Publications
278 results found
Chakraborty A, Perez M, Carroll JD, et al., 2023, Hypoxia Controls the Glycome Signature and Galectin-8-Ligand Axis to Promote Protumorigenic Properties of Metastatic Melanoma., J Invest Dermatol, Vol: 143, Pages: 456-469.e8
The prognosis for patients with metastatic melanoma (MM) involving distant organs is grim, and treatment resistance is potentiated by tumor-initiating cells (TICs) that thrive under hypoxia. MM cells, including TICs, express a unique glycome featuring i-linear poly-N-acetyllactosamines through the loss of I-branching enzyme, β1,6 N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2. Whether hypoxia instructs MM TIC development by modulating the glycome signature remains unknown. In this study, we explored hypoxia-dependent alterations in MM glycome‒associated genes and found that β1,6 N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2 was downregulated and a galectin (Gal)-8-ligand axis, involving both extracellular and cell-intrinsic Gal-8, was induced. Low β1,6 N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2 levels correlated with poor patient outcomes, and patient serum samples were elevated for Gal-8. Depressed β1,6 N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2 in MM cells upregulated TIC marker, NGFR/CD271, whereas loss of MM cell‒intrinsic Gal-8 markedly lowered NGFR and reduced TIC activity in vivo. Extracellular Gal-8 bound preferentially to i-linear poly-N-acetyllactosamines on N-glycans of the TIC marker and prometastatic molecule CD44, among other receptors, and activated prosurvival factor protein kinase B. This study reveals the importance of hypoxia governing the MM glycome by enforcing i-linear poly-N-acetyllactosamine and Gal-8 expression. This mechanistic investigation also uncovers glycome-dependent regulation of pro-MM factor, NGFR, implicating i-linear poly-N-acetyllactosamine and Gal-8 as biomarkers and therapeutic targets of MM.
Wu G, Grassi P, MacIntyre D, et al., 2022, N-Glycosylation of cervicovaginal fluid reflects microbial community, immune activity, and pregnancy status, Scientific Reports, Vol: 12, Pages: 1-14, ISSN: 2045-2322
Human cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) is a complex, functionally important and glycan rich biological fluid, fundamental in mediating physiological events associated with reproductive health. Using a comprehensive glycomic strategy we reveal an extremely rich and complex N-glycome in CVF of pregnant and non-pregnant women, abundant in paucimannose and highmannose glycans, complex glycans with 2-4 N-Acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) antennae, and Poly-LacNAc glycans decorated with fucosylation and sialylation. N-glycosylation variations were observed to differ in relation to pregnancy status, microbial composition, immune activation, and pregnancy outcome. Compared to CVF from women experiencing term birth, CVF from women who subsequently experienced preterm birth showed lower sialylation, which correlated to the presence of a diverse microbiome, and higher fucosylation, which correlated positively to pro-inflammatory cytokine concentration. This study is the first step towards better understanding the role of cervicovaginal glycans in reproductive health, their contribution to the mechanism of microbial driven preterm birth, and their potential forpreventative therapy.
Peswani AR, Narkpuk J, Krueger A, et al., 2021, Novel constructs and 1-step chromatography protocols for the production of Porcine Circovirus 2d (PCV2d) and Circovirus 3 (PCV3) subunit vaccine candidates, FOOD AND BIOPRODUCTS PROCESSING, Vol: 131, Pages: 125-135, ISSN: 0960-3085
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- Citations: 5
Baksmeier C, Blundell P, Steckel J, et al., 2021, Modified recombinant human IgG1-Fc is superior to natural IVIG at inhibiting immune-mediated demyelination., Immunology, Vol: 464, Pages: 90-105, ISSN: 0019-2805
Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is an established treatment for numerous autoimmune conditions. Although Fc fragments derived from IVIG have shown efficacy in controlling immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in children, the mechanisms of action are unclear and controversial. The aim of this study is to dissect IVIG effector mechanisms using further adapted Fc fragments on demyelination in an ex vivo model of the central nervous system (CNS)-immune interface. Using organotypic cerebellar slice cultures (OSC) from transgenic mice we induced extensive immune-mediated demyelination and oligodendrocyte loss with an antibody specific for myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) and complement. Protective effects of adapted Fc fragments were assessed by live imaging of GFP expression, immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. Cysteine and glycan adapted Fc fragments protected OSC from demyelination in a dose-dependent manner where equimolar concentrations of either IVIG or control Fc were ineffective. The protective effects of the adapted Fc fragments are partly attributed to interference with complement-mediated oligodendroglia damage. Transcriptome analysis ruled out signatures associated with inflammatory or innate immune responses. Taken together our findings show that recombinant biomimetics can be made that are at least two hundred-fold more effective than IVIG in controlling demyelination by anti-MOG antibodies.
