Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of two thermostable alpha-galactosidases from glycoside hydrolase family 36.

alpha-Galactosidases from thermophilic organisms have gained interest owing to their applications in the sugar industry. The alpha-galactosidases AgaA, AgaB and AgaA A355E mutant from Geobacillus stearothermophilus have been overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Crystals of AgaB and AgaA A355E have been obtained by the vapour-diffusion method and synchrotron data have been collected to 2.0 and 2.8 A resolution, respectively. Crystals of AgaB belong to space group I222 or I2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 87.5, b = 113.3, c = 161.6 A. Crystals of AgaA A355E belong to space group P3(1)21 or P3(2)21, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 150.1, c = 233.2 A.

The structure of the alpha-galactosidase gene loci in Thermus brockianus ITI360 and Thermus thermophilus TH125.

The Thermus thermophilus TH125 alpha-galactosidase gene, agaT, and flanking sequences were cloned in Escherichia coli and sequenced as well as flanking sequences of the previously cloned agaT from Thermus brockianus ITI360. Different structures of putative alpha-galactosidase operons in the two Thermus strains were revealed. Downstream of and overlapping with the alpha-galactosidase genes of both strains, a gene was identified that is similar to the galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase gene (galT) of E. coli and Streptomyces lividans. Upstream of the agaT of T. brockianus ITI360, four open reading frames were observed. The deduced translation products displayed similarity to components of bacterial binding protein-dependent transport systems and a beta-galactosidase. No galactoside utilization genes were identified upstream of agaT in T. thermophilus TH125. The inactivation of the alpha-galactosidase genes of both strains by insertional mutagenesis led to an inability to use melibiose or galactose as a single carbohydrate source. An attempt was made to isolate a gene encoding the enzyme responsible for para-nitrophenyl-(pNP-) beta-galactoside hydrolyzing activity in T. thermophilus TH125. A gene designated bglT was cloned and expressed in E. coli. The inactivation of the bglT gene led to 55% reduction of the pNP-beta-galactoside hydrolyzing activity in the mutant strain in comparison to the wild type.

Cloning of the gene encoding a novel thermostable alpha-galactosidase from Thermus brockianus ITI360.

An alpha-galactosidase gene from Thermus brockianus ITI360 was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant protein was purified. The gene, designated agaT, codes for a 476-residue polypeptide with a calculated molecular mass of 53, 810 Da. The native structure of the recombinant enzyme (AgaT) was estimated to be a tetramer. AgaT displays amino acid sequence similarity to the alpha-galactosidases of Thermotoga neapolitana and Thermotoga maritima and a low-level sequence similarity to alpha-galactosidases of family 36 in the classification of glycosyl hydrolases. The enzyme is thermostable, with a temperature optimum of activity at 93 degrees C with para-nitrophenyl-alpha-galactopyranoside as a substrate. Half-lives of inactivation at 92 and 80 degrees C are 100 min and 17 h, respectively. The pH optimum is between 5.5 and 6.5. The enzyme displayed high affinity for oligomeric substrates. The K(m)s for melibiose and raffinose at 80 degrees C were determined as 4.1 and 11.0 mM, respectively. The alpha-galactosidase gene in T. brockianus ITI360 was inactivated by integrational mutagenesis. Consequently, no alpha-galactosidase activity was detectable in crude extracts of the mutant strain, and it was unable to use melibiose or raffinose as a single carbohydrate source.

Thermostable alpha-galactosidase from Bacillus stearothermophilus NUB3621: cloning, sequencing and characterization.

An alpha-galactosidase gene from the thermophilic bacterium Bacillus stearothermophilus NUB3621 was cloned, sequenced, expressed in Escherichia coli and the recombinant protein was purified. The Bacillus enzyme, designated AgaN, is similar to alpha-galactosidases of family 36 in the classification of glycosyl hydrolases. The enzyme was estimated to be a tetramer with a molecular mass of subunits 80.3 kDa. The purified AgaN is thermostable and has a temperature optimum of activity at 75 degrees C and a half-life of inactivation of 19 h at 70 degrees C. AgaN displays high affinity for oligomeric substrates such as melibiose and raffinose and is able to hydrolyze raffinose in the presence of 60% sucrose with high efficiency.

Structure of the N- and O-glycans of the A-chain of human plasma alpha 2HS-glycoprotein as deduced from the chemical compositions of the derivatives prepared by stepwise degradation with exoglycosidases.

The structure of the glycans of the A-chain of human plasma alpha 2HS-glycoprotein was established from the chemical compositions of its derivatives prepared by sequential enzymatic degradation of the carbohydrate moiety, from the determination of the kind and amount of the monosaccharides liberated after each step of the enzymatic digestion, and from the distinct specificity of the highly purified exoglycosidases. The exoglycosidases were three sialidases (Vibrio cholerae, fowl plague virus, and Arthrobacter ureafaciens), two beta-galactosidases (Streptococcus pneumoniae and bovine testis), one alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, one beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and one alpha-mannosidase. Utilizing sialidases with different cleavage specificities, the number of alpha 2-3- and alpha 2-6-linked sialic acid residues could be separately determined. As to the beta-galactosidases, the enzyme isolated from S. pneumoniae cleaves only beta 1-4-linked galactose residues, whereas the bovine testes enzyme acts on both the beta 1-4- and beta 1-3-linked galactose residues. Jack bean beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase cleaves beta 1-2, beta 1-4, and beta 1-6 GlcNAc with higher activity for the beta 1-2. Jack bean alpha-mannosidase cleaves alpha 1-2, alpha 1-6, and alpha 1-3 Man with greater activity for alpha 1-2 and alpha 1-6. Bovine liver alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase cleaves O-linked GalNAc. On the basis of these results, the A-chain of alpha 2 HS-glycoprotein was found to possess two biantennary N-glycans and two O-linked trisaccharides.

