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Lysosomal accumulation of the glycosphingolipid globotriaosylceramide Gb3 is linked to the deficient activity of the α-galactosidase A in the Anderson-Fabry disease and an elevated level of deacylated Gb3 is a hallmark of this condition. Localization of Gb3 in the plasma membrane is critical for studying how the membrane organization and its dynamics are affected in this genetic disorder. Gb3 analogs containing a terminal 6-azido-functionalized galactose in its head group globotriose (αGal1, 4βGal1, and 4Glc) are attractive chemical reporters for bioimaging, as the azido-group may act as a chemical tag for bio-orthogonal click chemistry. We report here the production of azido-Gb3 analogs employing mutants of galactokinase, UTP-glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase, and α-1,4-galactosyltransferase LgtC, which participate in the synthesis of the sugar motif globotriose. Variants of enzymes galactokinase/UTP-glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase generate UDP-6-azido-6-deoxy-d-galactose, which is the galactosyl-donor used by LgtC for transferring the terminal galactose moiety to lactosyl-acceptors. Residues at the galactose-binding site of the 3 enzymes were modified to facilitate the accommodation of azido-functionalized substrates and variants outperforming the wild-type enzymes were characterized. Synthesis of 6-azido-6-deoxy-d-galactose-1-phosphate, UDP-6-azido-6-deoxy-d-galactose, and azido-Gb3 analogs by variants GalK-E37S, GalU-D133V, and LgtC-Q187S, respectively, is 3-6-fold that of their wild-type counterparts. Coupled reactions with these variants permit the production of the pricy, unnatural galactosyl-donor UDP-6-azido-6-deoxy-d-galactose with ~90% conversion yields, and products azido-globotriose and lyso-AzGb3 with substrate conversion of up to 70%. AzGb3 analogs could serve as precursors for the synthesis of other tagged glycosphingolipids of the globo-series., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Mutation S164A largely affects the transfructosylation properties of Bacillus subtilis levansucrase (SacB). The variant uses acceptors such as glucose and short levans with an average molecular weight of 7.6 kDa more efficiently than SacB, leading to the enhanced synthesis of medium and high molecular weight polymer and a blasto-oligosaccharide series with a polymerization degree of 2-10. A 3-fold increase in blasto-oligosaccharides yield is provoked by the modified interplay between the variant and glucose. Despite its modified product specificity, protein-carbohydrate and protein-protein interactions are still a major factor affecting size and distribution of levan molecular weight. This study highlights the importance of critical factors such as protein concentration in the analysis of wild-type and mutagenized levansucrases. Docking experiments with the crystal structures of SacB and variant S164A - the latter obtained at a 2.6 Å resolution - identified unreported potential binding subsites for fructosyl moieties on the surface of both enzymes., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Overexpression of hST3Gal1 leads to hypersialylation of cell-surface glycoconjugates, a cancer-associated condition that promotes cell growth, migration and invasion. Upregulation of this enzyme in ovarian cancer is linked to cancer progression and metastasis, contributing also to chemotherapy resistance. Strategies for preventing metastasis include the inhibition of hST3Gal1, which demands structure-based studies on its strict regioselectivity and substrate/donor preference. Herein we describe the contribution of various residues constituting donor CMP-Neu5Ac and acceptor Galβ1-3GalNAc-R binding sites to catalysis. Removal of hydrogen bonds and/or stacking interactions among substrates and residues Y191, Y230, N147, S148 and N170 affected the enzyme's activity to a different extent, revealing the fine control needed for an optimal catalytic performance. To gain further understanding of the correlation among structure, activity and stability, the in vitro role of hST3Gal1 disulphide bonds was analysed. As expected, disruption of the Glycosyltransferase family 29 (GT29) invariant bond C142-C281, as well as the ST3Gal1 subfamily conserved disulphide C61-C139 inactivates the enzyme. While disulphide C59-C64 is not essential for function, its absence reduces the activity (k cat ) for donor and acceptor substrates to about 67 and 72%, respectively, and diminishes the enzyme's melting temperature (T m ) by 7 °C.