Bonnardel F, Haslam SM, Dell A, et al., 2021, Proteome-wide prediction of bacterial carbohydrate-binding proteins as a tool for understanding commensal and pathogen colonisation of the vaginal microbiome, npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, Vol: 7, Pages: 1-10, ISSN: 2055-5008
Bacteria use carbohydrate-binding proteins (CBPs), such as lectins and carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs), to anchor to specific sugars on host surfaces. CBPs in the gut microbiome are well studied, but their roles in the vagina microbiome and involvement in sexually transmitted infections, cervical cancer and preterm birth are largely unknown. We established a classification system for lectins and designed Hidden Markov Model (HMM) profiles for data mining of bacterial genomes, resulting in identification of >100,000 predicted bacterial lectins available at unilectin.eu/bacteria. Genome screening of 90 isolates from 21 vaginal bacterial species shows that those associated with infection and inflammation produce a larger CBPs repertoire, thus enabling them to potentially bind a wider array of glycans in the vagina. Both the number of predicted bacterial CBPs and their specificities correlated with pathogenicity. This study provides new insights into potential mechanisms of colonisation by commensals and potential pathogens of the reproductive tract that underpin health and disease states.
Ng BG, Sosicka P, Fenaille F, et al., 2021, A mutation in SLC37A4 causes a dominantly inherited congenital disorder of glycosylation characterized by liver dysfunction, AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS, Vol: 108, Pages: 1040-1052, ISSN: 0002-9297
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- Citations: 5
Wang S-S, Solar VD, Yu X, et al., 2021, Efficient inhibition of O-glycan biosynthesis using the hexosamine analog Ac(5)GalNTGc, CELL CHEMICAL BIOLOGY, Vol: 28, Pages: 699-+, ISSN: 2451-9448
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- Citations: 2
Wang Y, Khan A, Antonopoulos A, et al., 2021, Loss of alpha 2-6 sialylation promotes the transformation of synovial fibroblasts into a pro-inflammatory phenotype in arthritis, NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, Vol: 12, ISSN: 2041-1723
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- Citations: 14
Cao H, Antonopoulos A, Henderson S, et al., 2021, Red blood cell mannoses as phagocytic ligands mediating both sickle cell anaemia and malaria resistance, Nature Communications, Vol: 12, Pages: 1-13, ISSN: 2041-1723
In both sickle cell disease and malaria, red blood cells (RBCs) are phagocytosed in the spleen, but receptor-ligand pairs mediating uptake have not been identified. Here, we report that patches of high mannose N-glycans (Man5-9GlcNAc2), expressed on diseased or oxidized RBC surfaces, bind the mannose receptor (CD206) on phagocytes to mediate clearance. We find that extravascular hemolysis in sickle cell disease correlates with high mannose glycan levels on RBCs. Furthermore, Plasmodium falciparum-infected RBCs expose surface mannose N-glycans, which occur at significantly higher levels on infected RBCs from sickle cell trait subjects compared to those lacking hemoglobin S. The glycans are associated with high molecular weight complexes and protease-resistant, lower molecular weight fragments containing spectrin. Recognition of surface N-linked high mannose glycans as a response to cellular stress is a molecular mechanism common to both the pathogenesis of sickle cell disease and resistance to severe malaria in sickle cell trait.