The effect of the carbohydrate moiety upon the size and conformation of human plasma galactoglycoprotein as judged by electron microscopy and circular dichroism. Structural studies of a glycoprotein after stepwise enzymic carbohydrate removal.

Galactoglycoprotein is a unique human plasma protein [76% carbohydrate (23% N-acetylneuraminic acid, 20% galactose, 3% mannose, 1% fucose and 29% N-acetylgalactosamine plus N-acetylglucosamine) and 24% polypeptide, a single polypeptide chain of about 200 amino acid residues that is high in serine and threonine content] [Schmid, Mao, Kimura, Hayashi & Binette (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 3221-3226]. Highly purified exoglycosidases with well-defined specificities were used to prepare five derivatives of galactoglycoprotein in which sequential residues of N-acetylneuraminic acid, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, a second galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine were removed with 83% of the total carbohydrate cleaved. C.d. shows that native galactoglycoprotein and all derivatives in aqueous buffer are predominantly random coil, suggesting that removal of a large number of electrostatic net charges, as well as the major portion of the carbohydrate moiety, does not alter the secondary structure of the polypeptide chain. Examination of the size and conformation of tungsten-shadowed galactoglycoprotein and asialo and agalacto derivatives by electron microscopy shows the size and conformation of all three preparations to be similar, with only minor differences in particle length and width.

Effect of the carbohydrate moiety on the secondary structure of beta 2-glycoprotein. I. Implications for the biosynthesis and folding of glycoproteins.

By use of six highly purified exoglycosidases with well-defined specificity, the oligosaccharide units of human plasma beta 2-glycoprotein I (beta 2I) were modified by sequential enzymatic degradation. The released monosaccharides (NeuAc, Gal, GlcNAc, and Man) were quantified, and the carbohydrate compositions of the resulting glycoprotein (gp) derivatives were determined. The gp was found to be both partially sialylated and galactosylated. These findings which are in agreement with earlier reports suggest that the carbohydrate moiety of beta 2I possesses more bi- than tri-antennas, probably three of the former and two of the latter carbohydrate units. Circular dichroic (CD) spectra of native beta 2I and its derivatives were measured in aqueous buffer and 2-chloroethanol (2-CE). Analysis of these spectra for elements of secondary structure showed beta 2I and most of the derivatives to contain predominantly beta-sheet and beta-turn structures. The lack of alpha-helical structures in aqueous buffer was noted. Removal of a large portion of the carbohydrate moiety did not alter the CD spectra or secondary structure of beta 2I in either aqueous buffer or in 2-CE. However, after enzymatic removal of approximately 96% of the carbohydrate moiety, large significant changes in the spectra and secondary structures were observed. In aqueous buffer a shift in the wavelength minimum occurred, accompanied by an increase in the magnitude of the molar ellipticity and the amount of beta-turn, with a reduction in random coil. One-third of the amino acids which were originally in random coil conformation assumed beta-turns after removal of 96% of the carbohydrate moiety.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Interaction of N-acetyl-4-epi-D-neuraminic acid with key enzymes of sialic acid metabolism.

In spite of the axially orientated hydroxy group at C-4, the benzyl alpha-glycoside of N-acetyl-4-epi-D-neuraminic acid (4-epi-NeuAc) is a substrate for sialidases from Vibrio cholerae, Clostridium perfringens, and Arthrobacter ureafaciens, although to an extent which differs depending on the enzyme. Surprisingly, V. cholerae sialidase is by far the slowest acting enzyme; this is in contrast to its usual behavior. Fowl plague virus sialidase and bovine testis sialidase also cleave this glycoside slowly. 4-Epi-NeuAc is not a substrate for N-acetylneuraminic acid aldolase from C. perfringens but reversibly inhibits the enzyme with a Ki = 2.3 mM. The N-acetylneuraminic acid analogue is not converted to the corresponding CMP-glycoside by CMP-sialic acid synthase from bovine brain; however, it is an effective reversible inhibitor of the enzyme. The kinetic properties were analyzed with an assay system at pH 9 as well as an assay system at pH 7.5. The results from Dixon and Hanes plots did not agree. Therefore, no conclusions about the mechanism of the inhibition could be reached. This is the first reported sialic acid analogue which can act as an inhibitor of CMP-sialic acid synthase.

[Isolation of oligonucleotides from partial hydrolysates of DNA using template chromatography]. / Isolierung von Oligonucleotiden aus DNA-partialhydrolysaten mit Hilfe der Template-Chromatographie.

Purine oligonucleotides are adsorbed at 0 degree C on poly(vinyl alcohol)-p(dC)n-DEAE-cellulose, and pyrimidine oligonucleotides on oligo(guanylic acid) gel according to the base-pairing mechanism, if their sequences contain at least three or more homologous, consecutive guanylic or cytidylic moieties. By increasing the temperature all base-paired oligonucleotides are desorbed. With this template chromatography mixtures of defined purine- or pyrimidine oligonucleotides could be isolated from fractionated partial hydrolyzates of herring sperm DNA. Afterwards these mixtures are rechromatographed on QAE-Sephadex and/or Nucleosil C18. Using this approach oligonucleotides up to nine monomer units can be isolated either as single substances or as mixtures with defined composition on a preparative scale, which would be not possible with the already existing separation procedures when partial hydrolyzates of herring sperm DNA as starting material are used. Purity and sequence of the isolated oligonucleotides are determined by the "fingerprint" method.