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The specificity of Golgi-membrane glycoprotein 6-α-[ l -fucosyltransferase [GDP-[ l ]-fucose: 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-[ d ]-glucoside (Fuc → Asn-linked GlcNAc) 6-α-[ l ]-fucosyltransferase; EC 2.4.1.68] has been assessed with regard to substrate covalent structures and the effect of a protein matrix on the conformational display of those covalent structures. Specificity was studied by direct comparison of the substrate quality of nine 6-biotinamidohexanoylAsn (= R) derivatives of intermediates and products in the pathway from Man5GlcNAc2-R to a fully sialylated biantennary complex-type glycan. The Man5 derivative and the sialic acid-containing glycans were completely inactive as substrates. The other glycans were all fucosylated; the best substrate was GlcNAcMan3GlcNAc2-R. The protein-matrix effect was studied by comparing the substrate quality of the same 6-biotinamidohexanoylAsn derivatives as well as the corresponding biotinylAsn derivatives free in solution and bound to streptavidin. On the basis of a model derived from the known 3D structure of biotin (biocytin)-saturated streptavidin, it was predicted that the fucosylation site in the substrates would be completely masked in the biotin-binding pocket in the biotinyl derivatives (proximal display), and at least partially masked in the 6-biotinamidohexanoyl derivatives (distal display). The activity measurements were in agreement with these predictions; the glycan structures GlcNAcMan5GlcNAc2-, GlcNAcMan3GlcNAc2-, and GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc2- were readily fucosylated as derivatives free in solution, but were totally inert in the proximal complex with streptavidin. In the distal complexes the latter two structures were found to be fucosylated very slowly while the former structure was inactive.

The effect of a protein matrix on the processing of glycoprotein glycans by Golgi enzymes from plant seedlings has been determined with an artificial glycoprotein system, comparing the processing rates of glycan-(biotinyl)Asn (or glycan-(biotinamidohexanoyl)Asn) substrates either free or bound to avidin. An analysis of the pooled glycoproteins from the seedlings suggested that the most common glycan structure is a complex one (GlcNAc-Man3GlycNAc2-protein), and consistent with this processing end-product, mannosidases I and II and GlcNAc transferases I and II were all found to be present in the seedling Golgi membrane preparations. The effect of the avidin matrix either in a proximal (biotinyl substrates) or distal (N-(biotinamido)hexonoyl substrates) association with the appropriate glycan substrate for these four enzymes was assessed from the direct comparison of the apparent first-order rate constants for the free and avidin-bound substrate-product conversions. All four plant enzymes were inhibited by the association of the glycan substrates with avidin, but the inhibition was much less pronounced than that observed with the corresponding enzymes from rat liver and hen oviduct. The rate effect shows a progression from 3- to 10-fold rate decreases in the proximal complexes and 2- to 3-fold in the distal complexes in going from the first (mannosidase I) to the fourth (GlcNAc transferase II) enzyme; with the mammalian and avian enzymes the largest effects were for the first ones and much larger absolute rate effects were observed. The results suggest that the nature of the processing enzymes in terms of this response to the avidin glycan substrates may differ in different organisms.

Four proteases, crude acid protease from Aspergillus , pronase, amino-peptidase M, and prolidase, have been covalently attached to activated agarose and to amino propyl glass beads. The matrix-bound enzymes have been tested as catalysts for the complete hydrolysis of protein substrates, with the primary goal to isolate unstable amino acid derivatives present in the substrate protein. Under conditions used in the present work, the total amino acid release from the protease-catalyzed hydrolysis of four substrate proteins (pancreatic ribonuclease, egg white lysozyme, yeast enolase, and bovine insulin) was 95–103% of that observed in standard acid hydrolysis. Recovery of individual amino acids showed greater deviation from the theoretical values, but cystine was the only amino acid recovered in low yields (42–77%) from all four proteins. Derivatized amino acids, such as methionine sulfoxide, O -(butylcarbamoyl)-serine, and N -glycosyl asparagine have been obtained from chemically modified proteins or from unmodified glycoprotein in good yield, and normal amino acid constituents of proteins which cannot be quantified after acid hydrolysis (tryptophan, asparagine, and glutamine) have also been determined either directly after proteolysis or after proteolysis in conjunction with acid hydrolysis.