Loxley GM, Hooks DO, Antonopoulos A, et al., 2020, Vulpeculin: a novel and abundant lipocalin in the urine of the common brushtail possum,Trichosurus vulpecula, OPEN BIOLOGY, Vol: 10
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- Citations: 2
Richards E, Bouché L, Panico M, et al., 2018, The S-layer protein of a Clostridium difficile SLCT-11 strain displays a complex glycan required for normal cell growth and morphology., Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol: 293, Pages: 18123-18137, ISSN: 0021-9258
Clostridium difficile is a bacterial pathogen that causes major health challenges worldwide. It has a well-characterized surface (S)-layer, a para-crystalline proteinaceous layer surrounding the cell wall. In many bacterial and archaeal species, the S-layer is glycosylated, but no such modifications have been demonstrated in C. difficile. Here, we show that a C. difficilestrain of S-layer cassette type 11, Ox247, has a complex glycan attached via an O-linkage to Thr-38 of the S-layer low-molecular-weight subunit. Using mass spectrometry and NMR, we fully characterized this glycan. We present evidence that it is composed of three domains: (i) a core peptide-linked tetrasaccharide with the sequence -4-α-Rha-3-α-Rha-3-α-Rha-3-β-Gal-peptide, (ii) a repeating pentasaccharide with the sequence -4-β-Rha-4-α-Glc-3-β-Rha-4-(α-Rib-3-)β-Rha-, and (iii) a non-reducing end-terminal 2,3 cyclophosphoryl-rhamnose attached to a ribose-branched sub-terminal rhamnose residue. The Ox247 genome contains a 24 kb locus containing genes for synthesis and protein attachment of this glycan. Mutations in genes within this locus altered or completely abrogated formation of this glycan, and their phenotypes suggested that this S-layer modification may affect sporulation, cell length, and biofilm formation of C. difficile. In summary, our findings indicate that the S-layer protein of SLCT-11 strains displays a complex glycan and suggest that this glycan is required for C. difficilesporulation and control of cell shape, a discovery with implications for the development of antimicrobials targeting the S-layer.
Termini JM, Church ES, Silver ZA, et al., 2017, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Maintain High Levels of Infectivity in the Complete Absence of Mucin-Type O-Glycosylation, JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY, Vol: 91, ISSN: 0022-538X
A highly conserved threonine near the C terminus of gp120 of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) was investigated for its contributions to envelope protein function and virion infectivity. When this highly conserved Thr residue was substituted with anything other than serine (the other amino acid that can accept O-glycosylation), the resulting virus was noninfectious. We found that this Thr was critical for the association of gp120 with the virion and that amino acid substitution increased the amount of dissociated gp120 in the cell culture supernatant. When HIV virions were generated in cells overexpressing polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 1 (GalNAcT1), viral infectivity was increased 2.5-fold compared to that of virus produced in wild-type HEK293T cells; infectivity was increased 8-fold when the Thr499Ser mutant was used. These infectivity enhancements were not observed when GalNAcT3 was used. Using HEK293T knockout cell lines totally devoid of the ability to perform O-linked glycosylation, we demonstrated production of normal levels of virions and normal levels of infectivity in the complete absence of O-linked carbohydrate. Our data indicate that O-glycosylation is not necessary for the natural replication cycle of HIV and SIV. Nonetheless, it remains theoretically possible that the repertoire of GalNAc transferase isoforms in natural target cells for HIV and SIV in vivo could result in O-glycosylation of the threonine residue in question and that this could boost the infectivity of virions beyond the levels seen in the absence of such O-glycosylation.
Termini JM, Silver ZA, Connor B, et al., 2017, HEK293T cell lines defective for O-linked glycosylation, PLOS One, Vol: 12, ISSN: 1932-6203
Here we describe derivatives of the HEK293T cell line that are defective in their ability to generate mucin-type O-linked glycosylation. Using CRISPR/Cas9 and a single-cell GFP-sorting procedure, the UDP-galactose-4-epimerase (GALE), galactokinase 1 (GALK1), and galactokinase 2 (GALK2) genes were knocked out individually and in combinations with greater than 90% of recovered clones having the desired mutations. Although HEK293T cells are tetraploid, we found this approach to be an efficient method to target and disrupt all 4 copies of the target gene. Deficient glycosylation in the GALE knockout cell line could be rescued by the addition of galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) to the cell culture media. However, when key enzymes of the galactose/GalNAc salvage pathways were disrupted in tandem (GALE+GALK1 or GALE+GALK2), O-glycosylation was eliminated and could not be rescued by the addition of either galactose plus GalNAc or UDP-galactose plus UDP-GalNAc. GALK1 and GALK2 are key enzymes of the galactose/GalNAc salvage pathways. Mass spectrometry was performed on whole cell lysate of the knockout cell lines to verify the glycosylation phenotype. As expected, the GALE knockout was almost completely devoid of all O-glycosylation, with minimal glycosylation as a result of functional salvage pathways. However, the GALE+GALK1 and GALE+GALK2 knockout lines were devoid of all O-glycans. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the disruption of GALE, GALK1, and GALE+GALK2 had little effect on the N-glycome. But when GALE was knocked out in tandem with GALK1, N-glycans were exclusively of the high mannose type. Due to the well-characterized nature of these five knockout cell lines, they will likely prove useful for a wide variety of applications.
