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A new sugar chain of the proteinase inhibitor from latex of Carica papaya.

The structure of a sugar chain of the proteinase inhibitor from the latex of Carica papaya was studied. Sugar chains liberated on hydrazinolysis were N-acetylated, and their reducing-end residues were tagged with 2-aminopyridine. One major sugar chain was detected on size-fractionation and reversed-phase HPLC analyses. The structure of the PA-sugar chain was determined by two-dimensional sugar mapping combined with sequential exoglycosidase digestion and partial acid hydrolysis, and by 750 MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The structure found was Manalpha1-6(Manalpha1-3)Manalpha1-6(Manalpha1-3) (Xylbeta1-2)Manbeta1- 4GlcNAcbeta1-4(Fucalpha1-3)GlcNAc. This sugar chain represents a new plant-type sugar chain with five mannose residues.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

Comparative study of the asparagine-linked sugar chains of human lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase purified from urine and amniotic fluid, and recombinantly expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase (L-PGDS) is a highly glycosylated member of the lipocalin gene family and is secreted into various human body fluids. We comparatively analyzed the structures of asparagine-linked sugar chains of human L-PGDS produced by recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cells and naturally occurring human urine and amniotic fluid. After the sugar chains were liberated by hydrazinolysis followed by N-acetylation, they were derivatized with 2-aminobenzamide. All of the sugar chains of three L-PGDSs occur as biantennary complex-type sugar chains. Most of the sugar chains of three samples were fucosylated on the inner most N-acetylglucosamine residue. Although the sugar chains of the recombinant L-PGDS do not contain any bisecting N-acetylglucosamine residues, 58% and 34% of the fucosylated-sugar chains of amniotic fluid and urine L-PGDSs, respectively, contain bisecting N-acetylglucosamine residues. The sialic acid residues occur solely as Siaalpha2-->3Gal groups of the recombinant L-PGDS; the sialic acid residues of other L-PGDS occur as both Siaalpha2-->3Gal and Siaalpha2-->6Gal groups. Variations in L-PGDS glycosylation may prove useful as markers to further elucidate the role of L-PGDS glycoforms in different tissues.

Acetylglucosamine↗

Structures of sugar chains of ricin D.

The toxic lectin, ricin D, contains mannose, fucose, xylose, and N-acetylglucosamine as sugar components. Sugar chains are linked to Asn-10 of the A-chain, and to Asn-95 and Asn-135 of the B-chain (Funatsu, G. et al. (1978) Agric. Biol. Chem. 42, 501-503; Araki, T. & Funatsu, G. (1985) FEBS Lett. 191, 121-124). Asparagine-linked sugar chains of each glycopeptide from ricin D were liberated by hydrazinolysis followed by N-acetylation. The reducing end residues of the sugar chains were coupled with 2-aminopyridine and the pyridylamino (PA-) derivatives obtained were purified by gel-filtration and reversed-phase HPLC. Eight main PA-sugar chains were obtained from three glycopeptides and the structures of these sugar chains were determined by component analysis, stepwise exoglycosidase digestions, partial acetolysis, and 500 MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The results show that oligomannose type sugar chains (Man6-7GlcNAc2) are linked to Asn-95; Man5-7 GlcNAc2 and M4X (structure, see below) to Asn-135 of the B-chain, and M3FX and M3X to Asn-10 of the A-chain. (Formula: see text).

Acetylation↗

Evidence for the existence of O-linked sugar chains consisting of glucose and xylose in bovine thrombospondin.

