Expeditious chemoenzymatic synthesis of homogeneous N-glycoproteins carrying defined oligosaccharide ligands

J Am Chem Soc. 2008 Oct 15;130(41):13790-803. doi: 10.1021/ja805044x. Epub 2008 Sep 20.

Abstract

An efficient chemoenzymatic method for the construction of homogeneous N-glycoproteins was described that explores the transglycosylation activity of the endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase from Arthrobacter protophormiae (Endo-A) with synthetic sugar oxazolines as the donor substrates. First, an array of large oligosaccharide oxazolines were synthesized and evaluated as substrates for the Endo-A-catalyzed transglycosylation by use of ribonuclease B as a model system. The experimental results showed that Endo-A could tolerate modifications at the outer mannose residues of the Man3GlcNAc-oxazoline core, thus allowing introduction of large oligosaccharide ligands into a protein and meanwhile preserving the natural, core N-pentasaccharide (Man3GlcNAc2) structure in the resulting glycoprotein upon transglycosylation. In addition to ligands for galectins and mannose-binding lectins, azido functionality could be readily introduced at the N-pentasaccharide (Man3GlcNAc2) core by use of azido-containing Man3GlcNAc oxazoline as the donor substrate. The introduction of azido functionality permits further site-specific modifications of the resulting glycoproteins, as demonstrated by the successful attachment of two copies of alphaGal epitopes to ribonuclease B. This study reveals a broad substrate specificity of Endo-A for transglycosylation, and the chemoenzymatic method described here points to a new avenue for quick access to various homogeneous N-glycoproteins for structure-activity relationship studies and for biomedical applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Arthrobacter / enzymology
  • Catalysis
  • Cyclization
  • Glycoproteins / chemistry*
  • Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Lectins / chemistry
  • Ligands
  • Mannosyl-Glycoprotein Endo-beta-N-Acetylglucosaminidase / metabolism*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Oligosaccharides / chemistry*
  • Oxazoles / chemistry
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Substances

  • Glycoproteins
  • Lectins
  • Ligands
  • Oligosaccharides
  • Oxazoles
  • Mannosyl-Glycoprotein Endo-beta-N-Acetylglucosaminidase