Biomedical subjects

Masanori Gotoh

Publications and source records attributed to Masanori Gotoh.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Chondroitin sulfate N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase-1 plays a critical role in chondroitin sulfate synthesis in cartilage.

Cartilage destruction leads to severe joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis and spinal disorders with back pain, and cartilage regeneration is very inefficient. A major component of the cartilage extracellular matrix is the proteoglycan aggrecan that contains approximately 100 chondroitin sulfate (CS) chains, which impart water absorption and resistance to compression. Here, we demonstrate that chondroitin sulfate N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase-1 (CSGalNAcT-1) plays a critical role in CS biosynthesis in cartilage. By in situ hybridization and real time reverse transcription-PCR of developing cartilage, CSGalNAcT-1 exhibited the highest level of expression. Its expression in chondrogenic ATDC5 cells correlated well with that of aggrecan core protein. In heterozygote and homozygote aggrecan-null cartilage where aggrecan transcription is decreased, CSGalNAcT-1 transcription diminished accordingly. Overexpression of the enzyme in chondrocytic cells further enhanced CS biosynthesis but not that of the aggrecan core protein, indicating that the enzyme activity is not saturated in the cells and that aggrecan synthesized in the overexpressing cells is heavier than the native molecule. Analysis of the CS chains synthesized in the overexpressing cells by gel chromatography and that of disaccharide composition revealed that the CS chains had similar length and sulfation patterns. Furthermore, adenoviral gene delivery of the enzyme into intervertebral discs displayed a substantial increase in the level of CS biosynthesis. These observations indicate that CSGalNAcT-1 overexpression increases the number of CS chains attached to aggrecan core protein. Our studies may lead to a new therapeutic intervention, ameliorating the outcome of cartilage degenerative diseases.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel human beta1,3-glucosyltransferase, which is localized at the endoplasmic reticulum and glucosylates O-linked fucosylglycan on thrombospondin type 1 repeat domain.

Protein O-linked fucosylation is an unusual glycosylation associated with many important biological functions such as Notch signaling. Two fucosylation pathways synthesizing O-fucosylglycans have been reported on cystein-knotted proteins, that is, on epidermal growth factor-like (EGF-like) domains and on thrombospondin Type 1 repeat (TSR) domains. We report here the molecular cloning and characterization of a novel beta1,3-glucosyltransferase (beta3Glc-T) that synthesizes a Glcbeta1,3Fucalpha- structure on the TSR domain. We found a novel glycosyltransferase gene with beta1,3-glycosyltransferase (beta3GT) motifs in databases. The recombinant enzyme expressed in human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK293T) cells exhibited glucosyltransferase activity toward fucose-alpha-para-nitrophenyl (Fucalpha-pNp). Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) analysis revealed that the product of the recombinant enzyme migrated to the same position as did the product of endogenous beta3Glc-T of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The two products could be digested by beta-glucosidase from almond and by exo-1,3-beta-glucanase from Trichoderma sp. These results strongly suggested that the product has the structure of Glcbeta1-3Fuc. Therefore, we named this novel enzyme beta3Glc-T. Immunostaining revealed that FLAG-tagged beta3Glc-T is an enzyme residing in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) via retention signal, "REEL," which is a KDEL-like sequence, at the C-terminus. The TSR domain expressed in Escherichia coli was first fucosylated by the recombinant protein O-fucosyltransferase 2 (POFUT2), after which it became an acceptor substrate for the recombinant beta3Glc-T, which could apparently transfer Glc to the fucosylated TSR domain. Our results suggest that a novel glycosyltransferase, beta3Glc-T, contributes to the elongation of O-fucosylglycan and that this occurs specifically on TSR domains.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Apical Golgi localization of N,N'-diacetyllactosediamine synthase, beta4GalNAc-T3, is responsible for LacdiNAc expression on gastric mucosa.