Li H, Yang T, Liao T, et al., 2017, Insights from the redefinition of Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide O-antigen and core-oligosaccharide domains., Microbial Cell, Vol: 4, Pages: 175-178, ISSN: 2311-2638
H. pylori is a Gram-negative extracellular bacterium, first discovered by the Australian physicians Barry Marshall and Robin Warren in 1982, that colonises the human stomach mucosa. It is the leading cause of peptic ulcer and commonly infects humans worldwide with prevalence as high as 90% in some countries. H. pylori infection usually results in asymptomatic chronic gastritis, however 10-15% of cases develop duodenal or gastric ulcers and 1-3% develop stomach cancer. Infection is generally acquired during childhood and persists for life in the absence of antibiotic treatment. H. pylori has had a long period of co-evolution with humans, going back to human migration out of Africa. This prolonged relationship is likely to have shaped the overall host-pathogen interactions and repertoire of virulence strategies which H. pylori employs to establish robust colonisation, escape immune responses and persist in the gastric niche. In this regard, H. pylori lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a key surface determinant in establishing colonisation and persistence via host mimicry and resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides. Thus, elucidation of the H. pylori LPS structure and corresponding biosynthetic pathway represents an important step towards better understanding of H. pylori pathogenesis and the development of novel therapeutic interventions.
Pham ND, Pang P-C, Krishnamurthy S, et al., 2017, Effects of altered sialic acid biosynthesis on N-linked glycan branching and cell surface interactions, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol: 292, Pages: 9637-9651, ISSN: 0021-9258
GNE myopathy is a rare muscle disorder associated with aging and is related to sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM), the most common acquired muscle disease of aging. While the cause of sIBM is unknown, GNE myopathy is associated with mutations in UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase/ManNAc kinase (GNE). GNE harbors two enzymatic activities required for biosynthesis of sialic acid in mammalian cells. Mutations to both GNE domains are linked to GNE myopathy. However, correlation between mutation-associated reductions in sialic acid production and disease severity is imperfect. To investigate other potential effects of GNE mutations, we compared sialic acid production in cell lines expressing wild-type or mutant forms of GNE. Although we did not detect any differences attributable to disease-associated mutations, lectin binding and mass spectrometry analysis revealed that GNE deficiency is associated with unanticipated effects on the structure of cell-surface glycans. In addition to exhibiting low levels of sialylation, GNE-deficient cells produced distinct N-linked glycan structures with increased branching and extended poly-N-acetyllactosamine (polyLacNAc). GNE deficiency may affect levels of UDP-GlcNAc, a key metabolite in the nutrient-sensing hexosamine biosynthetic pathway, but this modest effect did not fully account for the change in N-linked glycan structure. Further, GNE deficiency and glucose supplementation acted independently and additively to increase N-linked glycan branching. Notably, N-linked glycans produced by GNE-deficient cells displayed enhanced binding to galectin-1, indicating that changes in GNE activity can alter affinity of cell-surface glycoproteins for the galectin lattice. These findings suggest an unanticipated mechanism by which GNE activity might affect signaling through cell-surface receptors.
