-hydroxylase.

Dopamine beta-hydroxylase present in the soluble matrix of bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin granules contains biantennary complex oligosaccharides and high-mannose oligosaccharides in a molar ratio of approximately 2:1. The high-mannose oligosaccharides contain an average of six mannose residues. The largest biantennary oligosaccharides (40% of the total) have two complete peripheral branches consisting of sialic acid-galactose-N-acetylglucosamine, but an equal proportion lack sialic acid on one branch and the remainder lack N-acetylglucosamine and/or galactose. Affinity chromatography on lentil lectin-agarose demonstrated that 84% of the dopamine beta-hydroxylase biantennary oligosaccharides are substituted by fucose on the core N-acetylglucosamine which is linked to asparagine. Based on carbohydrate concentration and the proportions of biantennary and high-mannose oligosaccharides, it would appear that the four dopamine beta-hydroxylase subunits of Mr congruent to 75,000 are not identical with respect to their oligosaccharide moieties. In chromaffin granule membranes, high-mannose and biantennary oligosaccharides comprise 20 and 35%, respectively, of the glycoprotein carbohydrate. Almost 40% is present in the form of large complex oligosaccharides with three or more antennas, less than 3% of which have both a core fucose residue and a 2,6-substituted alpha-linked mannose residue. Chromaffin granule membranes also contain a small proportion (approximately 6%) of O-glycosidically linked glycoprotein oligosaccharides which are predominantly monosialyl derivatives of galactosyl-N-acetylgalactosamine. The ratio of N-acetyl- to N-glycolylneuraminic acid in dopamine beta-hydroxylase and the glycoproteins of chromaffin granule membranes is approximately 1.5:1, which is within the same range as that previously found in membrane gangliosides and in the chromogranins isolated from the soluble granule matrix.

Adrenal Medulla↗

Laminin from rat yolk sac tumor: isolation, partial characterization, and comparison with mouse laminin.

Laminin was isolated from a rat yolk sac tumor by salt extraction, gel filtration, and affinity chromatography on heparin-Sepharose. The purified laminin gave two polypeptide chains with approximate Mr of 200,000 and 400,000 in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Its amino acid composition and electron microscopic appearance were similar to those reported earlier for mouse laminin. Carbohydrate analysis revealed 13% carbohydrate consisting of N-acetylglucosamine, galactose, mannose, fucose, sialic acid, and small amounts of N-acetyl galactosamine. The purified rat laminin was immunologically very similar to mouse laminin as recognized by rabbit antibodies but was antigenically distinct when recognized by mouse antibodies.

Amino Acids↗

Free N-acetylneuraminic acid in tissues in Salla disease and the enzymes involved in its metabolism.

Salla disease is a lysosomal storage disorder of unknown etiology, characterized biochemically by increased urinary excretion of N-acetylneuraminic acid. This compound has now been shown to occur in abnormally large amounts in liver and cultured skin fibroblasts from these patients. Quantification of N-acetylneuraminic acid was performed using a new gas-chromatography/mass spectrometric single-ion method which is sensitive and specific. No abnormalities in the activity of several enzymes involved in sialic acid metabolism (N-acetylneuraminate:pyruvate lyase, neuraminidase, CMP-N-acetylneuraminate N-acylneuraminohydrolase and CTP:N-acyl-neuraminate cytidylyltransferase) were demonstrable. A possible explanation for the defect is a malfunctioning active transport of N-acetylneuraminic acid across the lysosomal membrane.

Fibroblasts↗

Carbohydrate structure of the concanavalin A molecular variants of alpha-fetoprotein.

The structure of the carbohydrate units of alpha-fetoprotein from fetal calf serum has been studied. Glycopeptides and oligosaccharides were prepared from alpha-fetoprotein by protease treatment and hydrazinolysis, respectively, and subjected to carbohydrate and amino acid analysis. Two N-glycosidic glycans are present in each alpha-fetoprotein molecule. These were separated into concanavalin A (ConA)-reactive and nonreactive species on ConA-Sepharose. Methylation analysis, Smith degradation, sequential exoglycosidase treatments, and sizing suggested that the major, ConA-nonreactive fraction is composed of triantennary and the minor, ConA-reactive fraction, of biantennary complex-type ConA-reactive and -nonreactive fractions of intact alpha-fetoprotein, respectively, and refractionated on Con A-Sepharose. The results indicate that 75% of alpha-fetoprotein molecules contain two triantennary complex-type glycans, 20% contain one triantennary and one biantennary glycan, and 5% contain two biantennary glycans. The last two molecular variants are bound to ConA. These results explain, at least in part, the previously found heterogeneity of alpha-fetoprotein with respect to charge and molecular size, and provide a biochemical basis for the differing reactivities toward ConA of alpha-fetoprotein from the yolk sac, fetal liver, and various tumors.

