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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1985

Association-dissociation modulation of enzyme activity: case of lactose synthase.

Lactose synthase was found to show anomeric preference for beta-D-glucose. This information was utilized in the design of methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, and pentyl N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminides, which were subsequently demonstrated to be substrates for galactosyltransferase with apparent Km values in the low millimolar range. alpha-Lactalbumin competitively inhibits the transferase activity against these N-acetylglucosamine derivatives. This pattern of inhibition has also been observed when the dimer, trimer, and tetramer of N-acetylglucosamine and ovomucoid served as the galactose acceptor. The data suggest that the binding of alpha-lactalbumin and the N-acetylglucosamine derivatives is mutually exclusive. This assertion is further supported by the inability of methyl and butyl N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminides to facilitate retention of galactosyltransferase on a column of alpha-lactalbumin immobilized onto Sepharose. Free N-acetylglucosamine, on the other hand, does cause retention of the transferase under the same conditions. Thus, alpha-lactalbumin must bind to a region on galactosyltransferase in close proximity to the monosaccharide binding site and exert its substrate-specifying action through competitive and mutually exclusive binding with the N-acetylglucosamine analogues accompanied by an increased affinity for glucose. In short, our substrate analogue studies have revealed that the association-dissociation modulation of galactosyltransferase activity is effected through a topographical blockade of glycoprotein binding by alpha-lactalbumin.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Crystal structures of guinea-pig, goat and bovine alpha-lactalbumin highlight the enhanced conformational flexibility of regions that are significant for its action in lactose synthase.

BACKGROUND: The regulation of milk lactose biosynthesis is highly dependent on the action of a specifier protein, alpha-lactalbumin (LA). Together with a glycosyltransferase, LA forms the enzyme complex lactose synthase. LA promotes the binding of glucose to the complex and facilitates the biosynthesis of lactose. To gain further insight into the molecular basis of LA function in lactose synthase we have determined the structures of three species variants of LA. RESULTS: The crystal structures of guinea-pig, goat and a recombinant from of bovine LA have been determined using molecular replacement techniques. Overall, the structures are very similar and reflect their high degree of amino acid sequence identity (66-94%). Nonetheless, the structures show that a portion of the molecule (residues 105-110), known to be important for function, exhibits a variety of distinct conformers. This region lies adjacent to two residues (Phe31 and His32) that have been implicated in monosaccharide binding by lactose synthase and its conformation has significant effects on the environments of these functional groups. The crystal structures also demonstrate that residues currently implicated in LA's modulatory properties are located in a region of the structure that has relatively high thermal parameters and is therefore probably flexible in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: LA's proposed interaction site for the catalytic component of the lactose synthase complex is primarily located in the flexible C-terminal portion of the molecule. This general observation implies that conformational adjustments may be important for the formation and function of lactose synthase.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Biosynthesis of lactosylceramide and paragloboside by human lactose synthase A protein.

Lactosylceramide and paragloboside were synthesized from their precursor glycolipids and UDP-galactose by lactose synthase A protein [UDP-Gal : GlcNAc beta-4-galactosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.22] purified to homogeneity from human plasma. The partially purified human liver enzyme and an extract from human lymphoblastoid cells also exhibited the above activities. Rabbit antibody against the purified human plasma lactose synthase A protein neutralized the glycolipid synthesis activity as well as the activity for lactose synthesis by the enzyme preparations from plasma, liver and lymphoblastoid cells. These results suggest that lactose synthase A protein existing in plasma, liver and lymphoblastoid cells can synthesize not only lactose but also lactosylceramide and paragloboside in vitro. The enzyme could play a role in the synthesis of these two glycolipids in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Crystal structure of lactose synthase reveals a large conformational change in its catalytic component, the beta1,4-galactosyltransferase-I.