Nanodiamond (ND) is a versatile and promising material for bioapplications. Despite many efforts, agglomeration of nanodiamond and the nonspecific adsorption of proteins on the ND surface when exposed to biofluids remains a major obstacle for biomedical applications. Here, the functionalization of detonation nanodiamond with zwitterionic moieties in combination with tetraethylene glycol (TEG) moieties immobilized by click chemistry to improve the colloidal dispersion in physiological media with strong ion background and for the simultaneous prevention of nonspecific interactions with proteins is reported. Based on five building blocks, a series of ND conjugates is synthesized and their performance is compared in biofluids, such as fetal bovine serum (FBS) and Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM). The adsorption of proteins is investigated via dynamic light scattering (DLS) and thermogravimetric analysis. The colloidal stability is tested with DLS monitoring over prolonged periods of time in various ratios of water/FBS/DMEM and at different pH values. The results show that zwitterions efficiently promote the anti-fouling properties, whereas the TEG linker is essential for the enhanced colloidal stability of the particles., (© 2019 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The physicochemical properties and biological activity of levan, a generic term given to oligo- and polysaccharides consisting of fructose units linked predominantly by β(2-6) bonds, are attributable to both its size and structural complexity. Branching in β(2-1) contributes to diversify levan structures and properties. There is a broad spectrum of applications for levan and accordingly it has been the subject of several comprehensive reviews. A thorough analysis focused on the product specificity of enzymes from the Glycoside-Hydrolase family 68 that synthesize levan is however missing. We analyze here traditional and novel strategies to manipulate bacterial levansucrases in favor of the generation of low- or high-molecular weight levan, including site directed mutagenesis and chemical engineering. A comparison of highly variable structural elements of levansucrases is presented in the context of their capacity to synthesize saccharides of different sizes, employing the levansucrases from Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus megaterium as references., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The connection between the gut microbiome composition and human health has long been recognized, such that the host-microbiome interplay is at present the subject of the so-called "precision medicine". Non-digestible fructooligosaccharides (FOS) can modulate the microbial composition and therefore their consumption occupies a central place in a strategy seeking to reverse microbiome-linked diseases. We created a small library of Bacillus megaterium levansucrase variants with focus on the synthesis of levan- and inulin-type FOS. Modifications were introduced at positions R370, K373 and F419, which are either part of the oligosaccharide elongation pathway or are located in the vicinity of residues that modulate polymerization. These amino acids were exchanged by residues of different characteristics, some of them being extremely low- or non-represented in enzymes of the levansucrase family (Glycoside Hydrolase 68, GH68). F419 seemed to play a minor role in FOS binding. However, changes at R370 abated the levansucrase capacity to synthesize levan-type oligosaccharides, with some mutations turning the product specificity towards neo-FOS and the inulin-like sugar 1-kestose. Although variants retaining the native R370 produced efficiently levan-type tri-, tetra- and pentasaccharides, their capacity to elongate these FOS was hampered by including the mutation K373H or K373L. Mutant K373H, for instance, generated 37- and 5.6-fold higher yields of 6-kestose and 6-nystose, respectively, than the wild-type enzyme, while maintaining a similar catalytic activity. The effect of mutations on the levansucrase product specificity is discussed.