We have recently discovered unusual sugar chains [xylose-glucose and (xylose)2-glucose] linked to a serine residue in the first epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domains of human and bovine coagulation factors VII, IX, and protein Z. The sequence surrounding this serine residue has a common -Cys-X-Ser-X-Pro-Cys- structure. Since one (residues 533-538) of the three EGF-like domains found in human thrombospondin contains the conserved sequence, we examined the presence of such O-linked sugar chains in bovine thrombospondin (bTSP) and its 210-kDa fragment. Component sugar analysis after pyridylamination (PA) of the acid hydrolysates of the S-aminoethylated proteins revealed that the proteins contain glucose (Glc) and xylose (Xyl). The oligosaccharide moieties released from intact bTSP by hydrazinolysis followed by pyridylamination were separated into two PA-oligosaccharides by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Component sugar analysis of these PA-oligosaccharides indicated that they consist of Glc and Xyl in molar ratios of 1:1 and 1:2 (or 1:3). The reducing ends of both PA-sugar chains were found to be PA-Glc, as judged from the retention time of the HPLC peak of their hydrolysates. The presence of these PA-sugar chains in bTSP was confirmed by HPLC mapping with two different columns, using standard PA-di- or PA-trisaccharide derived from coagulation factors. From these results, we concluded that bTSP contains O-linked sugar chains consisting of Glc and Xyl in one of its three EGF-like domains.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Analytical method for sugar chain structures involving lectins and membrane ultrafiltration.

A simple and rapid analytical method for the structural identification of sugar chains involving lectins and ultrafiltration was developed. In the procedure, a mixture of fluorogenic sugar chains is mixed with an unmodified lectin. Unbound sugar chains are removed by ultrafiltration. Qualitative differences between sugar chains from the sample and from the filtrate were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The structures of different sugar chains could be determined from the specificity of the lectins used. Because the lectins used for the procedure were not modified, both the lectins used and sugar chains could be recovered. The method is simple and can be used for structural analysis of sugar chains.

Animals↗

Structures of N-linked sugar chains expressed mainly in mouse brain.

Sugar chains were liberated from mouse tissues (liver, heart, spleen, kidney, thymus, cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem) by hydrazinolysis. After acetylation of the free amino groups, the sugar chains released were pyridylaminated. Pyridylamino (PA-) derivatives of the sugar chains from each tissue were fractionated by anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) according to their negative charges. Fractions containing PA-neutral sugar chains thus obtained were separated successively by size-fractionation HPLC and reversed-phase HPLC. Two sugar chains that were more abundant in neural tissues than in other tissues were purified. The structures of the two sugar chains were determined by sugar composition analysis, sequential exoglycosidase digestion, and methylation analysis. The proposed structures are shown below. A structure with n = 1 was found in the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. A structure with n = 0 was abundant in the cerebrum and brain stem, but less so in the cerebellum. [formula: see text]

Amination↗

Structures of sugar chains of the third component of human complement.

Human C3, the third component of human complement, contained mannose and N-acetylglucosamine as sugar components. The sugar chains were liberated from the polypeptide chains by hydrazinolysis, and the free amino groups were N-acetylated. The reducing end residues of the sugar chains thus obtained were tagged with 2-aminopyridine, and the pyridylamino (PA-) derivatives of sugar chains were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography. The structures of purified PA-sugar chains were analyzed by a combination of stepwise exoglycosidase digestions, size determination by paper electrophoresis, methylation analysis, Smith degradation, and partial acetolysis. These results showed that C3 contained two high-mannose type sugar chains ranging from Man5GlcNAc2 to Man9GlcNAc2. Analyses of the sugar chains of alpha- and beta-chains of C3 indicated that the alpha-chain contained mainly Man8GlcNAc2 and Man9GlcNAc2, while the beta-chain contained mainly Man5GlcNAc2 and Man6GlcNAc2.

Acetates↗

A method for routine measurements of total sugar and starch content in woody plant tissues.

Several extraction and measurement methods currently employed in the determination of total sugar and starch contents in plant tissues were investigated with the view to streamline the process of total sugar and starch determination. Depending on the type and source of tissue, total sugar and starch contents estimated from samples extracted with 80% hot ethanol were significantly greater than from samples extracted with a methanol:chloroform:water solution. The residual ethanol did not interfere with the sugar and starch determination, rendering the removal of ethanol from samples unnecessary. The use of phenol-sulfuric acid with a phenol concentration of 2% provided a relatively simple and reliable colorimetric method to quantify the total soluble-sugar concentration. Performing parallel sugar assays with and without phenol was more useful for accounting for the interfering effects of other substances present in plant tissue than using chloroform. For starch determination, an enzyme mixture of 1000 U alpha-amylase and 5 U amyloglucosidase digested starch in plant tissue samples more rapidly and completely than previously recommended enzyme doses. Dilute sulfuric acid (0.005 N) was less suitable for starch digestion than enzymatic hydrolysis because the acid also broke down structural carbohydrates, resulting in overestimates of starch content. After the enzymatic digestion of starch, the glucose hydrolyzate obtained was measured with a peroxidase-glucose oxidase/o-dianisidine reagent; absorbance being read at 525 nm after the addition of sulfuric acid. With the help of this series of studies, we developed a refined and shortened method suitable for the rapid measurement of total sugar and starch contents in woody plant tissues.