Li H, Yang T, Liao T, et al., 2017, The redefinition of Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide O-antigen and core-oligosaccharide domains, PLOS Pathogens, Vol: 13, ISSN: 1553-7366
Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide promotes chronic gastric colonisation through O-antigen host mimicry and resistance to mucosal antimicrobial peptides mediated primarily by modifications of the lipid A. The structural organisation of the core and O-antigen domains of H. pylori lipopolysaccharide remains unclear, as the O-antigen attachment site has still to be identified experimentally. Here, structural investigations of lipopolysaccharides purified from two wild-type strains and the O-antigen ligase mutant revealed that the H. pylori core-oligosaccharide domain is a short conserved hexasaccharide (Glc-Gal-DD-Hep-LD-Hep-LD-Hep-KDO) decorated with the O-antigen domain encompassing a conserved trisaccharide (-DD-Hep-Fuc-GlcNAc-) and variable glucan, heptan and Lewis antigens. Furthermore, the putative heptosyltransferase HP1284 was found to be required for the transfer of the third heptose residue to the core-oligosaccharide. Interestingly, mutation of HP1284 did not affect the ligation of the O-antigen and resulted in the attachment of the O-antigen onto an incomplete core-oligosaccharide missing the third heptose and the adjoining Glc-Gal residues. Mutants deficient in either HP1284 or O-antigen ligase displayed a moderate increase in susceptibility to polymyxin B but were unable to colonise the mouse gastric mucosa. Finally, mapping mutagenesis and colonisation data of previous studies onto the redefined organisation of H. pylori lipopolysaccharide revealed that only the conserved motifs were essential for colonisation. In conclusion, H. pylori lipopolysaccharide is missing the canonical inner and outer core organisation. Instead it displays a short core and a longer O-antigen encompassing residues previously assigned as the outer core domain. The redefinition of H. pylori lipopolysaccharide domains warrants future studies to dissect the role of each domain in host-pathogen interactions. Also enzymes involved in the assembly of the conserved core structure, s
Choo M, Tan HL, Ding V, et al., 2017, Characterization of H type 1 and type 1 N-acetyllactosamine glycan epitopes on ovarian cancer specifically recognized by the anti-glycan monoclonal antibody mAb-A4., Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol: 292, Pages: 6163-6176, ISSN: 1083-351X
Cancer-specific glycans of ovarian cancer are promising epitopes for targeting with monoclonal antibodies (mAb). Despite their potential, structural characterization of these glycan epitopes remains a significant challenge in mAb preclinical development. Our group generated the monoclonal antibody mAb-A4 against human embryonic stem cells (hESC), which also bound specifically to N-glycans present on 11 out of 19 ovarian cancer (OC) and 8 out of 14 breast cancer cell lines tested. Normal cell lines and tissue were unstained by mAb-A4. To characterize the N-linked glycan epitopes on OC cell lines targeted by mAb-A4, we used glycosidases, glycan microarray, siRNA and advanced high-sensitivity matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). The mAb-A4 epitopes were found to be Fuc α1-2Galβ1-3GlcNAcβ (H Type 1) and Galβ1-3GlcNAcβ (Type 1 LacNAc). These structures were found to be present on multiple proteins from hESC and OC. Importantly, endo-β-galactosidase coupled with MALDI-MS allowed these two epitopes, for the first time, to be directly identified on the polylactosamines of N-glycans of SKOV3, IGROV1, OV90 and OVCA433. Furthermore, siRNA knockdown of B3GALT5 expression in SKOV3 demonstrated that mAb-A4 binding was dependent on B3GALT5, providing orthogonal evidence of the epitopes' structures. The recognition of oncofetal H Type 1 and Type 1 LacNAc on OC by mAb-A4 is a novel and promising way to target OC and supports the theory that cancer can acquire stem-like phenotypes. We propose that the orthogonal framework used in this work could be the basis for advancing anti-glycan mAb characterization.
Letkemann R, Wittkowski H, Antonopoulos A, et al., 2017, Partial correction of neutrophil dysfunction by oral galactose therapy in glycogen storage disease type Ib, International Immunopharmacology, Vol: 44, Pages: 216-225, ISSN: 1567-5769
Glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSD-Ib) is characterized by impaired glucose homeostasis, neutropenia and neutrophil dysfunction.Mass spectrometric glycomic profiling of GSD-Ib neutrophils showed severely truncated N-glycans, lacking galactose. Experiments indicated the hypoglycosylation of the electron transporting subunit of NADPH oxidase, which is crucial for the defense against bacterial infections. In phosphoglucomutase 1 (PGM1) deficiency, an inherited disorder with an enzymatic defect just one metabolic step ahead, hypogalactosylation can be successfully treated by dietary galactose. We hypothesized the same pathomechanism in GSD-Ib and started a therapeutic trial with oral galactose and uridine. The aim was to improve neutrophil dysfunction through the correction of hypoglycosylation in neutrophils. The GSD-Ib patient was treated for 29 weeks. Monitoring included glycomics analysis of the patient's neutrophils and neutrophil function tests including respiratory burst activity, phagocytosis and migration. Although no substantial restoration of neutrophil glycosylation was found, there was partial improvement of respiratory burst activity.