A lectin has been isolated from the roots of 5-day soybean (Glycine max (L) cultivar Chippewa) seedlings, and its properties have been compared to those of the soybean seed lectin. The sugar-binding activities of the two lectins, both in terms of specific hemagglutinating activity and sugar specificity, are indistinguishable. Molecular properties of the two lectins, measured as relative molecular weights, isoelectric and electrophoretic patterns, amino acid compositions, immunochemical cross-reactivity, and chromatographic behavior on Sepharose-concanavalin A adsorbents suggest that the seed and the root lectin are very similar but not identical. On the basis of these comparisons, we conclude that models regarding biological functions of soybean lectin derived from studies using the seed lectin can be extended to include the root lectin in this cultivar. Studies on the distribution of the lectin in the root tissue suggest that it is associated with the outer surface of the root and is concentrated in the segments of the root at which hair and early secondary roots are observed. Since this is the region at which Rhizobium binding occurs and at which nodulation probably is initiated, all the reported observations on the root lectin are consistent with its proposed role in the specific interaction of the developing soybean with its symbiont.

A computer program, Pattern Learn, can distinguish between acetylated and non-acetylated proteins by comparing the first 40 residues for their statistical assignment as secondary-structure formers (+), breakers (−) or neutrals (0). The major distinguishing features between acetylated and non-acetylated proteins appear in the sequences ranges 1–10, 16–24 and 30–40, but the precise nature of the distinguishing features is not known.

Transglutaminase has been isolated from human erythrocytes, and some of its molecular and catalytic properties have been determined. An enzyme preparation of about 15% purity is readily obtained in about 25% yield after DEAE-cellulose fractionation and gel filtration. In order to achieve this yield of enzyme it is essential to add to the buffers a dialyzable stabilizing factor which is present in the early enzyme fractions. This natural factor can be partly replaced by chelating compounds and totally replaced by ATP, and in practice, the purification of the enzyme is best carried out with ATP present in the buffers. The role of ATP in stabilizing the enzyme is unknown. Complete purification of the erythrocyte transglutaminase can be accomplished by preparative acrylamide gel electrophoresis. The pure enzyme has a molecular weight of 82 000 ± 5000, as established by gel filtration and SDS gel electrophoresis, and its catalytic properties are essentially identical to those of guinea pig liver transglutaminase. The guinea pig liver and the erythrocyte enzymes have also been compared as catalysts for protein modification reactions, and have been found to have quite similar specificity requirements for protein substrates. Both enzymes catalyzed significant incorporation of amines into 4 of 20 soluble proteins tested and into proteins 1, 2 and 3 of the red cell membrane. The partially purified erythrocyte enzyme has been found to be completely satisfactory for protein modification experiments, and the ready availability of outdated human blood and the simple purification procedure should make this enzyme a convenient protein-modifying or crosslinking reagent.

The circulating half-lives of the four isozymes of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease (RNases A, B, C, and D) have been determined in normal and in nephrectomized rats. The isozymes differ only in their glycosyl content. While A contains no sugars, B has a simple oligosaccharide (GlcNAc2 Man4-5),and C and D each have a complex oligosaccharide (GlcNAc4 Man 2-3 Gal2 Fuc NeuAc2, and GlcNAc4 Man3 Gal2 Fuc NeuAc4, respectively) attached to Asn-34 of the polypeptide chain. All four isozymes were cleared rapidly in normal rats (t 1/2 = 2 to 3 min), as expected on the basis of the established role of the kidneys in removing low molecular weight proteins from circulation. In nephrectomized rats, however, a much slower clearance was observed, thus permitting the evaluation of the role of the carbohydrate chains in the catabolism of the isozymes. The clearance curves can be analyzed in terms of two processes, a rapid initial one, shown to represent the equilibration of the injected enzyme into extravascular space, and a second one which is interpreted as the catabolic clearance of the enzyme. The haf-life of the RNase isozymes was calculated from this second process and found to be in the range 528 to 577 min for RNase A, 15 min for RNase B, 681 to 862 min for RNase C, and 839 to 941 min for RNase D. The rapidly cleared RNase B was treated with alpha-mannosidase to remove 3 of the 4 mannosyl residues, leaving only a trisaccharide (GlcNAc2-betaMan) attached to the protein. The half-life of this RNase B derivatives was found to be in the range 616 to 733 min. From these results it is concluded (a) that the addition of complex oligosaccharides to a protein does not have any significant direct effect on its circulating half-life (RNases C and D compared to RNase A), and (b) that in the rat there exists a mechanism for clearing glycoproteins based on specific recognition of exposed alpha-mannosyl residues (RNase B compared to the other isozymes and to alpha-mannosidase-treated RNase B).

