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At least 1,099 records · Page 61Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Structural analysis of the N-glycans of the major cysteine proteinase of Trypanosoma cruzi. Identification of sulfated high-mannose type oligosaccharides.

Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasitic protozoan that causes Chagas disease, contains a major cysteine proteinase, cruzipain. This lysosomal enzyme bears an unusual C-terminal extension that contains a number of post-translational modifications, and most antibodies in natural and experimental infections are directed against it. In this report we took advantage of UV-MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in conjunction with peptide N-glycosidase F deglycosylation and high performance anion exchange chromatography analysis to address the structure of the N-linked oligosaccharides present in this domain. The UV-MALDI-TOF MS analysis in the negative-ion mode, using nor-harmane as matrix, allowed us to determine a new striking feature in cruzipain: sulfated high-mannose type oligosaccharides. Sulfated GlcNAc2Man3 to GlcNAc2Man9 species were identified. In accordance, after chemical or enzymatic desulfation, the corresponding signals disappeared. In addition, by UV-MALDI-TOF MS analysis (a) a main population of high-mannose type oligosaccharides was shown in the positive-ion mode, (b) lactosaminic glycans were also identified, among them, structures corresponding to monosialylated species were detected, and (c) as an interesting fact a fucosylated oligosaccharide was also detected. The presence of the deoxy sugar was further confirmed by high performance anion exchange chromatography. In conclusion, the total number of oligosaccharides occurring in cruzipain was shown to be much higher than previous estimates. This constitutes the first report on the presence of sulfated glycoproteins in Trypanosomatids.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Mutagenesis of asp-569 of glucosyltransferase I glucansucrase modulates glucan and oligosaccharide synthesis.

Glucansucrases of oral streptococci and Leuconostoc mesenteroides are enzymes of medical and biotechnological interest that synthesize alpha-glucans. They can also synthesize oligosaccharides in the presence of a sugar acceptor. Previous reports have identified an amino acid residue that may affect the structure of the glucan product; therefore, random mutagenesis of the corresponding Asp-569 of Streptococcus downei glucosyltransferase I (GTF-I) was used to further understanding of its involvement in the catalytic mechanism and to evaluate how different amino acids can modulate glucan and oligosaccharide synthesis. GTF-I variants were obtained where Asp-569 was replaced by each of the different possible classes of amino acids. These were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by means of a His(6) tag. The results showed that the amino acid in position 569 influences the structure of the glucan and the size of the oligosaccharides produced by GTF-I. The results suggest that the amino acid occupying this position is more likely to interact with the acceptor molecules (oligosaccharides or elongating glucan chain) than to be directly involved in glucosyl transfer from sucrose. Engineering of the equivalent position in glucansucrases thus appears to be a good target to expand the range of oligosaccharides synthesized.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

Purification and characterization of chitosanase from Bacillus sp. strain KCTC 0377BP and its application for the production of chitosan oligosaccharides.

For the enzymatic production of chitosan oligosaccharides from chitosan, a chitosanase-producing bacterium, Bacillus sp. strain KCTC 0377BP, was isolated from soil. The bacterium constitutively produced chitosanase in a culture medium without chitosan as an inducer. The production of chitosanase was increased from 1.2 U/ml in a minimal chitosan medium to 100 U/ml by optimizing the culture conditions. The chitosanase was purified from a culture supernatant by using CM-Toyopearl column chromatography and a Superose 12HR column for fast-performance liquid chromatography and was characterized according to its enzyme properties. The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 45 kDa by means of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme demonstrated bifunctional chitosanase-glucanase activities, although it showed very low glucanase activity, with less than 3% of the chitosanase activity. Activity of the enzyme increased with an increase of the degrees of deacetylation (DDA) of the chitosan substrate. However, the enzyme still retained 72% of its relative activity toward the 39% DDA of chitosan, compared with the activity of the 94% DDA of chitosan. The enzyme produced chitosan oligosaccharides from chitosan, ranging mainly from chitotriose to chitooctaose. By controlling the reaction time and by monitoring the reaction products with gel filtration high-performance liquid chromatography, chitosan oligosaccharides with a desired oligosaccharide content and composition were obtained. In addition, the enzyme was efficiently used for the production of low-molecular-weight chitosan and highly acetylated chitosan oligosaccharides. A gene (csn45) encoding chitosanase was cloned, sequenced, and compared with other functionally related genes. The deduced amino acid sequence of csn45 was dissimilar to those of the classical chitosanase belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 46 but was similar to glucanases classified with glycoside hydrolase family 8.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2006

A complete lipopolysaccharide inner core oligosaccharide is required for resistance of Burkholderia cenocepacia to antimicrobial peptides and bacterial survival in vivo.