Zhu F, Zhang H, Yang T, et al., 2016, Engineering and dissecting the glycosylation pathway of a streptococcal serine-rich repeat adhesin, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol: 291, Pages: 27354-27363, ISSN: 1083-351X
Serine-rich repeat glycoproteins (SRRPs) are conserved in Gram-positive bacteria. They are crucial for modulating biofilm formation and bacterial-host interactions. Glycosylation of SRRPs plays a pivotal role in the process; thus understanding the glycosyltransferases involved is key to identifying new therapeutic drug targets. The glycosylation of Fap1, an SRRP of Streptococcus parasanguinis, is mediated by a gene cluster consisting of six genes: gtf1, gtf2, gly, gtf3, dGT1, and galT2 Mature Fap1 glycan possesses the sequence of Rha1-3Glc1-(Glc1-3GlcNAc1)-2,6-Glc1-6GlcNAc. Gtf12, Gtf3, and dGT1 are responsible for the first four steps of the Fap1 glycosylation, catalyzing the transfer of GlcNAc, Glc, Glc, and GlcNAc residues to the protein backbone sequentially. The role of GalT2 and Gly in the Fap1 glycosylation is unknown. In the present study, we synthesized the fully modified Fap1 glycan in Escherichia coli by incorporating all six genes from the cluster. This study represents the first reconstitution of an exogenous stepwise O-glycosylation synthetic pathway in E. coli In addition, we have determined that GalT2 mediates the fifth step of the Fap1 glycosylation by adding a rhamnose residue, and Gly mediates the final glycosylation step by transferring glucosyl residues. Furthermore, inactivation of each glycosyltransferase gene resulted in differentially impaired biofilms of S. parasanguinis, demonstrating the importance of Fap1 glycosylation in the biofilm formation. The Fap1 glycosylation system offers an excellent model to engineer glycans using different permutations of glycosyltransferases and to investigate biosynthetic pathways of SRRPs because SRRP genetic loci are highly conserved.
Liu Y, McBride R, Stoll M, et al., 2016, The Minimum Information Required for a Glycomics Experiment (MIRAGE) project: improving the standards for reporting glycan microarray-based data, Glycobiology, Vol: 27, Pages: 280-284, ISSN: 1460-2423
MIRAGE (Minimum Information Required for A Glycomics Experiment) is an initiative that was created by experts in the fields of glycobiology, glycoanalytics, and glycoinformatics to produce guidelines for reporting results from the diverse types of experiments and analyses used in structural and functional studies of glycans in the scientific literature. As a sequel to the guidelines for sample preparation (Struwe et al. 2016, Glycobiology, 26, 907-910) and mass spectrometry (MS) data (Kolarich et al. 2013, Mol. Cell Proteomics. 12, 991-995), here we present the first version of guidelines intended to improve the standards for reporting data from glycan microarray analyses. For each of eight areas in the workflow of a glycan microarray experiment, we provide guidelines for the minimal information that should be provided in reporting results. We hope that the MIRAGE glycan microarray guidelines proposed here will gain broad acceptance by the community, and will facilitate interpretation and reproducibility of the glycan microarray results with implications in comparison of data from different laboratories and eventual deposition of glycan microarray data in international databases.
