Cryo-EM structure of fission yeast tetrameric α-mannosidase Ams1.

Fungal α-mannosidase Ams1 and its mammalian homolog MAN2C1 hydrolyze terminal α-linked mannoses in free oligosaccharides released from misfolded glycoproteins or lipid-linked oligosaccharide donors. Ams1 is transported by selective autophagy into vacuoles. Here, we determine the tetrameric structure of Ams1 from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe at 3.2 Å resolution by cryo-electron microscopy. Distinct from a low resolution structure of S. cerevisiae Ams1, S. pombe Ams1 has a prominent N-terminal tail that mediates tetramerization and an extra ß-sheet domain. Ams1 shares a conserved active site with other enzymes in glycoside hydrolase family 38, to which Ams1 belongs, but contains extra N-terminal domains involved in tetramerization. The atomic structure of Ams1 reported here will aid understanding of its enzymatic activity and transport mechanism.

Biodegradation behavior of gellan gum in simulated colonic media.

The objective of this investigation was to test the biodegradability of gellan gum in the presence of galactomannanase in order to explore its suitability for the development of colon-specific controlled delivery systems. Gellan beads containing azathioprine (AZA) were prepared by ionotropic gelation in the presence of Ca2+ ions and were coated with an enteric polymer, Eudragit S-100. The effects of the simulated colonic fluid (SCF, pH 7.4 phosphate buffer) containing 15 mg/mL of galactomannanase on the in vitro release profiles of uncoated and enteric-coated beads were investigated, and the morphological changes in the structure of uncoated beads were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, 1% solution of deacetylated gellan gum was prepared and several aliquots of the resulting solution were evaluated rheologically to determine the concentration- and time-dependent effects of galactomannanase. Based on the percent drug released at 2 h, approximately 10% greater amount of drug was released in the SCF containing galactomannanase when compared with the enzyme-free dissolution medium. Results of rheological studies demonstrated that effects of galactomannanase on the viscosity of gellan gum solution are concentration-dependent rather than time-dependent. A significant decrease in the viscosity was noted in the presence of galactomannanase at a concentration of 15 mg/ mL, indicating that the polysaccharide degraded in an enzymatic reaction. SEM micrographs showed a distinct disruption of the polymeric network in the SCF. Overall, the results suggest that gellan gum undergoes significant degradation in the presence of galactomannanase which in turn facilitates the drug release from beads in the SCF in a controlled manner, thus approving the suitability of gellan gum as a carrier for controlled colonic delivery.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae processing alpha 1,2-mannosidase is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum, independently of known retrieval motifs.

The yeast-specific alpha 1,2-mannosidase, Mns1p, converts Man,GlcNAc2 to a single isomer of Man8GlcNAc2 during N-linked oligosaccharide processing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mns1p is a 68 kDa type II integral membrane glycoprotein with a very short amino terminal cytoplasmic tail of only two amino acids and a large carboxy-terminal catalytic region that is homologous to class 1 alpha 1,2-mannosidases from mammalian and other species. We have used immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy to demonstrate that Mns1p is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. As Mns1p contains none of the known endoplasmic reticulum retrieval motifs (HDEL, KK or RR), these results suggest that Mns1p is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum by a different retentin mechanism.