Methods were investigated for the stabilization of human splenic α-galactosidase A (α- d -galactoside galactohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.22). Anti-α-galactosidase A antiserum was produced in a goat by repeated immunization with highly purified α-galactosidase A. When this antiserum was incubated at 37°C with α-galactosidase A in varying enzyme: antiserum ratios, a significant increase in the thermal (50 °C) stability and in the resistance to protease digestion of these mixtures was observed compared to appropriate controls. The enzyme was also treated with the bifunctional cross-linking reagent, hexamethylene diisocyanate, and the thermal stability and protease resistance of the cross-linked derivative were increased compared to the native enzyme treated with the monofunctional reagent, butyl isocyanate.

The structural model of yeast enolase has undergone substantial modification in recent years, and the quantitative end group analysis of the enzyme was undertaken as a means of establishing the most recent two-subunit model by a chemical method. Carboxypeptidase digestion and hydrazinolysis gave 1.95 and 1.85 moles, respectively, of carboxyl-terminal leucine per mole of enzyme, and amino-terminal analysis by the cyanate method gave 1.8 moles of amino-terminal alanine per mole of enzyme, thus confirming the model of yeast enolase as an 88,000-dalton protein consisting of two 44,000-dalton subunits. Contrary to reports in the literature, pure enolase was found to be very resistant to endopeptidase-free exopeptidase digestion. The earlier findings that large segments of both the amino-terminal and carboxyl-terminal sequences can be removed by exopeptidases without loss of enolase activity can thus not be reproduced in this laboratory. Some possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed.

Enolase has been purified from aqueous extracts of Escherichia coli acetone powder by (a) heat treatment, (b) fractionation with acetone, (c) TEAE-cellulose chromatography, (d) Sephadex G-100 chromatography, and (e) crystallization. The purified, crystalline enzyme migrates as a single band in disc gel electrophoresis and is homogeneous by ultracentrifugal analysis. The molecular weight of the enzyme is approximately 90,000, as determined by sedimentation velocity and sedimentation equilibrium experiments. The subunit molecular weight estimated by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels containing sodium dodecyl sulfate is 46,000, suggesting that the enzyme is composed of two subunits of equal size. Functionally there are many similarities between E. coli enolase and other enolases studied. Thus, the dependence on Mg2+ for activity and the inhibition by fluoride in the presence of phosphate are quantitatively very similar for all enolases. Other catalytic parameters (Km, Vmax, and pH optimum) are also similar, but minor quantitative distinction indicates that E. coli enolase is more closely related to yeast enolase than to enolases from vertebrate muscle.

Dimethyl adipimidate reacts with lysine residues of proteins to form covalent cross-links. When human erythrocyte membranes are treated with dimethyl adipimidate the percentage of protein which can subsequently be solubilized by treatment with aqueous pyridine is reduced. Evidence is presented that this is due to the formation of cross-links between soluble and insoluble protein molecules. The solubility distribution of protein-bound sialic acid, hexose, and hexosamine is altered in a parallel manner. This effect is not produced by treatment of the membranes with methyl butyroimidate, a monofunctional analogue.

The synthesis of d -erythronic acid 3-phosphate is described. Its activity as a substrate for enolase is demonstrated and discussed.