Animals↗

Blood group A and H determinants in polyglycosyl peptides of A1 and A2 erythrocytes.

Polyglycosyl peptides were isolated from delipidated erythrocyte membranes of human blood-group A1 and A2 erythrocytes by extensive pronase digestion and gel filtration. As estimated by the amounts of N-acetylgalactosamine and 2-O-substituted galactose residues about 85% of the possible acceptor sites (H determinants) were saturated with A determinants in A1 polyglycosyl peptides whereas only 25% of H sites were filled in A2 glycopeptides. The distribution of A and H determinants in the glycopeptides was studied by affinity chromatography with Sepharose-bound Bandeiraea simplicifolia I-lectin (binds blood-group A and B determinants) and Ulex Europeaus I-lectin (binds blood-group H determinants). About 55% of the polyglycosyl peptides contained A, H, or A and H determinants in both A1 and A2 blood subgroups. 48% of the polyglycosyl peptides of blood group A1 and 10% of A2 bound to Bs I-lectin. 25% of the polyglycosyl peptides in A1 and 53% in A2 carried H determinants. The molecular size, monosaccharide composition and the substitution pattern of the monosaccharides in the Bs-I-bound polyglycosyl peptides were very similar in both A1 and A2 blood groups. The only difference was the amount of N-acetylgalactosamine which was on the average 3.7 mol/mol in A1 and 2.5 mol/mol in A2. The active fraction was found to be heterogeneous with respect to the amount of A determinants, which varied from 1 to 6 per glycopeptide in A1 and A2 polyglycosyl peptides. The findings do not indicate a structural difference between blood-group A1 and A2 polyglycosyl peptides and state chemically that A1 glycopeptides contain more A determinants than A2 glycopeptides.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Glycosylation of proteins in developing human brain.

The carbohydrate content of human brain glycoproteins was studied during development from the age of 12 fetal weeks to 8 postnatal months. The concentration of all the glycoprotein monosaccharides increased with age. The total amount of glycoprotein monosaccharides per lipid-free dry tissue increased by about 150% from the end of the third fetal month to the time of delivery. The increase leveled off around term, and only minor increase occurred after birth. The adult level was reached by the fifth postnatal month.

Adult↗

Blood-group A and B determinants are located in different polyglycosyl peptides isolated from human erythrocytes of blood-group AB.

The distribution of blood-group A and B determinants was studied by isolating blood-group ABH-active polyglycosyl peptides from delipidated human blood-group AB erythrocyte membranes after extensive digestion with pronase followed by chromatography on Bandeiraea simplicifolia I (BsI) lectin coupled to Sepharose. 20% of the polyglycosyl peptides were bound to BsI lectin. The glycopeptides bound were further fractionated using the blood-group-A-specific lectin from Vicia cracca (Vc). Approximately half of these were bound to the Vc lectin. The glycopeptides, which were bound to the Vc column, were not bound to the blood-group-B-specific isolectin from B. simplicifolia (BsIB4) whereas the Vc-unbound glycopeptides readily bound. The results indicate that in the polyglycosyl peptides isolated from AB erythrocytes A and B determinants are located in different carbohydrate chains. The polyglycosyl peptides, which did not bind to BsI lectin, were composed on the average of 30 monosaccharide units and those that bound contained on the average 55 monosaccharide units. The sugar composition was similar in both fractions except that N-acetylgalactosamine was found only in the BsI-bound glycopeptides. The substitution patterns of the monosaccharides were quite similar in both fractions except 2,3-O-linked galactose, which was enriched 7.5-fold in the BsI-bound glycopeptides and 3,6-O-linked galactose, which also enriched in the BsI-bound glycopeptides suggesting that these have a more branched structure than the BsI-unbound glycopeptides. Glycopeptides derived from bands 3 and 4.5 were prepared from A1B-blood-group erythrocyte membranes and fractionated as above. 25% of the glycopeptides were bound to BsI-lectin from both samples. 70% of the BsI-bound material from band 3 was bound to Vc lectin and 60% from band 4.5. The results indicate heterogeneity in the glycosylation of these bands.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Molecular nature of the blood-group ABH antigens of the human erythrocyte membrane.

The oligosaccharide structures specifying the blood-group ABH determinants occur in the human erythrocyte membrane in different classes of compounds. The majority occur in a novel class of complex carbohydrate chains called the polyglycosyl chains. They are bound by an alkali-stable bond to glycoproteins (band 3, band 4.5) and occur also in glycolipids. Conventional glycosphingolipids as well as alkali-labile carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins (in the PAS-bands) are also carriers of the blood-group determinants.

ABO Blood-Group System↗