Carbohydrates↗

Sugar-induced stabilization of the monoolein Pn3m bicontinuous cubic phase during dehydration.

To explore the molecular mechanism of the protective function of sugars on cubic lipidic systems, the mesomorphic properties of the monoolein-water system, dehydrated in the presence of a series of sugars, have been studied by osmotic stress experiments. Two bicontinuous inverse cubic structures (Pn3m and Ia3d) and a lamellar L(alpha) phase form under dehydration in pure water. In sugar solutions, the Pn3m phase shows an extraordinary stability: as a function of sugar concentration, the lattice parameter decreases to very low values, but no phase transitions occur. Instead, the Pn3m to Ia3d phase transition is obtained by equilibrating the lipid phase with aqueous polymer solutions of increasing osmotic pressure. As a result, the pressure at which the phase transition occurs strongly depends on sugar concentration. The free-energy curves obtained from the osmotic-pressure unit-cell data show that the sugar exerts an additional stabilization on both the cubic phases. The analysis of the structural parameters indicates that sugars alter the interface geometry. We suggest that a consequent release of stretching contributions in the chain packing or a reduction of the inhomogeneity in molecular splay mainly stabilize the Pn3m phase and prevent the transition to the Ia3d phase on dehydration.

Biophysics↗

Negative regulation in the expression of a sugar-inducible gene in Arabidopsis thaliana. A recessive mutation causing enhanced expression of a gene for beta-amylase.

Expression of a beta-amylase gene of Arabidopsis thaliana (AT beta-Amy) is regulated by sugars. We identified a mutant, hba1, in which the level of expression of AT beta-Amy in leaves of plants that had been grown in a medium with 2% sucrose was significantly higher than that in wild-type plants. Higher that wild-type levels of beta-amylase in hba1 plants depended on the presence of 1 to 2% sucrose or 1% glucose in the medium, whereas leaves of mutant plants grown with higher levels of sugars had beta-amylase activities similar to those in leaves of wild-type plants. The hba1 phenotype was recessive and did not affect levels of sugars and starch in leaves. It is proposed that expression of AT beta-Amy is regulated by a combination of both positive and negative factors, dependent on the level of sugars, and that HBA1 might function to maintain low-level expression of AT beta-Amy until the level of sugars reaches some high level. Results of crosses of hba1 plants with transgenic plants that harbored an AT beta-Amy:GUS transgene with 1587 bp of the 5'-upstream region suggested that HBA1 affects expressions of AT beta-Amy in trans. The hba1 plants also had growth defects and elevated levels of anthocyanin in their petioles. However, sugar-related changes in levels of several mRNAs other than beta-amylase mRNA were unaffected in hba1 plants, suggesting that only a subset of sugar-regulated genes is under the control HBA1.

Anthocyanins↗

Promotion of radish cotyledon enlargement and reducing sugar content by zeatin and red light.

Effects of zeatin on amino acid and sugar contents of detached radish (Raphanus sativus L.) cotyledons were investigated to determine if accumulation of these solutes contributes to cytokinin-enhanced growth. Protein and amino acid levels were not significantly affected, but in cotyledons incubated in light the hormone caused greater accumulations of reducing sugars than occurred in light controls. Continuous fluorescent light or a few minutes of red light increased both the growth rate and the reducing sugar levels compared to dark controls. A far red treatment following red light overcame the promoting effect of the latter. Amounts of reducing sugars were closely associated with growth under the above conditions. Activity of an unidentified amylase was elevated by continuous light or a red light treatment (nullifiable by far red), suggesting that reducing sugars were derived from starch. Zeatin-treated cotyledons exhibited less amylase activity than did light controls, perhaps implicating cytokinin-stimulated conversion of fats to sugars in light. In darkness zeatin promoted cotyledon growth but did not increase sugar levels nor amylase activity, suggesting that enhanced ion accumulation also contributes to the more rapid water uptake leading to growth.