beta1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase III (beta4GalNAc-T3), which was recently cloned and identified, exhibits GalNAc transferase activity toward a GlcNAcbeta residue with beta1,4-linkage, forming the N,N'-diacetyllactosediamine, GalNAcbeta1,4GlcNAc (LacdiNAc or LDN). Though LacdiNAc has not been found in the gastric mucosa, a large amount of transcript was detected in our previous study. To increase our knowledge of beta4GalNAc-T3 expression and its product LacdiNAc, we examined the exact localization of beta4GalNAc-T3 in human gastric mucosa using a newly developed antibody, monoclonal antibody (mAb) K1356. This antibody specifically detected the enzyme that transfected the beta4GalNAc-T3 gene into MKN45 cells, and the terminal betaGalNAc epitope yielded on the cell surface was recognized by a lectin, Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA). beta4GalNAc-T3 was localized in the supra-nuclear region of surface mucous cells in gastric mucosa, and WFA positively stained the mucins secreted by the cells. In contrast, in the cells of the glandular compartment in the fundic glands and a few cells in the pyloric glands, beta4GalNAc-T3 was observed in the basolateral position of the nucleus, where no WFA reactivity was detected. The anti-Tn (GalNAcalpha-O-Ser/Thr) antibody staining did not overlap with the WFA staining. By measuring the binding activity of WFA using automated frontal affinity chromatography (FAC), we found WFA to bind most strongly LacdiNAc among the sugar chains examined. Neither beta4GalNAc-T3 nor WFA-positive staining was detected in intestinal metaplastic cells. These results suggest that the supra-nuclear expression of beta4GalNAc-T3 is essential for the formation of LacdiNAc on the surface mucous cells and that LacdiNAc and beta4GalNAc-T3 are novel differentiation markers of surface mucous cells in the gastric mucosa.

Antigens, Differentiation↗

PubMed2005

A novel beta1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (beta3Gn-T8), which synthesizes poly-N-acetyllactosamine, is dramatically upregulated in colon cancer.

A new member of the UDP-N-acetylglucosamine: beta-galactose beta1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (beta3Gn-T) family having the beta3-glycosyltransferase motifs was identified using an in silico method. This novel beta3Gn-T was cloned from a human colon cancer cell line and named beta3Gn-T8 based on its position in a phylogenetic tree and enzymatic activity. Beta3Gn-T8 transfers GlcNAc to the non-reducing terminus of the Galbeta1-4GlcNAc of tetraantennary N-glycan in vitro. HCT15 cells transfected with beta3Gn-T8 cDNA showed an increase in reactivity to both LEA and PHA-L4 in a flow cytometric analysis. These results indicated that beta3Gn-T8 is involved in the biosynthesis of poly-N-acetyllactosamine chains on tetraantennary (beta1,6-branched) N-glycan. In most of the colorectal cancer tissues examined, the level of beta3Gn-T8 transcript was significantly higher than in normal tissue. Beta3Gn-T8 could be an enzyme involved in the synthesis of poly-N-acetyllactosamine on beta1-6 branched N-glycans in colon cancer.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Molecular cloning and characterization of beta1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases IV synthesizing N,N'-diacetyllactosediamine.

A sequence highly homologous to beta1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase III (beta4GalNAc-T3) was found in a database of human expressed sequence tags. The full-length open reading frame of the gene, beta4GalNAc-T4 (GenBank accession number AB089939), was cloned using the 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends method. It encodes a typical type II transmembrane protein of 1039 amino acids having 42.6% identity with beta4GalNAc-T3. The recombinant enzyme transferred N-acetylgalactosamine to N-acetylglucosamine-beta-benzyl with a beta1,4-linkage to form N,N'-diacetyllactosediamine as did beta4GalNAc-T3. In specificity toward oligosaccharide acceptor substrates, it was quite similar to beta4GalNAc-T3 in vitro, however, the tissue distributions of the two enzymes were quite different. These results indicated that the two enzymes have similar roles in different tissues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2004

A novel human beta1,3-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase that synthesizes a unique carbohydrate structure, GalNAcbeta1-3GlcNAc.