Burkholderia cenocepacia is an important opportunistic pathogen of patients with cystic fibrosis. This bacterium is inherently resistant to a wide range of antimicrobial agents, including high concentrations of antimicrobial peptides. We hypothesized that the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of B. cenocepacia is important for both virulence and resistance to antimicrobial peptides. We identified hldA and hldD genes in B. cenocepacia strain K56-2. These two genes encode enzymes involved in the modification of heptose sugars prior to their incorporation into the LPS core oligosaccharide. We constructed a mutant, SAL1, which was defective in expression of both hldA and hldD, and by performing complementation studies we confirmed that the functions encoded by both of these B. cenocepacia genes were needed for synthesis of a complete LPS core oligosaccharide. The LPS produced by SAL1 consisted of a short lipid A-core oligosaccharide and was devoid of O antigen. SAL1 was sensitive to the antimicrobial peptides polymyxin B, melittin, and human neutrophil peptide 1. In contrast, another B. cenocepacia mutant strain that produced complete lipid A-core oligosaccharide but lacked polymeric O antigen was not sensitive to polymyxin B or melittin. As determined by the rat agar bead model of lung infection, the SAL1 mutant had a survival defect in vivo since it could not be recovered from the lungs of infected rats 14 days postinfection. Together, these data show that the B. cenocepacia LPS inner core oligosaccharide is needed for in vitro resistance to three structurally unrelated antimicrobial peptides and for in vivo survival in a rat model of chronic lung infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Coronavirus proteins: structure and function of the oligosaccharides of the avian infectious bronchitis virus glycoproteins.

The recent finding that the E1 glycoproteins of murine coronaviruses contain only O-linked oligosaccharides suggested that this unusual modification might be a distinguishing feature of coronaviruses and might play an essential role in the life cycle of this family of viruses. To examine these possibilities, we analyzed the oligosaccharide moieties of the membrane proteins of the avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus. In addition, we determined the effect of inhibiting the glycosylation of these proteins on viral maturation and infectivity. Infectious bronchitis virus virions contain nine proteins. Four of these proteins, GP36, GP31, GP28, and P23, are closely related structurally and appear to be homologous to the E1 proteins of murine coronaviruses. We found that the oligosaccharides of GP31 and GP28 could be removed with endoglycosidase H and that neither of these glycoproteins was detectable in tunicamycin-treated cells. These two results indicated that GP31 and GP28 contain N-linked oligosaccharides. Therefore, O-linked oligosaccharides are not a universal feature of the small coronavirus membrane glycoproteins. Tunicamycin inhibited glycosylation of all of the viral glycoproteins but did not inhibit production of virions by infectious bronchitis virus-infected cells. The virions released by these cells contained only the three non-glycosylated viral proteins P51, P23, and P14. These particles were not infectious. Therefore, it appears that glycosylated infectious bronchitis virus polypeptides are not required for particle formation. However, the viral glycoproteins are apparently indispensible for viral infectivity.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Dolichol and N-linked oligosaccharide synthesis in the rat testis: interaction between Sertoli and spermatogenic cells, evidence for paracrine effects.

