Facile production of Aspergillus niger α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase in yeast.

α-N-Acetylgalactosaminidase (α-GalNAc-ase; EC.3.2.1.49) is an exoglycosidase specific for the hydrolysis of terminal α-linked N-acetylgalactosamine in various sugar chains. The cDNA corresponding to the α-GalNAc-ase gene was cloned from Aspergillus niger, sequenced, and expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The α-GalNAc-ase gene contains an open reading frame which encodes a protein of 487 amino acid residues. The molecular mass of the mature protein deduced from the amino acid sequence of this reading frame is 54 kDa. The recombinant protein was purified to apparent homogeneity and biochemically characterized (pI4.4, K(M) 0.56 mmol/l for 2-nitrophenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-d-galactopyranoside, and optimum enzyme activity was achieved at pH2.0-2.4 and 50-55°C). Its molecular weight was determined by analytical ultracentrifuge measurement and dynamic light scattering. Our experiments confirmed that the recombinant α-GalNAc-ase exists as two distinct species (70 and 130 kDa) compared to its native form, which is purely monomeric. N-Glycosylation was confirmed at six of the eight potential N-glycosylation sites in both wild type and recombinant α-GalNAc-ase.

Cloning, recombinant production, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of a family 101 glycoside hydrolase from Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a serious human pathogen that is responsible for a wide range of diseases including pneumonia, meningitis, septicaemia and otitis media. The full virulence of this bacterium is reliant on carbohydrate processing and metabolism, as revealed by biochemical and genetic studies. One carbohydrate-processing enzyme is a family 101 glycoside hydrolase (SpGH101) that is responsible for catalyzing the liberation of galactosyl beta1,3-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (Galbeta1,3GalNAc) alpha-linked to serine or threonine residues of mucin-type glycoproteins. The 124 kDa catalytic module of this enzyme (SpGH101CM) was cloned and overproduced in Escherichia coli and purified. Crystals were obtained in space group P2(1) and diffracted to 2.0 A resolution, with unit-cell parameters a = 81.86, b = 88.91, c = 88.77 A, beta = 112.46 degrees. SpGH101CM also qualitatively displayed good activity towards the synthetic substrate p-nitrophenyl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-alpha-D-galactopyranoside, which is consistent with the classification of this enzyme as an endo-alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase.

Molecular cloning, expression, and characterization of a novel endo-alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase from Enterococcus faecalis.

We report here the molecular cloning, expression and characterization of a novel endo-alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, classified into the GH101 family, from Enterococcus faecalis (endo-EF). The recombinant endo-EF was found to catalyze the liberation of core1-disaccharides (Galbeta1-3GalNAc) from core1-pNP (Galbeta1-3GalNAcalpha-pNP) like other GH101 family enzymes. However, endo-EF seems to differ in specificity from the GH101 enzymes reported to date, because it was able to release trisaccharides from core2-pNP (Galbeta1-3[GlcNAcbeta1-6]GalNAcalpha-pNP) and tetrasaccharides from Gal-core2-pNP (Galbeta1-3[Galbeta1-3GlcNAcbeta1-6]GalNAcalpha-pNP). Interestingly, the enzyme could transfer not only core1-disaccharides but also core2-trisaccharides to alkanols generating alkyl-oligosaccharides. Endo-EF should facilitate O-glycoprotein research.

Pathogenic significance of alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity found in the envelope glycoprotein gp160 of human immunodeficiency virus Type 1.

Serum vitamin D3-binding protein (Gc protein) is the precursor for the principal macrophage-activating factor (MAF). The precursor activity of serum Gc protein was lost or reduced in HIV-infected patients. These patient sera contained alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (Nagalase), which deglycosylates serum Gc protein. Deglycosylated Gc protein cannot be converted to MAF and thus loses MAF precursor activity, leading to immunosuppression. Nagalase in the blood stream of HIV-infected patients was complexed with patient immunoglobulin G, suggesting that this enzyme is immunogenic, seemingly a viral gene product. In fact, Nagalase was inducible by treatment of cultures of HIV-infected patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells with a provirus-inducing agent. This enzyme was immunoprecipitable with polyclonal anti-HIV but not with anticellular constitutive enzyme or with antitumor Nagalase. The kinetic parameters (km value of 1.27 mM and pH optimum of 6.1), of the patient serum Nagalase were distinct from those of constitutive enzyme (km value of 4.83 mM and pH optimum of 4.3). This glycosidase should reside on an envelope protein capable of interacting with cellular membranous O-glycans. Although cloned gp160 exhibited no Nagalase activity, treatment of gp160 with trypsin expressed Nagalase activity, suggesting that proteolytic cleavage of gp160 to generate gp120 and gp41 is required for Nagalase activity. Cloned gp120 exhibited Nagalase activity while cloned gp41 showed no Nagalase activity. Since proteolytic cleavage of protein gp160 is required for expression of both fusion capacity and Nagalase activity, Nagalase seems to be an enzymatic basis for fusion in the infectious process. Therefore, Nagalase appears to play dual roles in viral infectivity and immunosuppression.