We found, using a BLAST search, a novel human gene (GenBank trade mark accession number BC029564) that possesses beta3-glycosyltransferase motifs. The full-length open reading frame consists of 500 amino acids and encodes a typical type II membrane protein. This enzyme has a domain containing beta1,3-glycosyltransferase motifs, which are widely conserved in the beta1,3-galactosyltransferase and beta1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase families. The putative catalytic domain was expressed in human embryonic kidney 293T cells as a soluble protein. Its N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase activity was observed when N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) beta1-O-benzyl was used as an acceptor substrate. The enzyme product was determined to have a beta1,3-linkage by NMR spectroscopic analysis, and was therefore named beta1,3-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase-II (beta3GalNAc-T2). The acceptor substrate specificity of beta3GalNAc-T2 was examined using various oligosaccharide substrates. Galbeta1-3(GlcNAcbeta1-6)GalNAcalpha1-O-para-nitrophenyl (core 2-pNP) was the best acceptor substrate for beta3GalNAc-T2, followed by GlcNAcbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-O-benzyl, and GlcNAcbeta1-6GalNAcalpha1-O-para-nitrophenyl (core 6-pNP), among the tested oligosaccharide substrates. Quantitative real time PCR analysis revealed that the beta3Gal-NAc-T2 transcripts was restricted in its distribution mainly to the testis, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and ovary. Its putative orthologous gene, mbeta3GalNAc-T2, was also found in a data base of mouse expressed sequence tags. In situ hybridization analysis with mouse testis showed that the transcripts are expressed in germ line cells. beta3GalNAc-T2 efficiently transferred GalNAc to N-glycans of fetal calf fetuin, which was treated with neuraminidase and beta-galactosidase. However, it showed no activity toward any glycolipid examined. Although the GalNAcbeta1-3GlcNAcbeta1-R structure has not been reported in humans or other mammals, we have discovered a novel human glycosyltransferase producing this structure on N- and O-glycans.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

A BMP-4-dependent transcriptional control element in the 5' flanking region of Xenopus SCL gene.

We isolated 5.5kb genomic DNA fragment of Xenopus stem cell leukemia (SCL) that contains approximately 1.5kb of the 5' flanking region and 4.0kb of the first intron between a non-coding exon (exon 1) and a coding exon (exon 2). Sequencing result of the 5' flanking region has shown that there is a portion that shares 85% and 69% with the sequences of avian and mammalian genomes of SCL promoter region (-64 to +73). The 1.5kb 5' flanking region of SCL genome and various deletion constructs were inserted at the upstream of luciferase (luc) gene and used for the reporter assay. The reporter activity was first detected at the neurula stage in the embryos injected with -167+157/luc at the 2-cell stage and the values increased as the stages advanced. The experiments using dominant-negative constructs revealed that the activation of SCL transcription via the 5' flanking region requires the BMP-4 and GATA factors. Taken together with the in situ hybridization analysis indicating that expression of SCL was downregulated in the central nervous system in BMP-depleted embryos, the proximal sequence of SCL consists of a stage-dependent and BMP signaling-dependent control element.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Comparison of glycosyltransferase families using the profile hidden Markov model.

In order to investigate the relationship between glycosyltransferase families and the motif for them, we classified 47 glycosyltransferase families in the CAZy database into four superfamilies, GTS-A, -B, -C, and -D, using a profile Hidden Markov Model method. On the basis of the classification and the similarity between GTS-A and nucleotidylyltransferase family catalyzing the synthesis of nucleotide-sugar, we proposed that ancient oligosaccharide might have been synthesized by the origin of GTS-B whereas the origin of GTS-A might be the gene encoding for synthesis of nucleotide-sugar as the donor and have evolved to glycosyltransferases to catalyze the synthesis of divergent carbohydrates. We also suggested that the divergent evolution of each superfamily in the corresponding subcellular component has increased the complexities of eukaryotic carbohydrate structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel human beta 1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase, beta 4GalNAc-T3, responsible for the synthesis of N,N'-diacetyllactosediamine, galNAc beta 1-4GlcNAc.