The relative contribution of the Sertoli cell and the pachytene spermatocyte to dolichol and N-linked oligosaccharide biosynthesis within the seminiferous tubule was investigated. Evidence is presented to show that the interaction between these two cell types affects dolichol and N-linked oligosaccharide biosynthesis. Analysis of the dolichol content of Sertoli cultures confirms earlier data suggesting that the Sertoli cell constitutes the major pool of dolichols within the seminiferous tubule. [14C]Acetate incorporation studies suggest that the Sertoli cell in culture synthesizes dolichol much more rapidly than does the isolated pachytene spermatocyte. This information, in addition to previous data in the literature, infers an interactive effect whereby the presence of the spermatogenic cell in the tubule stimulates dolichol synthesis in the Sertoli cell. The absence of normal Sertoli-spermatocyte interactions in in vitro incubations may also limit dolichol synthesis in the pachytene spermatocyte. The distribution of dolichol kinase between the Sertoli and the pachytene spermatocyte was also examined. The concentration of this enzyme in the Sertoli cell suggests the presence of an active salvage pathway within that cell. The correlation between the appearance of the pachytene spermatocyte and the previously described peak of dolichol kinase activity in the seminiferous tubules of the prepubertal animal implies cell-cell interactions. Radiolabelling studies of N-linked oligosaccharides were conducted using [3H]mannose and concanavalin A affinity chromatography to identify multiantennary, biantennary, and high-mannose oligosaccharide pools. An in vitro bicameral coculture system was used to demonstrate that pachytene spermatocytes stimulate incorporation of [3H]mannose into Sertoli cell oligosaccharides.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Evidence for the occurrence of nucleotide-activated oligosaccharides in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Recently, nucleotide-activated oligosaccharides have been found to be involved in the biosynthesis of certain glycoconjugates in archaeal and bacterial procaryotes. This paper describes the isolation and partial chemical characterization of nucleotide-activated oligosaccharides from the eucaryotic microbe Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We purified four different nucleotide-activated oligosaccharides from cell extracts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Three of the oligosaccharides were UDP, and one was TDP-activated. D-Glucose was the only carbohydrate constituent, except for one oligosaccharide, which also contained glucosamine. The chain length varied between two and four sugar residues.

Mass Spectrometry↗
PubMed2005

Beta1,6-branched oligosaccharides are increased in lymph node metastases and predict poor outcome in breast carcinoma.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to provide a comprehensive assessment on the role of beta1,6-branched oligosaccharides in the metastasis and outcome of breast carcinoma. Generation of these structures on N-glycans is initiated by beta1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V and used by both myeloid cells and cancer cells in systemic migration. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Tissue microarrays of >700 tumors (>400 patients; 30-year follow-up data) were stained through lectin histochemistry with leukocytic phytohemagglutinin (LPHA), a selective marker for beta1,6-branched oligosaccharides. Node-negative and node-positive primary tumors and patient-matched lymph node metastases were scored by blinded observers. RESULTS: Metastases stained at significantly greater intensities than did the patient-matched primary tumors (P < 0.0001), demonstrating for the first time that the abundance of beta1,6-branched oligosaccharides was directly associated with breast carcinoma nodal metastasis. Multivariate analyses revealed that beta1,6-branched oligosaccharides in primary tumors were a predictor of poor outcome, most notably in node-negative tumors, where an LPHA staining score of 3+ gave a risk factor of 3.3, independent of tumor size, nuclear grade, or patient age (P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: The data firmly establish a role for beta1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V activity and beta1,6-branched oligosaccharides in breast carcinoma metastasis, and reemphasize the involvement, although poorly understood, of aberrant glycosylation in tumor progression.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1994

The use of lectins in monitoring degradation of oligosaccharide chains in mucin by oral streptococci.

The ability of utilize mucin oligosaccharides as sources of carbohydrate and energy is believed to be an important mechanism in the ecology of oral streptococci. In this study we have used digoxigenin-labelled lectins of various specificities to monitor changes in the nonreducing end groups of oligosaccharide chains following their degradation by Streptococcus oralis Ny 586 and Streptococcus sanguis Ny 584. The reaction of degraded mucin with peanut lectin, that recognizes the core disaccharide Gal (1,3)GalNAc in O-glycans, revealed a more extensive degradation of oligosaccharide by S. oralis than by S. sanguis. This corresponds to better growth of S. oralis on the mucin. Analyses with Datura stramonium lectin showed that terminal Gal (1,4)GlcNAc, or GlcNAc (1,4)GlcNAc moieties, in the oligosaccharides are attacked by both strains. Reaction patterns with alpha-L-fucose-specific lectins indicated that terminal fucose was released by S. oralis but not by S. sanguis. This was in accordance with sugar analyses which showed that approximately 40% of the fucose units were released. The results extend previously observed losses of sugars from oligosaccharide chains during growth of these organisms on mucin.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

A novel carbohydrate-deficient glycoprotein syndrome characterized by a deficiency in glucosylation of the dolichol-linked oligosaccharide.