The lactose synthase (LS) enzyme is a 1:1 complex of a catalytic component, beta1,4-galactosyltransferse (beta4Gal-T1) and a regulatory component, alpha-lactalbumin (LA), a mammary gland-specific protein. LA promotes the binding of glucose (Glc) to beta4Gal-T1, thereby altering its sugar acceptor specificity from N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) to glucose, which enables LS to synthesize lactose, the major carbohydrate component of milk. The crystal structures of LS bound with various substrates were solved at 2 A resolution. These structures reveal that upon substrate binding to beta4Gal-T1, a large conformational change occurs in the region comprising residues 345 to 365. This repositions His347 in such a way that it can participate in the coordination of a metal ion, and creates a sugar and LA-binding site. At the sugar-acceptor binding site, a hydrophobic N-acetyl group-binding pocket is found, formed by residues Arg359, Phe360 and Ile363. In the Glc-bound structure, this hydrophobic pocket is absent. For the binding of Glc to LS, a reorientation of the Arg359 side-chain occurs, which blocks the hydrophobic pocket and maximizes the interactions with the Glc molecule. Thus, the role of LA is to hold Glc by hydrogen bonding with the O-1 hydroxyl group in the acceptor-binding site on beta4Gal-T1, while the N-acetyl group-binding pocket in beta4Gal-T1 adjusts to maximize the interactions with the Glc molecule. This study provides details of a structural basis for the partially ordered kinetic mechanism proposed for lactose synthase.

Acetylglucosamine↗
PubMed1983

Photoaffinity labeling of lactose synthase with a UDP-galactose analogue.

A photoaffinity analogue of UDP-galactose, 4-azido-2-nitrophenyluridylyl pyrophosphate (ANUP), has been synthesized for the investigation of the binding topography of alpha-lactalbumin on galactosyltransferase. Results obtained from steady state kinetics show that ANUP is an effective competitive inhibitor against UDP-galactose in the reactions of lactose and N-acetyllactosamine syntheses. The specific binding of ANUP to the UDP-galactose-binding site is further demonstrated by its ability to facilitate the formation of the lactose synthase complex on solid supports, either alone or in the presence of glucose or N-acetyl-glucosamine. ANUP inactivates galactosyltransferase on irradiation. One mole of ANUP was incorporated per mol of enzyme inactivated. This process is Mn2+-dependent and can be prevented by UDP-galactose. Glucose and N-acetylglucosamine render only partial protection. Photoaffinity labeling of lactose synthase either free in solution or immobilized on Sepharose does not result in any reduction of the alpha-lactalbumin modifier activity. In addition, no incorporation of radioactivity into alpha-lactalbumin was observed when radioactive ANUP was used, whereas galactosyltransferase was labeled. These data indicate that alpha-lactalbumin does not bind to galactosyltransferase in the region of the ANUP site, suggesting that the location of protein-protein interaction between the two subunits of lactose synthase may be removed from the UDP-galactose-binding domain.

Affinity Labels↗
PubMed1980

Synthesis of 4-deoxy-D-xylo-hexose and 4-azido-4-deoxy-D-glucose and their effects on lactose synthase.

Syntheses are reported of 4-deoxy-D-xylo-hexose and 4-azido-4-deoxy-D-glucose as potential inhibitors for lactose synthase [uridine 5'-(alpha-D-galactopyranosyl pyrophosphate):D-glucose 4-beta-D-galactopyranosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.22]. These syntheses involved SN2 displacement of the 4-methylsulfonyloxy group of methyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-4-O-methylsulfonyl-alpha-D-galactopyranoside by iodide and azide ions. In both cases, inversion in configuration was observed. The resulting intermediates, methyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-4-deoxy-4-iodo-alpha-D-glucopyranoside and methyl 4-azido-2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-4-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranoside, were obtained in crystalline form. Both 4-deoxy-D-xylo-hexose and 4-azido-4-deoxy-D-glucose were found to be inhibitors for lactose synthase in the presence of alpha-lactalbumin, but had no effect in the absence of alpha-lactalbumin. Both D-glucose analogues bind to the enzyme system far more weakly than D-glucose, suggesting that the recognition of the 4-OH group of the acceptor substrate is an important factor in binding.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

A label selection procedure for determining the location of protein-protein interaction sites by cross-linking with bisimidoesters. Application to lactose synthase.