Journal Article↗

Different mass transfer rates of labeled sugars and tritiated water in xylem vessels and their dependency on metabolism.

Solutions of (14)C-sugars in tritiated water or solutions of (14)C- and (3)H-sugars were perfused by gravity through the xylem vessels of excised tomato internodes (Lycopersicon esculentum) mostly during 2 hours.Mass flow of a solution in plant vessels is found not to be in conflict with different mass transfer rates of sugar and water molecules. It is explained by individual lateral escape rates from the vessel for each single compound. The escape of tritiated water can be ascribed to diffusion, while the escape of sugars is apparently linked to the metabolism of the surrounding parenchyma cells (Q(10) sucrose uptake = 3.5). Lateral escape rates of sugars from the xylem vessels are in the proportion of sucrose-glucose-fructose (2.4:1.0:0.6). The accessibility of xylem parenchyma cells and their differential permeability to sugars control the longitudinal mass transfer of sugars in the xylem vessels.As sucrose and glucose do not compete for uptake from the vessels by the contiguous cells, separate uptake systems for both may be postulated.

Journal Article↗

Co-transport of Potassium and Sugars across the Plasmalemma of Mesophyll Protoplasts.

Sugars (sucrose + hexoses) produced photosynthetically by isolated mesophyll protoplasts of wheat and tobacco were effluxed across the plasma membrane (3 to 10 micromoles hexose equivalents per milligram chlorophyll per hour). The efflux was sensitive to uncouplers and oligomycin which indicated a requirement for energy. A proton gradient was probably not coupled directly to the transport because changing the proton gradient across the plasma membrane by varying the pH of the medium or by adding sodium acetate had no significant effect on the rate of sugar release.A release of K(+) was associated with sugar efflux from the protoplasts. The molar ratio of K(+) to sugar varied between 1.5 and 2.5, depending on the species. Exogenous CKl, RbCl, and LiCl (50 millimolar each), but not NaCl or CsCl, significantly inhibited sugar efflux. Conditions that reduced sugar efflux (exogenous KCl, LiCl, mersalyl, or oligomycin) also reduced K(+) release and caused a time-dependent reduction in photosynthetic sucrose formation and increased amino acid and starch formation. Results obtained support the postulate that a K(+) symport is involved in the transport of sugar across the energized plasmalemma of photosynthetically active mesophyll cells.

Journal Article↗

Sugar-Dependent Expression of the CHS-A Gene for Chalcone Synthase from Petunia in Transgenic Arabidopsis.

Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants were constructed by introduction of a fusion of the gene for beta-glucuronidase (GUS) to the CHS-A gene, which is one of the two genes for chalcone synthase that are actively expressed in the floral organs of petunia. The expression of the fusion gene CHS-A::GUS was low in transgenic Arabidopsis plantlets, but it was enhanced when plantlets or detached leaves were transferred to a medium that contained 0.3 molar sucrose, glucose, or fructose. No enhancement was observed when plantlets were transferred to a medium that contained 0.3 molar mannitol. Measurements of cellular levels of sugars revealed a tight linkage between the level of expression of the CHS-A::GUS gene and the level of accumulation of exogenously supplied sugars, in particular sucrose. The parallelism between the organ-specific accumulation of sugar and the organ-specific expression of the CHS-A::GUS gene was also observed in petunia and A. thaliana plants grown under normal conditions in soil. The consensus sequences for sugar responses, such as boxes II and III in members of the family of sporamin genes from the sweet potato, were found in the promoter region of the CHS-A gene that was used for fusion to the GUS gene. It is suggested that the expression of the CHS-A gene is regulated by sugars, as is the expression of other sugar-responsive genes, such as the genes for sporamin. A putative common mechanism for the control of expression of "sugar-related" genes, including the CHS-A gene, is discussed.

Journal Article↗

Hexokinase as a sugar sensor in higher plants.