Carbohydrate-deficient glycoprotein syndromes (CDGS) type I are a group of genetic diseases characterized by a deficiency of N-linked protein glycosylation in the endoplasmic reticulum. The majority of these CDGS patients have phosphomannomutase (PMM) deficiency (type A). This enzyme is required for the synthesis of GDP-mannose, one of the substrates in the biosynthesis of the dolichol-linked oligosaccharide Glc3Man9GlcNAc2. This oligosaccharide serves as the donor substrate in the N-linked glycosylation process. We report on the biochemical characterization of a novel CDGS type I in fibroblasts of four related patients with normal PMM activity but a strongly reduced ability to synthesize glucosylated dolichol-linked oligosaccharide leading to accumulation of dolichol-linked Man9GlcNAc2. This deficiency in the synthesis of dolichol-linked Glc3Man9GlcNAc2 oligosaccharide explains the hypoglycosylation of serum proteins in these patients, because nonglucosylated oligosaccharides are suboptimal substrates in the protein glycosylation process, catalyzed by the oligosaccharyltransferase complex. Accordingly, the efficiency of N-linked protein glycosylation was found to be reduced in fibroblasts from these patients.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗
PubMed2002

Identification of an MIP-1alpha -binding heparan sulfate oligosaccharide that supports long-term in vitro maintenance of human LTC-ICs.

We previously showed that heparan sulfate (HS) is required for in vitro cytokine + chemokine-mediated maintenance of primitive human hematopoietic progenitors. However, HS preparations are mixtures of polysaccharide chains of varying size, structure, and protein-binding abilities. Therefore, we examined whether the long-term culture-initiating cells (LTC-IC) supportive capability of HS is attributable to an oligosaccharide of defined length and protein-binding ability. Oligosaccharides of a wide range of sizes were prepared, and their capability to support human marrow LTC-IC maintenance in the presence of low-dose cytokines and a single chemokine, macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha), was examined. LTC-IC supportive capability of HS oligosaccharides correlated directly with size and MIP-1alpha binding ability. A specific MIP-1alpha-binding HS oligosaccharide preparation of M(r) 10 kDa that optimally supported LTC-IC maintenance was identified. This oligosaccharide had the structure required for MIP-1alpha binding, which we have recently described. The present study defines the minimum size and structural features of LTC-IC supportive HS.

Antigens, CD34↗
PubMed1985

Variations in the oligosaccharides on free and combined alpha-subunits of human choriogonadotropin in pregnancy.

The glycoprotein hormone hCG and a free alpha-subunit are secreted by trophoblastic cells during pregnancy. We have purified the alpha-subunit of hCG and the free alpha-subunit population from pregnancy urine. Dissociation of hCG with 10 M urea at 37 C, followed by chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, resulted in separation of alpha- from beta-subunit, as hCG alpha does not bind to DEAE in the presence of urea, while beta-subunit does bind. Similar treatment of the free alpha population resulted in fractionation into two populations, a nonbinding fraction of free alpha and a population which was retained by DEAE in the presence of urea (free alpha 2). The three populations, hCG alpha, free alpha, and free alpha 2, were further purified by affinity chromatography using anti-alpha antisera linked to Sepharose. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the preparations showed that hCG alpha consisted of a single component with an apparent mol wt of 22,000, while free alpha and free alpha 2 consisted of multiple components. Radioactive labeling of sialic acid by limited periodate oxidation and NaB[3H]4 reduction resulted in a higher specific activity for free alpha than for hCG alpha, suggesting that free alpha contains more sialic acid per immunoreactive molecule than does alpha dissociated from hCG. [3H]hCG alpha, but not 3H-labeled free alpha, was able to combine with native hCG beta-subunit. The oligosaccharide moieties were released from the different labeled subunits by alkaline hydrolysis and then compared with respect to Concanavalin A (ConA)-binding and DEAE-binding properties. Most of the oligosaccharides from dissociated hCG alpha bound to ConA-Sepharose (72%), while less material from free alpha (40%) and even less from free alpha 2 (25%) were capable of binding to ConA. DEAE chromatography of the oligosaccharides suggested that hCG alpha contained primarily monosialylated forms (greater than 60%), while free alpha and alpha 2 contained primarily (greater than 70%) di- and trisialylated forms. Thus, the ConA and DEAE binding data indicated that the oligosaccharide contents of free alpha and free alpha 2 were quite different from that of hCG alpha. These results also suggest that some of the oligosaccharide structures contained on hCG alpha and most of those on free alpha and free alpha 2 differ substantially from the structures that have been previously described.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Rates of processing of the high mannose oligosaccharide units at the three glycosylation sites of mouse thyrotropin and the two sites of free alpha-subunits.