We found a novel human glycosyltransferase gene carrying a hypothetical beta1,4-glycosyltransferase motif during a BLAST search, and we cloned its full-length open reading frame by using the 5'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends method. It encodes a type II transmembrane protein of 999 amino acids with homology to chondroitin sulfate synthase in its C-terminal region (GenBank accession number AB089940). Its putative orthologous gene was also found in mouse (accession number AB114826). The truncated form of the human enzyme was expressed in HEK293T cells as a soluble protein. The recombinant enzyme transferred GalNAc to GlcNAc beta-benzyl. The product was deduced to be GalNAc beta 1-4GlcNAc beta-benzyl based on mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. We renamed the enzyme beta1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase-III (beta 4GalNAc-T3). beta 4GalNAc-T3 effectively synthesized N,N'-diacetylgalactosediamine, GalNAc beta 1-4GlcNAc, at non-reducing termini of various acceptors derived not only from N-glycans but also from O-glycans. Quantitative real time PCR analysis showed that its transcript was highly expressed in stomach, colon, and testis. As some glycohormones contain N,N'-diacetylgalactosediamine structures in their N-glycans, we examined the ability of beta 4GalNAc-T3 to synthesize N,N'-diacetylgalactosediamine structures in N-glycans on a model protein. When fetal calf fetuin treated with neuraminidase and beta1,4-galactosidase was utilized as an acceptor protein, beta 4GalNAc-T3 transferred GalNAc to it. Furthermore, the majority of the signal from GalNAc disappeared on treatment with glycopeptidase F. These results suggest that beta 4GalNAc-T3 could transfer GalNAc residues, producing N,N'-diacetylgalactosediamine structures at least in N-glycans and probably in both N- and O-glycans.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

Chondroitin sulfate synthase-3. Molecular cloning and characterization.

Recently, it has become evident that chondroitin sulfate (CS) glycosyltransferases, which transfer glucuronic acid and/or N-acetylgalactosamine residues from each UDP-sugar to the nonreducing terminus of the CS chain, form a gene family. We report here a novel human gene (GenBank trade mark accession number AB086062) that possesses a sequence homologous with the human chondroitin sulfate synthase-1 (CSS1) gene, formerly known as chondroitin synthase. The full-length open reading frame consists of 882 amino acids and encodes a typical type II membrane protein. This enzyme contains a beta 3-glycosyltransferase motif and a beta 4-glycosyltransferase motif similar to that found in CSS1. Both the enzymes were expressed in COS-7 cells as soluble proteins, and their enzymatic natures were characterized. Both glucuronyltransferase and N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase activities were observed when chondroitin, CS polymer, and their corresponding oligosaccharides were used as the acceptor substrates, but no polymerization reaction was observed as in the case of CSS1. The new enzyme was thus designated chondroitin sulfate synthase-3 (CSS3). However, the specific activity of CSS3 was much lower than that of CSS1. The reaction products were shown to have a GlcUA beta 1-3GalNAc linkage and a GalNAc beta 1-4GlcUA linkage in the nonreducing terminus of chondroitin resulting from glucuronyltransferase activity and N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase activity, respectively. Quantitative real time PCR analysis revealed that the transcript level of CSS3 was much lower than that of CSS1, although it was ubiquitously expressed in various human tissues. These results indicate that CSS3 is a glycosyltransferase having both glucuronyltransferase and N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase activities. It may make a contribution to CS biosynthesis that differs from that of CSS1.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

Chondroitin sulfate synthase-2. Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel human glycosyltransferase homologous to chondroitin sulfate glucuronyltransferase, which has dual enzymatic activities.