Golgi α-mannosidase II (GMII) is a glycoside hydrolase playing a crucial role in the N-glycosylation pathway. In various tumour cell lines, the distribution of N-linked sugars on the cell surface is modified and correlates with the progression of tumour metastasis. GMII therefore is a possible molecular target for anticancer agents. Here, we describe the identification of a non-competitive GMII inhibitor using computer-aided drug design methods including identification of a possible allosteric binding site, pharmacophore search and virtual screening., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Selective chemical modification of proteins plays a pivotal role for the rational design of enzymes with novel and specific functionalities. In this study, a strategic combination of genetic and chemical engineering paves the way for systematic construction of biocatalysts by tuning the product spectrum of a levansucrase from Bacillus megaterium (Bm-LS), which typically produces small levan-like oligosaccharides. The implementation of site-directed mutagenesis followed by a tyrosine-specific modification enabled control of the product synthesis: depending on the position, the modification provoked either enrichment of short oligosaccharides (up to 800 % in some cases) or triggered the formation of high molecular weight polymer. The chemical modification can recover polymerization ability in variants with defective oligosaccharide binding motifs. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations provided insights into the effect of modifying non-native tyrosine residues on product specificity., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The bioconjugation at tyrosine residues using cyclic diazodicarboxamides, especially 4-substituted 3 H-1,2,4-triazole-3,5(4 H)-dione (PTAD), is a highly enabling synthetic reaction because it can be employed for orthogonal and site-selective (multi)functionalizations of native peptides and proteins. Despite its importance, the underlying mechanisms have not been thoroughly investigated. The reaction can proceed along four distinctive pathways: (i) the S E Ar path, (ii) along a pericyclic group transfer pathway (a classical ene reaction), (iii) along a stepwise reaction path, or (iv) along an unusual higher order concerted pericyclic mechanism. The product mixtures obtained from reactions of PTAD with 2,4-unsubstituted phenolate support the S E Ar mechanism, but it remains unclear if other mechanisms also take place. In the present work, the various mechanisms are compared using high-level quantum chemistry approaches for the model reaction of 4 H,3 H-1,2,4-triazole-3,5(4 H)-dione (HTAD) with p-cresol and p-cresolate. In a protic solvent (water), the barriers of the S E Ar mechanism and the ene reaction are similar but still too high to explain the available experimental observations. This is only possible if the S E Ar reaction of cresolate with HTAD is taken into account for which nearly vanishing barriers are computed. This satisfactorily explains measured conversion rates in buffered aqueous solutions and the strong activation effects observed upon addition of bases.

Carbohydrate processing enzymes are sophisticated tools of living systems that have evolved to execute specific reactions on sugars. Here we present for the first time the site-selective chemical modification of exposed tyrosine residues in SacB, a levansucrase from Bacillus megaterium ( Bm -LS) for enzyme engineering purposes via an ene-type reaction. Bm -LS is unable to sustain the synthesis of high molecular weight (HMW) levan (a fructose polymer) due to protein-oligosaccharide dissociation events occurring at an early stage during polymer elongation. We switched the catalyst from levan-like oligosaccharide synthesis to the efficient production of a HMW fructan polymer through the covalent addition of a flexible chemical side-chain that fluctuates over the central binding cavity of the enzyme preventing premature oligosaccharide disengagement.

Bacterial levansucrases produce β(2,6)-linked levan-type polysaccharides using sucrose or sucrose analogs as donor/acceptor substrates. However, the dominant reaction of Bacillus megaterium levansucrase (Bm-LS) is hydrolysis. Single domain levansucrases from Gram-positive bacteria display a wide substrate-binding pocket with open access to water, challenging engineering for transfructosylation-efficient enzymes. We pursued a shift in reaction specificity by either modifying the water distribution in the active site or the coordination of the catalytic acid/base (E352) and the nucleophile (D95), thus affecting the fructosyl-transfer rate and allowing acceptors other than water to occupy the active site. Two serine (173/422) and two water-binding tyrosine (421/439) residues located in the first shell of the catalytic pocket were modified. Library variants of S173, Y421 and S422, which coordinate the position of D95 and E352, show increased transfructosylation (30-200%) and modified product spectra. Substitutions at position 422 have a higher impact on sucrose affinity, while changes at position 173 and 421 have a strong effect on the overall catalytic rate. As most retaining glycoside hydrolases (GHs) Bm-LS catalyzes hydrolysis and transglycosylation via a double displacement reaction involving two-transition states (TS1 and TS2). Hydrogen bonds of D95 with the side chains of S173 and S422 contribute a total of 2.4 kcal mol-1 to TS1 stabilization, while hydrogen bonds between invariant Y421, E352 and the glucosyl C-2 hydroxyl-group of sucrose contribute 2.15 kcal mol-1 stabilization. Changes at Y439 render predominantly hydrolytic variants synthesizing shorter oligosaccharides., (© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Sialyltransferases (STs) are disulfide-containing, type II transmembrane glycoproteins that catalyze the transfer of sialic acid to proteins and lipids and participate in the synthesis of the core structure oligosaccharides of human milk. Sialic acids are found at the outermost position of glycostructures, playing a key role in health and disease. Sialylation is also essential for the production of recombinant therapeutic proteins (RTPs). Despite their importance, availability of sialyltransferases is limited due to the low levels of stable, soluble and active protein produced in bacterial expression systems, which hampers biochemical and structural studies on these enzymes and restricts biotechnological applications. We report the successful expression of active human sialyltransferases ST3Gal1 and ST6Gal1 in commercial Escherichia coli strains designed for production of disulfide-containing proteins. Fusion of hST3Gal1 with different solubility enhancers and substitution of exposed hydrophobic amino acids by negatively charged residues (supercharging-like approach) were performed to promote solubility and folding. Co-expression of sialyltransferases with the chaperon/foldases sulfhydryl oxidase, protein disulfide isomerase and disulfide isomerase C was explored to improve the formation of native disulfide bonds. Active sialyltransferases fused with maltose binding protein (MBP) were obtained in sufficient amounts for biochemical and structural studies when expressed under oxidative conditions and co-expression of folding factors increased the yields of active and properly folded sialyltransferases by 20%. Mutation of exposed hydrophobic amino acids increased recovery of active enzyme by 2.5-fold, yielding about 7 mg of purified protein per liter culture. Functionality of recombinant enzymes was evaluated in the synthesis of sialosides from the β-d-galactoside substrates lactose, N-acetyllactosamine and benzyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(β-d-galactopyranosyl)-α-d-galactopyranoside.