We have determined the structures of high mannose (Man) oligosaccharide units at individual glycosylation sites of mouse TSH. Mouse thyrotropic tumor tissue was incubated with D-[2-3H]Man with or without [14C]tyrosine ([14C] Tyr) for 2, 3, or 6 h, and for a 3-h pulse followed by a 2-h chase. TSH heterodimers or free alpha-subunits were obtained from homogenates using specific antisera. After reduction and alkylation, subunits were treated with trypsin. The tryptic fragments were then loaded on a reverse phase HPLC column to separate tryptic fragments bearing labeled oligosaccharides. The N-linked oligosaccharides were released with endoglycosidase-H and analyzed by paper chromatography. Man9GlcNac2 and Man8GlcNac2 units predominated at each time point and at each specific glycosylation site, but the processing of high Man oligosaccharides differed at each glycosylation site. The processing at Asn23 of TSH beta-subunits was slower than that at Asn56 or Asn82 of alpha-subunits. The processing at Asn82 was slightly faster than that at Asn56 for both alpha-subunits of TSH heterodimers and free alpha-subunits. The present study demonstrates that the early processing of oligosaccharides differs at the individual glycosylation sites of TSH and free alpha-subunits, perhaps because of local conformational differences.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

The role of the asparagine-linked oligosaccharides of the alpha-subunit in human thyrotropin bioactivity.

TSH and the gonadotropins (FSH, LH, and hCG) are a family of heterodimeric proteins that share a common alpha-subunit and differ in their hormone-specific beta-subunit. The asparagine-linked (N-linked) oligosaccharides on these hormones are important in signal transduction. The N-linked oligosaccharides on the alpha-subunit have no effect on hCG and hFSH receptor binding, but are critical for their biological activity. Here, we analyzed the role of alpha-subunit N-linked oligosaccharides in human TSH (hTSH) bioactivity by site-directed mutagenesis and gene transfer. This was achieved by mutating the asparagine (Asn) residue in the N-linked glycosylation consensus sequence (Asn-X-Thr/Ser) to aspartic acid. The wild-type hTSH and its variants were expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Wild-type alpha-subunit and its mutants (alpha 1, alpha 2, and alpha(1 + 2)) were efficiently combined with TSH beta-subunit and secreted as dimers. The bioactivity of TSH glycosylation variants was determined by measuring their abilities to stimulate cAMP formation and T3 secretion using a serum-free culture system of human thyroid follicles. Using this system, wild-type hTSH was significantly effective in the stimulation of cAMP formation and T3 secretion. Deletion of the oligosaccharide units from either site 1(alpha 1) or site 2(alpha 2) of the alpha-subunit increased the biological activity of the dimer by about 30%. However, deletion of carbohydrate units from both sites of hTSH alpha-subunit (alpha(1 + 2) resulted in a significant reduction in cAMP formation (by approximately 70%) and T3 secretion (by approximately 40%) compared to that with wild-type hTSH. These findings emphasize the importance of the alpha-subunit N-linked oligosaccharide chains on hTSH bioactivity.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Significant steroidogenic activity of luteinizing hormone is maintained after enzymatic removal of oligosaccharides.

Several reports have described the destruction of the N-linked oligosaccharides on glycoprotein hormones by hydrogen fluoride treatment and have noted the accompanying marked reduction, or complete loss, in biological activity. This has led to the concept that the oligosaccharides have an obligatory role in glycoprotein hormone steroidogenic function. Using a less radical and more complete method for removing sugar units, endoglycosidase treatment and ovine LH (oLH) and human LH (hLH) as examples, we examined the role of oligosaccharides in hormone function. Ovine LH and hLH were digested with endoglycosidase F. After treatment cleavage of oligosaccharides was demonstrated by compositional studies, greater than 87% cleavage was demonstrated and only N-acetylglucosamine or N-acetylglucosamine-Fucose shown to remain attached to the peptide, by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (appropriate size change) and by chromatofocusing (appearance of a single basic peak). Biological activities and relative potencies of preparations were then assessed in an in vitro assay, in which the ability of samples to promote testosterone production by testicular interstitial cells was measured. Although endoglycosidase F treatment reduced relative potencies 2- to 3-fold in the bioassay, (possibly in part due to subunit dissociation) it did not lessen abilities to induce maximal testosterone response (that of native hLH and oLH). These findings contrast with those obtained from hydrogen fluoride studies and indicate that the oligosaccharides, per se, do not play an obligatory role in the steroidogenic activity of LH.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Structural reinvestigation of the core oligosaccharide of a mutant form of Aeromonas salmonicida lipopolysaccharide containing an O-4 phosphorylated and O-5 substituted Kdo reducing end group using electrospray QqTOF-MS/MS.