Antonopoulos A, Geddes-Sweeney JE, Dimitroff CJ, et al., 2016, Structural characterization of the N-glycome from malignant melanoma cells reveals galectin ligands, 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society for Glycobiology, Publisher: Oxford University Press, Pages: 1442-1443, ISSN: 1460-2423
Kudelka MR, Antonopoulos A, Wang Y, et al., 2016, Cellular O-glycome Reporter/Amplification to explore O-glycans of living cells, 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society for Glycobiology, Publisher: Oxford University Press, Pages: 1454-1454, ISSN: 1460-2423
Sweeney JG, Liang J, Antonopoulos A, et al., 2016, I-branched N-glycans negatively regulate melanoma growth and insulin-like growth factor receptor signaling, 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society for Glycobiology, Publisher: Oxford University Press, Pages: 1383-1384, ISSN: 1460-2423
Bouché L, Panico M, Hitchen P, et al., 2016, The Type B flagellin of hypervirulent Clostridium difficile is modified with novel sulphonated Peptidylamido-glycans, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol: 291, Pages: 25439-25449, ISSN: 1083-351X
Glycosylation of flagellins is a well recognized property of many bacterial species. In this study we describe the structural characterization of novel flagellar glycans from a number of hypervirulent strains of C. difficile. We used mass spectrometry (nano LC- MS and MS/MS analysis) to identify a number of putative glycopeptides which carried a variety of glycoform substitutions each of which was linked through an initial HexNAc residue to Ser or Thr. Detailed analysis of a LLDGSSTEIR glycopeptide released by tryptic digestion, which carried two variant structures, revealed that the glycopeptide contained, in addition to carbohydrate moieties, a novel structural entity. A variety of Electrospray-MS strategies using Q-TOF technology were used to define this entity, including positive- and negative-ion collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) MS/MS which produced unique fragmentation patterns, and high resolution accurate mass measurement to allow derivation of atomic compositions, leading to the suggestion of a Taurine-containing peptidylamido-glycan structure. Finally NMR analysis of flagellin glycopeptides provided complementary information. The glycan portion of the modification was assigned as α-Fuc3N-(1→3)-α-Rha-(1→2)-α-Rha3OMe-(1→3)-β-GlcNAc-(1→)Ser and the novel capping moiety was shown to be comprised of Taurine, Alanine, and Glycine. This is the first report of a novel O-linked sulphonated peptidylamido-glycan moiety decorating a flagellin protein.
Valiente E, Bouche L, Hitchen P, et al., 2016, Role of glycosyltransferases modifying type B flagellin of emerging hypervirulent Clostridium difficile lineages and their impact on motility and biofilm formation, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol: 291, Pages: 25450-25461, ISSN: 1083-351X
Clostridium difficile is the principal cause of nosocomial infectious diarrhea worldwide. The pathogen modifies its flagellin with either a type A or type B O-linked glycosylation system, which has a contributory role in pathogenesis. We study the functional role of glycosyltransferases modifying type B flagellin in the 023 and 027 hypervirulent C. difficile lineages by mutagenesis of five putative glycosyltransferases and biosynthetic genes. We reveal their roles in the biosynthesis of the flagellin glycan chain and demonstrate that flagellar post-translational modification affects motility and adhesion-related bacterial properties of these strains. We show that the glycosyltransferases 1 and 2 (GT1 and GT2) are responsible for the sequential addition of a GlcNAc and two rhamnoses, respectively, and that GT3 is associated with the incorporation of a novel sulfonated peptidyl-amido sugar moiety whose structure is reported in our accompanying paper (Bouché, L., Panico, M., Hitchen, P., Binet, D., Sastre, F., Faulds-Pain, A., Valiente, E., Vinogradov, E., Aubry, A., Fulton, K., Twine, S., Logan, S. M., Wren, B. W., Dell, A., and Morris, H. R. (2016) J. Biol. Chem. 291, 25439–25449). GT2 is also responsible for methylation of the rhamnoses. Whereas type B modification is not required for flagellar assembly, some mutations that result in truncation or abolition of the glycan reduce bacterial motility and promote autoaggregation and biofilm formation. The complete lack of flagellin modification also significantly reduces adhesion of C. difficile to Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells but does not affect activation of human TLR5. Our study advances our understanding of the genes involved in flagellar glycosylation and their biological roles in emerging hypervirulent C. difficile strains.
Struwe WB, Agravat S, Aoki-Kinoshita KF, et al., 2016, The minimum information required for a glycomics experiment (MIRAGE) project: sample preparation guidelines for reliable reporting of glycomics datasets., Glycobiology, Vol: 26, Pages: 907-910, ISSN: 0959-6658
The minimum information required for a glycomics experiment (MIRAGE) project was established in 2011 to provide guidelines to aid in data reporting from all types of experiments in glycomics research including mass spectrometry (MS), liquid chromatography, glycan arrays, data handling and sample preparation. MIRAGE is a concerted effort of the wider glycomics community that considers the adaptation of reporting guidelines as an important step towards critical evaluation and dissemination of datasets as well as broadening of experimental techniques worldwide. The MIRAGE Commission published reporting guidelines for MS data and here we outline guidelines for sample preparation. The sample preparation guidelines include all aspects of sample generation, purification and modification from biological and/or synthetic carbohydrate material. The application of MIRAGE sample preparation guidelines will lead to improved recording of experimental protocols and reporting of understandable and reproducible glycomics datasets.