Chondroitin sulfate is found in a variety of tissues as proteoglycans and consists of repeating disaccharide units of N-acetylgalactosamine and glucuronic acid residues with sulfate residues at various places. We found a novel human gene (GenBank accession number AB086063) that possesses a sequence homologous with the human chondroitin sulfate glucuronyltransferase gene which we recently cloned and characterized. The full-length open reading frame encodes a typical type II membrane protein comprising 775 amino acids. The protein had a domain containing beta 3-glycosyltransferase motif but lacked a typical beta 4-glycosyltransferase motif, which is the same as chondroitin sulfate glucuronyltransferase, whereas chondroitin synthase had both domains. The putative catalytic domain was expressed in COS-7 cells as a soluble enzyme. Surprisingly, both glucuronyltransferase and N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase activities were observed when chondroitin, chondroitin sulfate, and their oligosaccharides were used as the acceptor substrates. The reaction products were identified to have the linkage of GlcUA beta 1-3GalNAc and GalNAc beta 1-4GlcUA at the non-reducing terminus of chondroitin for glucuronyltransferase activity and N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase activity, respectively. Quantitative real time PCR analysis revealed that the transcripts were ubiquitously expressed in various human tissues but highly expressed in the pancreas, ovary, placenta, small intestine, and stomach. These results indicate that this enzyme could synthesize chondroitin sulfate chains as a chondroitin sulfate synthase that has both glucuronyltransferase and N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase activities. Sequence analysis based on three-dimensional structure revealed the presence of not typical but significant beta 4-glycosyltransferase architecture.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

PubMed2003

Complementary expression of AP-2 and AP-2rep in ectodermal derivatives of Xenopus embryos.

In an attempt to define the pattern of developmental expression of AP-2rep and AP-2 in Xenopus embryos, we cloned a Xenopus AP-2rep cDNA. The AP-2rep message was localized in the organizer region at the gastrula stage whereas AP-2 was expressed ventro-laterally in the animal hemisphere. Later, AP-2rep was expressed in the entire neural tissue at the neurula stage while AP-2 was predominantly expressed in the cranial neural crest areas. The endogenous expression of AP-2 in the neural crest area was diminished by ectopic injection of AP-2rep RNA, suggesting a role for AP-2rep in the differentiation of neural tissues by restricting the expression of AP-2 in the Xenopus embryo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

Characterization of a heparan sulfate 3-O-sulfotransferase-5, an enzyme synthesizing a tetrasulfated disaccharide.

Heparan sulfate d-glucosaminyl 3-O-sulfotransferases (3-OSTs) catalyze the transfer of sulfate from 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) to position 3 of the glucosamine residue of heparan sulfate and heparin. A sixth member of the human 3-OST family, named 3-OST-5, was recently reported (Xia, G., Chen, J., Tiwari, V., Ju, W., Li, J.-P., Malmstrom, A., Shukla, D., and Liu, J. (2002) J. Biol. Chem. 277, 37912-37919). In the present study, we cloned putative catalytic domain of the human 3-OST-5 and expressed it in insect cells as a soluble enzyme. Recombinant 3-OST-5 only exhibited sulfotransferase activity toward heparan sulfate and heparin. When incubated heparan sulfate with [35S]PAPS, the highest incorporation of35S was observed, and digestion of the product with a mixture of heparin lyases yielded two major35S-labeled disaccharides, which were determined as DeltaHexA-GlcN(NS,3S,6S) and DeltaHexA(2S)-GlcN(NS,3S) by further digestion with 2-sulfatase and degradation with mercuric acetate. However, when used heparin as acceptor, we identified a highly sulfated disaccharide unit as a major product. This had a structure of DeltaHexA(2S)-GlcN(NS,3S,6S). Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that 3-OST-5 was highly expressed in fetal brain, followed by adult brain and spinal cord, and at very low or undetectable levels in the other tissues. Finally, we detected a tetrasulfated disaccharide unit in bovine intestinal heparan sulfate. To our knowledge, this is the first report to describe not only the natural occurrence of tetrasulfated disaccharide unit but also the enzymatic formation of this novel structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

A novel I-branching beta-1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase involved in human blood group I antigen expression.