The mechanisms by which higher plants recognize and respond to sugars are largely unknown. Here, we present evidence that the first enzyme in the hexose assimilation pathway, hexokinase (HXK), acts as a sensor for plant sugar responses. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing antisense hexokinase (AtHXK) genes are sugar hyposensitive, whereas plants overexpressing AtHXK are sugar hypersensitive. The transgenic plants exhibited a wide spectrum of altered sugar responses in seedling development and in gene activation and repression. Furthermore, overexpressing the yeast sugar sensor YHXK2 caused a dominant negative effect by elevating HXK catalytic activity but reducing sugar sensitivity in transgenic plants. The result suggests that HXK is a dual-function enzyme with a distinct regulatory function not interchangeable between plants and yeast.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Variable sugar fermentation by clostridia.

Forty-two sugar fermentation characteristics recorded as "d" in the 8th edition of Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology were reinvestigated by using eight different peptone media and 205 strains of nine species of pathogenic clostridia. In the absence of sugar, the final pH of 7-day cultures in the basal medium varied widely depending on the peptone employed, the species tested, and even the strain of the species. In the presence of sugar, the final pH of 7-day cultures was markedly influenced by these factors. Since the sugars with reactions recorded as "d" were weakly fermented and, consequently, the fermentation reactions were easily affected by cultural variations resulting in strain instability, we employed the pH difference method (delta pH method) in which the pH difference of 0.5 between cultures with and without sugar was used as the critical level. Thirty-six (86%) of the 42 sugar reactions recorded as "d" were sorted into "+" or "-" by the delta pH method. Six sugars, however, still remained as "d" because of their extremely weak fermentation characters. The use of the delta pH method in any peptone medium not only minimizes incorrect evaluation but also can provide some distinct criteria for identification of clostridia.

Carbohydrate Metabolism↗

The caries inhibitory effects of GOS-sugar in vitro and in rat experiments.

The caries inhibitory activity of GOS-sugar (panose- and maltose-rich sugar mixture) was examined and compared with that of sucrose, maltose, or glucose in in vitro and in vivo experiments. Streptococcus mutans MT8148R (serotype c) and Streptococcus sobrinus 6715 (g) did ferment GOS-sugar and produce acid in a similar way as with maltose and glucose. However, GOS-sugar could not be a substrate for the glucosyltransferases (GTases) of these mutans streptococci to synthesize the water-insoluble glucan. Also, it significantly inhibited not only the synthesis of water-insoluble glucan from sucrose by the crude GTases but also the sucrose-dependent adherence of these cells to a glass surface. In particular, adherence of growing cells of 6715 was markedly inhibited by the presence of GOS-sugar. GOS-sugar was found to induce significant but minimal dental caries in SPF rats infected with either MT8148R or 6715. Furthermore, the replacement of half of the dietary sucrose content with GOS-sugar resulted in a significant reduction of caries development in rats infected with strain 6715.

Animals↗

Examining intention to control preschool children's sugar snacking: a study of carers in Uganda.

AIM: The aims of this study were to investigate parents' intention to control their children's sugar consumption and whether that behaviour is reported to occur in 3-5-year-old preschool children according to sociodemographics and attitudinal factors derived from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). DESIGN: Some 589 children aged 3-5 years (51% boys, response rate = 85%) attending nursery schools in Kampala Central (urban) and Nakawa (suburban), Uganda, were examined clinically for dental caries. A questionnaire to assess sociodemographic factors, sugar intake and the constructs of the TPB was completed by their parents'/caregivers in face-to-face interviews. RESULTS: Analyses of variance revealed more positive attitudes and stronger intention to control children's intake of sugared snacks in highly as compared to less highly educated parents. Independent of educational level, parents having children with caries perceived themselves to have less control over their child's intake of sugared snacks and perceived them to be more susceptible to tooth decay compared to parents of children without caries. In multiple linear regression, the TPB provided a significant prediction of intention with attitude (b = 0.16, P < 0.001), subjective norms (b = 0.18, P < 0.001) and perceived barriers (b = 0.11, P = 0.01), significant and reported sugar intake with attitudes (b = -0.10, P = 0.02), and perceived susceptibility (b = 16, P < 0.001) all significant. CONCLUSION: The TPB components predict parental intention to control sugar snacking and whether that behaviour occurs in preschool children. The strengths of parents' attitudes and reported level of child sugar snacking varied between diverse socioeconomic family groups. Implications for oral health education are discussed.

Adolescent↗