J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 263, Issue 24, 11760-11767, Aug, 1988
Carbohydrates of human immunodeficiency virus. Structures of oligosaccharides linked to the envelope glycoprotein 120
H Geyer, C Holschbach, G Hunsmann and J Schneider
Biochemisches Institut der Justus-Liebig-Universitat Giessen, Federal Republic of Germany.
Human T-cells (H9), persistently infected with the HTLV-III strain of human
immunodeficiency virus, were metabolically labeled with D-[2- 3H]mannose or
D-[6-3H]glucosamine. The viral envelope glycoprotein, gp120, was isolated
either from cell lysates or from cell-free culture supernatant. After
proteolytic digestion, the radiolabeled oligosaccharides were sequentially
liberated from glycopeptides by treatment with
endo-beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase H and peptide:N- glycosidase F.
Oligosaccharides released were separated from residual (glyco)peptides and
fractionated according to size, charge, and fucose content. The individual
oligosaccharide species obtained were characterized by digestion with
exoglycosidases and by chromatographic comparison with standard
oligosaccharides. Our results demonstrate that the intracellular gp120
carries predominantly oligomannosidic glycans comprising nine or eight
mannose residues. The secreted glycoprotein is equally substituted by
oligomannosidic species, containing seven to nine mannose residues, and by
fucosylated, partially sialylated bi- and triantennary complex-type
oligosaccharides.