The human blood group i and I antigens are determined by linear and branched poly-N-acetyllactosamine structures, respectively. In erythrocytes, the fetal i antigen is converted to the adult I antigen by I-branching beta-1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (IGnT) during development. Dysfunction of the I-branching enzyme may result in the adult i phenotype in erythrocytes. However, the I gene responsible for blood group I antigen has not been fully confirmed. We report here a novel human I-branching enzyme, designated IGnT3. The genes for IGnT1 (reported in 1993), IGnT2 (also presented in this study), and IGnT3 consist of 3 exons and share the second and third exons. Bone marrow cells preferentially expressed IGnT3 transcript. During erythroid differentiation using CD34(+) cells, IGnT3 was markedly up-regulated with concomitant decrease in IGnT1/2. Moreover, reticulocytes expressed the IGnT3 transcript, but IGnT1/2 was below detectable levels. By molecular genetic analyses of an adult i pedigree, individuals with the adult i phenotype were revealed to have heterozygous alleles with mutations in exon 2 (1006G>A; Gly336Arg) and exon 3 (1049G>A; Gly350Glu), respectively, of the IGnT3 gene. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with each mutated IGnT3 cDNA failed to express I antigen. These findings indicate that the expression of the blood group I antigen in erythrocytes is determined by a novel IGnT3, not by IGnT1 or IGnT2.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Differential roles of two N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases, CSGalNAcT-1, and a novel enzyme, CSGalNAcT-2. Initiation and elongation in synthesis of chondroitin sulfate.

By a tblastn search with beta 1,4-galactosyltransferases as query sequences, we found an expressed sequence tag that showed similarity in beta 1,4-glycosyltransferase motifs. The full-length complementary DNA was obtained by a method of 5'-rapid amplification of complementary DNA ends. The predicted open reading frame encodes a typical type II membrane protein comprising 543 amino acids, the sequence of which was highly homologous to chondroitin sulfate N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (CSGalNAcT-1), and we designated this novel enzyme CSGalNAcT-2. CSGalNAcT-2 showed much stronger N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase activity toward glucuronic acid of chondroitin poly- and oligosaccharides, and chondroitin sulfate poly- and oligosaccharides with a beta 1-4 linkage, i.e. elongation activity for chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate, but showed much weaker activity toward a tetrasaccharide of the glycosaminoglycan linkage structure (GlcA-Gal-Gal-Xyl-O-methoxyphenyl), i.e. initiation activity, than CSGalNAcT-1. Transfection of the CSGalNAcT-1 gene into Chinese hamster ovary cells yielded a change of glycosaminoglycan composition, i.e. the replacement of heparan sulfate on a syndecan-4/fibroblast growth factor-1 chimera protein by chondroitin sulfate, however, transfection of the CSGalNAcT-2 gene did not. The above results indicated that CSGalNAcT-1 is involved in the initiation of chondroitin sulfate synthesis, whereas CSGalNAcT-2 participates mainly in the elongation, not initiation. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that CSGalNAcT-2 transcripts were highly expressed in the small intestine, leukocytes, and spleen, however, both CSGalNAcTs were ubiquitously expressed in various tissues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Initiation of O-glycan synthesis in IgA1 hinge region is determined by a single enzyme, UDP-N-acetyl-alpha-D-galactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 2.

