Glycobiology and Extracellular Matrices
Exploring the glycosylation of mucins by use of O-glycodomain reporters recombinantly expressed in glycoengineered HEK293 cells
Mucins and glycoproteins with mucin-like regions contain densely O-glycosylated domains often found in tandem repeat (TR) sequences. These O-glycodomains have traditionally been difficult to characterize because of their resistance to proteolytic digestion, and knowledge of the precise positions of O-glycans is particularly limited for these regions. Here, we took advantage of a recently developed glycoengineered cell-based platform for the display and production of mucin TR reporters with custom-designed O-glycosylation to characterize O-glycodomains derived from mucins and mucin-like glycoproteins.Installation of O-glycan sulfation capacities in human HEK293 cells for display of sulfated mucins
The human genome contains at least 35 genes that encode Golgi sulfotransferases that function in the secretory pathway, where they are involved in decorating glycosaminoglycans, glycolipids, and glycoproteins with sulfate groups. Although a number of important interactions by proteins such as selectins, galectins, and sialic acid–binding immunoglobulin-like lectins are thought to mainly rely on sulfated O-glycans, our insight into the sulfotransferases that modify these glycoproteins, and in particular GalNAc-type O-glycoproteins, is limited.Discovery of O-glycans on atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) that affect both its proteolytic degradation and potency at its cognate receptor
Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a peptide hormone that in response to atrial stretch is secreted from atrial myocytes into the circulation, where it stimulates vasodilatation and natriuresis. ANP is an important biomarker of heart failure where low plasma concentrations exclude cardiac dysfunction. ANP is a member of the natriuretic peptide (NP) family, which also includes the B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and the C-type natriuretic peptide. The proforms of these hormones undergo processing to mature peptides, and for proBNP, this process has previously been demonstrated to be regulated by O-glycosylation.EDEM1's mannosidase-like domain binds ERAD client proteins in a redox-sensitive manner and possesses catalytic activity
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) degradation-enhancing α-mannosidase–like 1 protein (EDEM1) is a protein quality control factor that was initially proposed to recognize N-linked glycans on misfolded proteins through its mannosidase-like domain (MLD). However, recent studies have demonstrated that EDEM1 binds to some misfolded proteins in a glycan-independent manner, suggesting a more complex binding landscape for EDEM1. In this study, we have identified a thiol-dependent substrate interaction between EDEM1 and the α1-antitrypsin ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) clients Z and NHK, specifically through the single Cys residue on Z/NHK (Cys256), required for binding under stringent detergent conditions.Site-specific O-glycosylation of members of the low-density lipoprotein receptor superfamily enhances ligand interactions
The low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and related receptors are important for the transport of diverse biomolecules across cell membranes and barriers. Their functions are especially relevant for cholesterol homeostasis and diseases, including neurodegenerative and kidney disorders. Members of the LDLR-related protein family share LDLR class A (LA) repeats providing binding properties for lipoproteins and other biomolecules. We previously demonstrated that short linker regions between these LA repeats contain conserved O-glycan sites.Mammalian O-mannosylation of cadherins and plexins is independent of protein O-mannosyltransferases 1 and 2
Protein O-mannosylation is found in yeast and metazoans, and a family of conserved orthologous protein O-mannosyltransferases is believed to initiate this important post-translational modification. We recently discovered that the cadherin superfamily carries O-linked mannose (O-Man) glycans at highly conserved residues in specific extracellular cadherin domains, and it was suggested that the function of E-cadherin was dependent on the O-Man glycans. Deficiencies in enzymes catalyzing O-Man biosynthesis, including the two human protein O-mannosyltransferases, POMT1 and POMT2, underlie a subgroup of congenital muscular dystrophies designated α-dystroglycanopathies, because deficient O-Man glycosylation of α-dystroglycan disrupts laminin interaction with α-dystroglycan and the extracellular matrix.Site-specific O-Glycosylation by Polypeptide N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 2 (GalNAc-transferase T2) Co-regulates β1-Adrenergic Receptor N-terminal Cleavage
The β1-adrenergic receptor (β1AR) is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and the predominant adrenergic receptor subtype in the heart, where it mediates cardiac contractility and the force of contraction. Although it is the most important target for β-adrenergic antagonists, such as β-blockers, relatively little is yet known about its regulation. We have shown previously that β1AR undergoes constitutive and regulated N-terminal cleavage participating in receptor down-regulation and, moreover, that the receptor is modified by O-glycosylation.Extrinsic Functions of Lectin Domains in O-N-Acetylgalactosamine Glycan Biosynthesis
Glycan biosynthesis occurs mainly in Golgi. Molecular organization and functional regulation of this process are not well understood. We evaluated the extrinsic effect of lectin domains (β-trefoil fold) of polypeptide GalNAc-transferases (ppGalNAc-Ts) on catalytic activity of glycosyltransferases during O-GalNAc glycan biosynthesis. The presence of lectin domain T3lec or T4lec during ppGalNAc-T2 and ppGalNAc-T3 catalytic reaction had a clear inhibitory effect on GalNAc-T activity. Interaction of T3lec or T4lec with ppGalNAc-T2 catalytic domain was not mediated by carbohydrate.