The molecular structure of the mutant form of the lipopolysaccharide of Aeromonas salmonicida was determined to contain an O-4 phosphorylated and O-5 substituted Kdo reducing group, and is proposed as the following: [molecular structure: see text] It was established that during the cleavage of this LPS with 1% acetic acid, to release the core oligosaccharide from the Lipid A portion, we obtained a degraded core oligosaccharide which eliminated its phosphate group with extreme facility. The precise molecular structure of this dephosphorylated core was deduced by electrospray mass spectrometry and is proposed as the following:[molecular structure: see text] Low energy collision ESI-QqTOF-MS/MS analysis of the dephosphorylated core oligosaccharide confirmed the presence of the O-5 glycosylated 4,8- and 4,7-anhydro derivatives of the enolizable alpha-keto-acids. The CID tandem mass spectrometric analysis of the heterogeneous mixture of the permethylated core oligosaccharide established the unreported methylation reaction on the diastereomeric 4,8- and 4,7-anhydro alpha-keto-acids and the complete permethylation and addition reaction of the O-5 glycosylated open chain reducing end terminal D-arabino-3-en-2-ulonic acid. The stereo-specific fragmentation routes obtained during the tandem mass spectrometric analysis permitted the precise sequencing of this dephosphorylated rough core oligosaccharide of the mutant LPS of A. salmonicida.

Aeromonas↗
PubMed1996

Site-directed mutagenesis of recombinant equine chorionic gonadotropin/luteinizing hormone: differential role of oligosaccharides in luteinizing hormone- and follicle-stimulating hormone-like activities.

Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) consists of highly glycosylated alpha- and beta-subunits and belongs to the glycoprotein hormone family that includes LH and FSH. eCG is a unique member of the gonadotropin family because it elicits response characteristics of both FSH and LH in other species than the horse. To determine the biological role of the N-linked oligosaccharide at Asn 56 of the alpha-subunit and O-linked oligosaccharides at the carboxyl-terminal peptide (CTP) of the beta-subunit, two mutant eCGs, in which Asn 56 of the alpha-subunit was replaced with Gln (eCG alpha 56/beta) or CTP was deleted (eCG alpha/ beta-CTP), were produced by site-directed mutagenesis and transfecting chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells. LH- and FSH-like activities were assayed in terms of testosterone production and aromatase activity in primary cultured rat Leydig cells and granulosa cells, respectively. The wild type eCG showed similar LH- and FSH-like activities to native eCG in the in vitro bioassays. The LH-like activity of eCG alpha 56/beta was greatly reduced, whereas that of eCG alpha/beta-CTP was unaffected, demonstrating that the oligosaccharide at Asn 56 of the alpha-subunit of eCG plays an indispensable role in LH-like activity. Interestingly, the FSH-like activity of eCG alpha 56/beta was increased markedly in comparison with the wild type, and that of eCG alpha/beta-CTP was also considerably increased. These data indicate that the dual activities of eCG, LH- and FSH-like activities, could be separated by removal of the N-linked oligosaccharide on the alpha-subunit Asn 56 or CTP-associated O-linked oligosaccharides.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Recent developments in oligosaccharide synthesis: tactics, solid-phase synthesis and library synthesis.

Oligosaccharides, commonly found on the cell surfaces, are deeply involved in a variety of important biological functions, yet demanding difficulties synthesizing such structures limit the investigation of their functions. Technologies to chemically synthesize these oligosaccharides have dramatically advanced during the last two decades mainly due to the introduction of good anomeric leaving groups. In addition, tactical analyses have been addressed to enhance the overall efficiency of oligosaccharide synthesis. Based on the advancement of solution-phase chemistry, solid-phase technologies are being investigated in connection with the current trend of combinatorial chemistry and high throughput screening. This review summarizes the necessary solution-phase methodologies, the status of solid-phase synthesis of oligosaccharides, and combinatorial synthesis of oligosaccharide libraries.

Biochemistry↗