Search results for "glycan"

2000

In eukaryotic cells, proteins are translocated across the ER membrane through a continuous ribosome-translocon channel. It is unclear to what extent proteins can fold already within the ribosome-translocon channel, and previous studies suggest that only a limited degree of folding (such as the formation of isolated α-helices) may be possible within the ribosome. We have previously shown that the conformation of nascent polypeptide chains in transit through the ribosome-translocon complex can be probed by measuring the number of residues required to span the distance between the ribosomal P-site and the lumenally disposed active site of the oligosaccharyl transferase enzyme (J. Biol. Chem 27…

Cyclodextrin-assisted Glycan Chain Extension on a Protected Glycosyl Amino Acid

2000

By the use of cyclodextrins, we have enhanced the solubility of the protected amino acid glycan Fmoc-Thr(GalNAcα1)-OtBu (1b) up to 100-fold. This improvement enabled us to carry out an enzymatic glycosylation employing a β-galactosidase in combination with an α2,3-sialyltransferase without the aid of organic cosolvents. After optimization of the one-pot reaction, the sialylated core 1 structure Fmoc-Thr[Neu5Ac(α2-3)Gal(β1-3)GalNAcα1]-OtBu (3b) could be obtained with 50% yield.

Structure analysis of acetylated and non-acetylated O-linked MUC1-glycopeptides by post-source decay matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass…

1997

We have investigated the potential of structural elucidation of O-linked glycopeptides by post-source decay matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (PSD-MALDI-MS). In order to establish detailed fragmentation patterns and to dissect fragment ions with and without carbohydrate content, the same O-linked MUC1-derived glycopeptides with acetylated and non-acetylated sugars were analysed and compared. Furthermore, we were interested to examine possible differences in the fragmentation between glycopeptides with acetylated and non-acetylated sugars. The obtained PSD-MALDI-MS spectra showed a rather complete set of fragmentation data which allows us to localize the glycan on…

Polymer-induced phase separation in suspensions of bacteria

2010

We study phase separation in suspensions of two unrelated species of rod-like bacteria, Escherichia coli and Sinorhizobium meliloti, induced by the addition of two different anionic polyelectrolytes, sodium polystyrene sulfonate or succinoglycan, the former being synthetic and the latter of natural origin. Comparison with the known behaviour of synthetic colloid-polymer mixtures and with simulations show that "depletion" (or, equivalently, "macromolecular crowding") is the dominant mechanism: exclusion of the non-adsorbing polymer from the region between two neighbouring bacteria creates an unbalanced osmotic force pushing them together. The implications of our results for understanding phe…

Heparan sulfate levels in mucopolysaccharidoses and mucolipidoses.

2004

Glycosaminoglycans are accumulated in both mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) and mucolipidoses (ML). MPS I, II, III and VII and ML II and ML III patients cannot properly degrade heparan sulphate (HS). In spite of the importance of HS storage in the metabolic pathway in these diseases, blood and urine HS levels have not been determined systematically using a simple and economical method. Using a new ELISA method using anti-HS antibodies, HS concentrations in blood and urine were determined in MPS and ML II and ML III patients. HS concentrations were determined in 156 plasma samples from MPS I (n = 23), MPS II (n = 26), MPS III (n = 24), MPS IV (n = 62), MPS VI (n = 5), MPS VII (n = 5), ML II (n = …

Decorin Expression and Oncosuppression in Human Embryonic Carcinomas

2019

Human embryonic stem cells in culture can transform into malignant, cancer-like cells exhibiting lesser differentiation. After transplantation, these transformed cells can form highly malignant germ cell tumors. In humans, germ cell tumors often appear at gonadal sites, like in the testis. In this study, we examined the expression of small leucine rich proteoglycans in normal and karyotypically abnormal human embryonic stem cells using a publicly available transcriptome data. We also examined the expression of the small leucine rich proteoglycans in healthy human testis and in different human testicular non-seminoma germ cell tumors using IST Online database. Furthermore, we localized the e…

Transfer of Immunity from Mother to Offspring Is Mediated via Egg-Yolk Protein Vitellogenin.

2015

Insect immune systems can recognize specific pathogens and prime offspring immunity. High specificity of immune priming can be achieved when insect females transfer immune elicitors into developing oocytes. The molecular mechanism behind this transfer has been a mystery. Here, we establish that the egg-yolk protein vitellogenin is the carrier of immune elicitors. Using the honey bee, Apis mellifera, model system, we demonstrate with microscopy and western blotting that vitellogenin binds to bacteria, both Paenibacillus larvae – the gram-positive bacterium causing American foulbrood disease – and to Escherichia coli that represents gram-negative bacteria. Next, we verify that vitellogenin bi…

F-Type Lectins: A highly diversified family of fucose-binding proteins with a unique sequence motif and structural fold, involved in self/non-self-re…

2017

The F-type lectin (FTL) family is one of the most recent to be identified and structurally characterized. Members of the FTL family are characterized by a fucose recognition domain [F-type lectin domain (FTLD)] that displays a novel jellyroll fold (“F-type” fold) and unique carbohydrate- and calcium-binding sequence motifs. This novel lectin family comprises widely distributed proteins exhibiting single, double, or greater multiples of the FTLD, either tandemly arrayed or combined with other structurally and functionally distinct domains, yielding lectin subunits of pleiotropic properties even within a single species. Furthermore, the extraordinary variability of FTL sequences (isoforms) th…

The NG2 Proteoglycan Protects Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells against Oxidative Stress via Interaction with OMI/HtrA2.

2015

The NG2 proteoglycan is characteristically expressed by oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPC) and also by aggressive brain tumours highly resistant to chemo- and radiation therapy. Oligodendrocyte-lineage cells are particularly sensitive to stress resulting in cell death in white matter after hypoxic or ischemic insults of premature infants and destruction of OPC in some types of Multiple Sclerosis lesions. Here we show that the NG2 proteoglycan binds OMI/HtrA2, a mitochondrial serine protease which is released from damaged mitochondria into the cytosol in response to stress. In the cytosol, OMI/HtrA2 initiates apoptosis by proteolytic degradation of anti-apoptotic factors. OPC in which NG…

Comparative ultrastructure and carbohydrate composition of gastroliths from Astacidae, Cambaridae and Parastacidae freshwater crayfish (Crustacea, De…

2012

21 pages; International audience; Crustaceans have to cyclically replace their rigid exoskeleton in order to grow. Most of them harden this skeleton by a calcification process. Some decapods (land crabs, lobsters and crayfish) elaborate calcium storage structures as a reservoir of calcium ions in their stomach wall, as so-called gastroliths. For a better understanding of the cyclic elaboration of these calcium deposits, we studied the ultrastructure of gastroliths from freshwater crayfish by using a combination of microscopic and physical techniques. Because sugars are also molecules putatively involved in the elaboration process of these biomineralizations, we also determined their carbohy…