Background: Increasing attention has been focused on inulin and levan-type oligosaccharides, including fructosyl-xylosides and other fructosides due to their nutraceutical properties. Bacillus subtilis levansucrase (LS) catalyzes the synthesis of levan from sucrose, but it may also transfer the fructosyl moiety from sucrose to acceptor molecules included in the reaction medium. To study transfructosylation reactions with highly active and robust derivatives, cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) were prepared from wild LS and two mutants. CLEAs combine the catalytic features of pure protein preparations in terms of specific activity with the mechanical behavior of industrial biocatalysts., Results: Two types of procedures were used for the preparation of biocatalysts from purified wild type LS (WT LS) B. subtilis and the R360K and Y429N LS mutants: purified enzymes aggregated with glutaraldehyde (cross-linked enzyme aggregates: CLEAs), and covalently immobilized enzymes in Eupergit C. The biocatalysts were characterized and used for fructoside synthesis using xylose as an acceptor model. CLEAs were able to catalyze the synthesis of fructosides as efficiently as soluble enzymes. The specific activity of CLEAs prepared from wild type LS (44.9 U/mg of CLEA), R360K (56.5 U/mg of CLEA) and Y429N (1.2 U/mg of CLEA) mutants were approximately 70, 40 and 200-fold higher, respectively, than equivalent Eupergit C immobilized enzyme preparations (U/mg of Eupergit), where units refer to global LS activity. In contrast, the specific activity of the free enzymes was 160, 171.2 and 1.5 U/mg of protein, respectively. Moreover, all CLEAs had higher thermal stability than corresponding soluble enzymes. In the long term, the operational stability was affected by levan synthesis., Conclusion: This is the first report of cross-linked transglycosidases aggregates. CLEAs prepared from purified LS and mutants have the highest specific activity for immobilized fructosyltransferases (FTFs) reported in the literature. CLEAs from R360K and Y429N LS mutants were particularly suitable for fructosyl-xyloside synthesis as the absence of levan synthesis decreases diffusion limitation and increases operational stability.

Levansucrases (LS) are fructosyltransferases (FTFs) belonging to family 68 of glycoside hydrolases (GH68) using sucrose as substrate to synthesize levan, a fructose polymer. From a multiple sequence analysis of GH68 family proteins, nine residues were selected and their role in acceptor and product specificity, as well as in biochemical Bacillus subtilis LS properties, was investigated. A product specificity modification was obtained with mutants Y429N and R433A that no longer produce levan but exclusively oligosaccharides. An effect of the mutation S164A was observed on enzyme stability and kinetic behavior; this mutation also induces a levan activation effect that enhances the reaction rate. We report the crystallographic structure of this mutant and found that S164 is an important residue to maintain the nucleophile position in the active site. We also found evidence of the important role of Y429 in acceptor specificity: this is a key residue coordinating the sucrose position in the catalytic domain-binding pocket. Some of these mutations resulted in LS with a broad range of specificities and new biochemical properties.