Showing papers by "Pavla Bojarová published in 2011"

Combinatorial One-Pot Synthesis of Poly-N-acetyllactosamine Oligosaccharides with Leloir-Glycosyltransferases

Abstract: Poly-N-acetyllactosamine (Poly-LacNAc, [3Galβ1,4GlcNAcβ1]n) glycans play an essential role in carbohydrate-protein interactions. The synthesis of poly-LacNAc, both chemical and enzymatic, is typically characterized by high losses of product during sequential synthesis, due to deprotection and/or purification steps. In this work we present a one-pot synthesis of poly-LacNAc oligosaccharides by combining recombinant glycosyltransferases. By fractionation of the poly-LacNAc glycan mixture we were able to isolate glycans with up to six N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) units. Activity measurements of the involved recombinant β1,4-galactosyltransferase-1 (β4GalT-1) and β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (β3GlcNAcT) with isolated glycan substrates of up to eight sugar units revealed a preference of β3GlcNAcT for the tetrasaccharide and no preference of β4GalT-1 for a specific glycan length. These findings led us to the optimization of combinatorial one-pot synthesis by variation of substrate and enzyme ratios, as well as starting the synthesis with various poly-LacNAc chain lengths. Consequently, we present here an optimized poly-LacNAc synthesis by the combination of two glycosyltransferases and a uridine-diphospho-glucose/N-acetylglucosamine 4′-epimerase as one-pot strategy resulting in long poly-LacNAc glycans with up to six LacNAc units in high yields while minimizing reaction time and product loss. The obtained products are important ligands for the biofunctionalization of biomaterial surfaces and the construction of an artificial extracellular matrix for tissue engineering.

Enzymatic characterization and molecular modeling of an evolutionarily interesting fungal β-N-acetylhexosaminidase.

Abstract: Fungal β-N-acetylhexosaminidases are inducible extracellular enzymes with many biotechnological applications. The enzyme from Penicillium oxalicum has unique enzymatic properties despite its close evolutionary relationship with other fungal hexosaminidases. It has high GalNAcase activity, tolerates substrates with the modified N-acyl group better and has some other unusual catalytic properties. In order to understand these features, we performed isolation, biochemical and enzymological characterization, molecular cloning and molecular modelling. The native enzyme is composed of two catalytic units (65 kDa each) and two propeptides (15 kDa each), yielding a molecular weight of 160 kDa. Enzyme deglycosylated by endoglycosidase H had comparable activity, but reduced stability. We have cloned and sequenced the gene coding for the entire hexosaminidase from P. oxalicum. Sufficient sequence identity of this hexosaminidase with the structurally solved enzymes from bacteria and humans with complete conservation of all catalytic residues allowed us to construct a molecular model of the enzyme. Results from molecular dynamics simulations and substrate docking supported the experimental kinetic and substrate specificity data and provided a molecular explanation for why the hexosaminidase from P. oxalicum is unique among the family of fungal hexosaminidases.

Corrigendum: Charged Hexosaminides as New Substrates for β‐N‐Acetylhexosaminidase‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Immunomodulatory Disaccharides

Abstract: This work is a structure-activity relationship study that investigates the influence of the nature and amount of negative charge in carbohydrate substrates on the affinity of β-N-acetylhexosaminidases, and on the stimulation of natural killer cells. It describes synthetic procedures yielding novel glycosides that are useful in immunoactivation. Specifically, we present a thorough study on the ability of six C-6 modified β-N-acetylhexosaminides (aldehyde, uronate, 6-O-sulfate, 6-O-phosphate) to serve as substrates for cleavage and glycosylation by a library of β-N-acetylhexosaminidases from various sources. Four novel disaccharides with one or two (negatively) charged groups were prepared in synthetic reactions in good yields. Surprisingly, the 6-O-phosphorylated substrate, although cleaved by a number of enzymes from the series, worked neither as a donor nor as an acceptor in transglycosylation reactions. The results of wet experiments were supported by molecular modeling of substrates in the active site of two representative enzymes from the screening. All ten prepared compounds were examined in terms of their immunoactivity, namely as ligands of two activation receptors of natural killer (NK) cells, NKR-P1 and CD69, both with isolated proteins and whole cells. Sulfated disaccharides in particular acted as very efficient protectants of NK cells against activation-induced apoptosis, and as stimulants of the natural killing of resistant tumor cells, which makes them good candidates for potential clinical use in cancer treatment.

Glycosidases in carbohydrate synthesis: when organic chemistry falls short.

Abstract: Thanks to the stability, good availability, stereoselectivity and broad substrate specificity, oligosaccharide synthesis catalyzed by glycosidases represents an elegant way to complex carbohydrate structures. Two approaches to glycosidase catalysis are presented: (i) the use of structurally modified substrates that carry various functional moieties in the molecule, and (ii) the design of mutant glycosidases void of hydrolytic activity. Products of glycosidase-catalyzed synthesis are applicable in a range of areas such as immunology, therapy of Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases and the synthesis of neoglycoproteins.

Glycosidases in Carbohydrate Synthesis: When Organic Chemistry Falls Short

Abstract: Thanks to the stability, good availability, stereoselectivity and broad substrate specificity, oligosaccharide synthesis catalyzed by glycosidases represents an elegant way to complex carbohydrate structures. Two approaches to glycosidase catalysis are presented: (i) the use of structurally modified substrates that carry various functional moieties in the molecule, and (ii) the design of mutant glycosidases void of hydrolytic activity. Products of glycosidase-catalyzed synthesis are applicable in a range of areas such as immunology, therapy of Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases and the synthesis of neoglycoproteins.