The hinge region of human immunoglobulin A1 (*IgA1) possesses multiple O-glycans, of which synthesis is initiated by the addition of GalNAc to serine or threonine through the activity of UDP-N-acetyl-alpha-D-galactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases (pp-GalNAc-Ts). We found that six pp-GalNAc-Ts, pp-GalNAc-T1, -T2, -T3, -T4, -T6, and -T9, were expressed in B cells, IgA-bearing B cells, and NCI-H929 IgA myeloma cells. pp-GalNAc-T activities of these six enzymes for a synthetic IgA hinge peptide, which has nine possible O-glycosylation sites, were examined using a reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography, a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry, and peptide sequencing analysis. pp-GalNAc-T2 showed the strongest activity transferring GalNAc to a maximum of eight positions. Other pp-GalNAc-Ts exhibited different substrate specificities from pp-GalNAc-T2; however, their activities were extremely weak. It was reported that the IgA1 hinge region possesses a maximum of five O-glycans, and their amino acid positions have been determined. We found that pp-GalNAc-T2 selectively transferred GalNAc residues to the same five positions. These results strongly suggested that pp-GalNAc-T2 is an essential enzyme for initiation of O-linked glycosylation of the IgA1 hinge region.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Cloning and characterization of a new human UDP-N-acetyl-alpha-D-galactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase, designated pp-GalNAc-T13, that is specifically expressed in neurons and synthesizes GalNAc alpha-serine/threonine antigen.

To date, 10 members of the UDP-N-acetyl-alpha-d-galactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (pp-GalNAc-T) family have been cloned and analyzed in human. In this study, we cloned and analyzed a novel human pp-GalNAc-T from an NT2 cell cDNA library, and we named it pp-GalNAc-T13. In amino acid sequences, pp-GalNAc-T13 was highly homologous, showing 84.3% identity, to pp-GalNAc-T1. Real time PCR analysis revealed pp-GalNAc-T13 to be highly and restrictively expressed in the brain and present at very low or undetectable levels in other tissues, in contrast to the ubiquitous expression of pp-GalNAc-T1. pp-GalNAc-T13 was abundantly expressed in all neuroblastoma cells examined and primary cultured neurons but not in glioblastoma cells and primary cultured astrocytes. pp-GalNAc-T13 exhibited much stronger activity to transfer GalNAc to mucin peptides, such as Muc5Ac and MUC7, than did pp-GalNAc-T1. In addition, pp-GalNAc-T13 differed in substrate specificity to pp-GalNAc-T1. pp-GalNAc-T13 was able to form a triplet Tn epitope, three consecutive GalNAc-Ser/Thr structures, on peptides encoded in syndecan-3, a proteoglycan expressed in neurons. pp-GalNAc-T13-deficient mice have been established in a previous work. Immunohistochemical study showed a remarkable decrease in Tn antigen expression in the cerebellum of the pp-GalNAc-T13 knockout mouse. pp-GalNAc-T13 would be a major enzyme responsible for the synthesis of O-glycan and specifically the Tn antigen epitope in neurons.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel UDP-Gal:GalNAc(alpha) peptide beta 1,3-galactosyltransferase (C1Gal-T2), an enzyme synthesizing a core 1 structure of O-glycan.

Recently, a UDP-Gal:GalNAc(alpha) peptide beta1,3-galactosyltransferase (core 1 synthase 1; C1Gal-T1) has been purified from rat liver and its complementary DNA cloned from several species. We isolated a second candidate for core 1 synthase from a Colo205 cDNA library and named it C1Gal-T2. The deduced amino acid sequence of C1Gal-T2, having 26% homology to C1Gal-T1, showed a topology typical of a type II membrane protein. Real time PCR analysis revealed that the expression of C1Gal-T2 transcripts was widespread in many tissues and of relatively high level in salivary gland, stomach, small intestine, kidney, testis, thymus, and spleen. LSC cells, having no core 1 synthase activity, were transfected stably with the C1Gal-T2 gene. Their microsome fraction showed beta1,3-galactosyltransferase activity toward GalNAc-alpha-para-nitrophenyl and GalNAc(alpha)1 peptides resulting in the synthesis of the core 1 structure. The core 1 synthesizing activity of C1Gal-T2 was also determined by flow cytometry and lectin blotting using the LSC cells stably expressing C1Gal-T2. Finally, LSC cells, and Jurkat cells that also lack the core 1 synthase activity, were found to have null alleles of C1Gal-T2. These results indicated that C1Gal-T2 is the second candidate for core 1 synthase that plays an important role in synthesizing O-glycans in digestive organs.

Amino Acid Sequence↗