A procedure is described that is designed to identify the primary site of cross-linking by bisimidoesters of a component of an interacting protein system. It is based on the mutually exclusive nature of acetylation and amidination. The procedure has been applied to the regulatory protein of lactose synthase, alpha-lactalbumin. A sample of bovine alpha-lactalbumin was acetylated with a trace amount of high specific activity [3H]acetic anhydride to produce a population of protein molecules essentially all of which contain 0 to 1 acetyl group; partial labeling of all 13 amino groups was obtained. This material was mixed with bovine colostrum galactosyltransferase in the presence of Mn2+, UDP-glucose, and N-acetylglucosamine, at pH 8.0, to promote complex formation and was cross-linked with dimethyl 3,3'-dithiobispropionimidate. Covalently cross-linked alpha-lactalbumin-galactosyltransferase (1:1) complex with characteristic enzymic and other properties was purified from the reaction mixture, and the distribution of [3H]acetyl label on each amino group of the alpha-lactalbumin component was determined, using procedures similar to those described in previous differential labeling studies (Richardson, R., and Brew, K. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 3377-3385). In comparison with the original labeled sample used for cross-linking, the specific activity of tritium label in 10 amino groups showed little change, whereas the labeling of three groups was changed markedly. The acetyl moiety on the epsilon-amino groups of lysines 5 and 108 showed major decreases in specific activity while that of lysine 114 was greatly increased. Similar results were obtained when the cross-linking was performed under different conditions of temperature, and cross-linker concentration. As the changes in lysines 5 and 114 are similar to those observed in differential labeling, they are attributed to alterations in the affinity for galactosyltransferase resulting from acetylation of these groups. In contrast, lysine 108, which is not sufficiently close to the interaction site to be perturbed in differential labeling studies but is greatly decreased in tritium content in the cross-linked complex, appears to represent the major site through which alpha-lactalbumin is cross-linked to galactosyltransferase as a result of the exclusion of protein molecules acetylated in this position from covalent cross-linking. Studies with a homologous series of bisimidoesters indicate that lysine 108 is situated 6.1 to 7.3 A degrees from an amino group on galactosyltransferase in the cross-linked complex. The general utility of the procedure and the nature of the interaction site in lactose synthase are discussed.

Acetylation↗
PubMed1984

The lactose synthase acceptor site: a structural map derived from acceptor studies.

A pictorial map of the lactose synthase (galactosyl transferase) acceptor binding site has been formulated from this and published studies on substrate analogs and inhibitors. The basic requirements are a pyranose, thiopyranose or inositol ring structure and equatorial substituents (if any) at C-2, C-3, C-4, and C-5. The aglycone (at C-1) may be either alpha or beta-, but alpha- is somewhat preferred. In the absence of alpha-lactalbumin galactosyl transferase will accept long chain 2-N-acyl substituents on the glucosamine (GlcNH2) structure. An equatorial amino or N-acetyl substituent (e.g. mannosamine, N-acetylmannosamine) is also a suitable acceptor in the absence of alpha-lactalbumin since both N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmannosamine have complementary binding loci for the N-acyl moiety. The aglycone moiety must be equatorial (beta-configuration). However, upon alpha-lactalbumin binding the aglycone specificity allows for axial (alpha-configuration) as well as equatorial substituents. Furthermore, the 2-N-acyl substituent binding locus is blocked beyond a 2-N-hexanoyl group. It is suggested that alpha-lactalbumin binds to a hydrophobic site some distance from the C-2 group.

Acetylglucosamine↗
PubMed1983

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for lactose synthase (galactosyltransferase) in serum and its application as a tumor marker in ovarian carcinoma.