Panico M, Bouché L, Binet D, et al., 2016, Mapping the complete glycoproteome of virion-derived HIV-1 gp120 provides insights into broadly neutralizing antibody binding, Scientific Reports, Vol: 6, Pages: 1-17, ISSN: 2045-2322
The surface envelope glycoprotein (SU) of Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), gp120SU plays an essential role in virus binding to target CD4+ T-cells and is a major vaccine target. Gp120 has remarkably high levels of N-linked glycosylation and there is considerable evidence that this “glycan shield” can help protect the virus from antibody-mediated neutralization. In recent years, however, it has become clear that gp120 glycosylation can also be included in the targets of recognition by some of the most potent broadly neutralizing antibodies. Knowing the site-specific glycosylation of gp120 can facilitate the rational design of glycopeptide antigens for HIV vaccine development. While most prior studies have focused on glycan analysis of recombinant forms of gp120, here we report the first systematic glycosylation site analysis of gp120 derived from virions produced by infected T lymphoid cells and show that a single site is exclusively substituted with complex glycans. These results should help guide the design of vaccine immunogens.
Zhang H, Zhou M, Yang T, et al., 2016, A New Helical Binding Domain Mediates a Glycosyltransferase Activity of a Bifunctional Protein, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol: 291, Pages: 22106-22117, ISSN: 1083-351X
Serine-rich repeat glycoproteins (SRRPs) conserved in streptococci and staphylococci are important for bacterial colonization and pathogenesis. Fap1, a well studied SRRP is a major surface constituent of Streptococcus parasanguinis and is required for bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. Biogenesis of Fap1 is a multistep process that involves both glycosylation and secretion. A series of glycosyltransferases catalyze sequential glycosylation of Fap1. We have identified a unique hybrid protein dGT1 (dual glycosyltransferase 1) that contains two distinct domains. N-terminal DUF1792 is a novel GT-D-type glycosyltransferase, transferring Glc residues to Glc-GlcNAc-modified Fap1. C-terminal dGT1 (CgT) is predicted to possess a typical GT-A-type glycosyltransferase, however, the activity remains unknown. In this study, we determine that CgT is a distinct glycosyltransferase, transferring GlcNAc residues to Glc-Glc-GlcNAc-modified Fap1. A 2.4-Å x-ray crystal structure reveals that CgT has a unique binding domain consisting of three α helices in addition to a typical GT-A-type glycosyltransferase domain. The helical domain is crucial for the oligomerization of CgT. Structural and biochemical studies revealed that the helix domain is required for the protein-protein interaction and crucial for the glycosyltransferase activity of CgT in vitro and in vivo. As the helix domain presents a novel structural fold, we conclude that CgT represents a new member of GT-A-type glycosyltransferases.
Mkhikian H, Mortales C-L, Zhou RW, et al., 2016, Golgi self-correction generates bioequivalent glycans to preserve cellular homeostasis, eLife, Vol: 5, Pages: 1-27, ISSN: 2050-084X
Essential biological systems employ self-correcting mechanisms to maintain cellular homeostasis. Mammalian cell function is dynamically regulated by the interaction of cell surface galectins with branched N-glycans. Here we report that N-glycan branching deficiency triggers the Golgi to generate bioequivalent N-glycans that preserve galectin-glycoprotein interactions and cellular homeostasis. Galectins bind N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) units within N-glycans initiated from UDP-GlcNAc by the medial-Golgi branching enzymes as well as the trans-Golgi poly-LacNAc extension enzyme β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (B3GNT). Marginally reducing LacNAc content by limiting N-glycans to three branches results in T-cell hyperactivity and autoimmunity; yet further restricting branching does not produce a more hyperactive state. Rather, new poly-LacNAc extension by B3GNT maintains galectin binding and immune homeostasis. Poly-LacNAc extension is triggered by redistribution of unused UDP-GlcNAc from the medial to trans-Golgi via inter-cisternal tubules. These data demonstrate the functional equivalency of structurally dissimilar N-glycans and suggest a self-correcting feature of the Golgi that sustains cellular homeostasis.
Veríssimo CM, Morassutti AL, von Itzstein M, et al., 2016, Characterization of the N-glycans of female Angiostrongylus cantonensis worms, Experimental Parasitology, Vol: 166, Pages: 137-143, ISSN: 1090-2449
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