This assay for lactose synthase (galactosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.22) in serum involves two sequential incubations: serially diluted standard or sample antigen is reacted with a fixed amount of antibody; unbound antibody is then adsorbed to wells of antigen-coated microtiter plates and determined by a second antibody directed against the first antibody and coupled to phosphatase. The standard curve is linear for galactosyltransferase concentrations of 10 to 600 micrograms/L. The within-assay CV of a serum sample was 9.3% (SD 4.1%), the between-assay was 3.8% (SD 2.4%). Serum galactosyltransferase concentrations computed from three different dilutions yielded CVs of 6.5% (SD 5.7%, n = 14). We evaluated the method's accuracy by recovery analysis and by comparing enzyme activity in serum with that of purified galactosyltransferase from human milk. The normal reference interval, as estimated from data on 27 healthy blood donors, was 60-436 micrograms/L (mean 224, SD 101 micrograms/L). We applied the assay to samples of serum from ovarian carcinoma patients grouped according to tumor burden. We also determined galactosyltransferase in ascites fluid and found these values useful for diagnosis, whereas determinations in serum may serve mainly for patient monitoring.

Ascitic Fluid↗
PubMed2002

Beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase and lactose synthase: molecular mechanical devices.

Recent structural investigations on the beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase-1 (Gal-T1) and lactose synthase (LS) have revealed that they are akin to an exquisite mechanical device with two well-coordinated flexible loops that are contained within the Gal-T1 catalytic domain. The smaller one has a Trp residue (Trp314) flanked by glycine residues. The larger one comprises amino acid residues 345 to 365. Upon substrate binding, the Trp314 side chain moves to lock the sugar nucleotide in the binding site, while the large loop undergoes a conformational change, masking the sugar nucleotide binding site, and creates (i) the oligosaccharide binding cavity; (ii) a protein-protein interacting site for the enzyme's partner, alpha-lactalbumin (LA); and (iii) a metal ion binding site. Only in conformation II do Gal-T1 and LA form the LS complex, enabling Gal-T1 to choose the new substrate glucose. LA holds and puts Glc right in the acceptor binding site of Gal-T1, which then maximizes the interactions with Glc, thereby making it a preferred acceptor for the LS reaction. The interaction of LA with Gal-T1 in conformation II also stabilizes the sugar-nucleotide-enzyme complex, kinetically enhancing the sugar transfer, even from the less preferred sugar nucleotides. The conformational change that masks the sugar nucleotide binding site can also be induced by the acceptor alone, thus making it possible for the protein to act as a specific lectin.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Immobilized bovine lactose synthase. A method of topographical analysis of the active site.

Bovine galactosyltransferase (UDPgalactose: D-glucose 4beta-galactosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.22) was covalently coupled to Sepharose 4B by reaction at pH 5.0 with the activated mixed disulfide Sepharose-glutathione-2(5-nitropyridyl)-disulfide. The Sepharose-protein conjugate was presumably coupled via the unique highly reactive cysteine of those thiols on the bovine enzyme. The gel-bound N-acetyllactosamine and lactose synthase activity of about 0.4% was consistent with the affects of diffusion and the 90% activity reduction noted upon thiol modification of the dissolved enzyme. The residual lactose biosynthetic activity of the bound enzyme appeared possible only if the reactive thiol were physically distinct from the active site since the bulky Sepharose-glutathione group must not obscure the alpha-lactalbumin binding region.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Nitration of tyrosyl residues in human alpha-lactalbumin. Effect on lactose synthase specifier activity.

Alpha-Lactalbumin isolated from human milk was reacted with tetranitromethane in molar excess of 8-32 mol/mol of tyrosine. After gel filtration on Sephadex G-75, followed by chromatographic fractionation using DEAE-Sephadex A-25, three main components were separated, which differed from one another in the extent of nitration. These protein fractions were found to contain, respectively, one and two nitrotyrosine residues, or two nitrotyrosine residues together with one nitrotryptophan. The lactose synthase specifier activity of each of these components was measured and compared with that of unsubstituted alpha-lactalbumin. Comparison of kinetic parameters showed the chemically modified proteins to be only slightly less active when tyrosines were the sole residues modified. In sharp contrast the additional nitration of a single tryptophan residue totally abolished the specifying activity of alpha-lactalbumin. Circular dichroism spectra of the tryptophan derivative revealed some structural alteration when compared with the other two and with the native protein. The conclusion could also be confirmed by using a double-immunodiffusion technique. After hydrolysis of the derivatives with thermolysin, it was possible to localize the substituted residues in the known sequence of human alpha-lactalbumin. Tyrosine-103 was found to be more easily nitrated than tyrosine-18. These two residues seem, therefore, to be on the outer surface of the molecule and more exposed than tyrosine-36 and tyrosine-50. Some precautions are indicated in the use of tetranitromethane as a nitrating agent on the basis of complex products observed in the nitration of the free amino acids tyrosine and tryptophan and their derivatives.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1983

Use of concanavalin A as a topographical probe for protein-protein interaction. Application to lactose synthase.

Galactosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.38) has been shown to bind to Con A-Sepharose. Concentrations of methyl-alpha-mannoside greater than 0.7 M were required to release the enzyme from the immobilized lectin. Molecular weight determination by gel filtration revealed that galactosyltransferase formed a 1:1 complex with concanavalin A. Preincubation of the enzyme with excess concanavalin A did not affect its catalytic activity either in the presence or absence of alpha-lactalbumin. The galactosyltransferase-concanavalin A complex was retained on an alpha-lactalbumin-Sepharose column in the presence of N-acetylglucosamine and manganese chloride and was eluted from the column in their absence. Galactosyltransferase immobilized onto a Con A-Sepharose was still active either in the presence or absence of alpha-lactalbumin. Lactose synthase activity was also observed when the galactosyltransferase-concanavalin A complex was assayed with alpha-lactalbumin immobilized on Sepharose. These data indicate that the carbohydrate moiety of galactosyltransferase is involved in neither the catalytic process nor the binding of alpha-lactalbumin and must be linked to the enzyme at a location where it does not present any steric hindrance on the binding of concanavalin A, either free or immobilized on Sepharose.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Lactose synthase: effect of alpha-lactalbumin on substrate activity of N-acylglucosamines.

N-Acetyl-, N-propionyl-, N-butyryl- and N-valerylglucosamines were synthesized as topographical probes to localize further the interaction site of alpha-lactalbumin on galactosyltransferase. All these compounds were found to be substrates for galactosyltransferase with Km values in the millimolar range. In the presence of alpha-lactalbumin, the Michaelis-Menten constants were diminished. However, the effect on the initial rates of these reactions varied. Thus, at low N-acylglucosamine concentrations, alpha-lactalbumin activated the enzyme activity, but at high concentrations, alpha-lactalbumin became inhibitory. This mixed-type inhibition kinetics indicated that a quaternary complex between galactosyltransferase, alpha-lactalbumin, Mn2+-UDPgalactose and N-acylglucosamine existed during the catalytic process. The ability of these N-acylglucosamine substrates to bind to lactose synthase complex was further substantiated by the physical association of galactosyltransferase onto the solid-bound alpha-lactalbumin in the presence of any one of these compounds. The data revealed that the presence of the N-acyl group up to five carbons in length did not interfere with the interaction between alpha-lactalbumin and galactosyltransferase, suggesting that alpha-lactalbumin was not bound in the vicinity of the C-2 region of the monosaccharide site. The inhibitory effect of alpha-lactalbumin on N-acyllactosamine formation is probably a consequence of conformational changes of galactosyltransferase.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Structure-function relationships in lactose synthase. Structural requirements of the uridine 5'-diphosphate galactose binding site.

The structural requirements for the donor pyranosyl moiety of UDP-Gal in either galactosyl transfer or "lactose" biosynthesis have been determined. The 4"-deoxy analogue, UDP-4"-deoxyglucose, was synthesized and fully characterized as a donor substrate for galactosyltransferase. The relative rate of deoxyglucosyl transfer to glucose or GlcNAc acceptors was 5.5 +/- 0.6% of that of UDP-Gal as the substrate, with Km values in the same range as that for UDP-Gal or UDP-Glc. Several conclusions may be drawn as to the detailed structural requirements of the UDP-Gal binding site: an axial 4"-hydroxyl group on the pyranosyl moiety is necessary for precise substrate alignment as is also an equatorial 6"-CH2OH moiety. Where one or the other moiety was lacking (UDP-dGlc or UDP-Arab), the maximal rate of glycosyl transfer was ca. 1/20th that of UDP-Gal.

Binding Sites↗