A MUC1 tandem repeat reporter protein produced in CHO-K1 cells has sialylated core 1 O-glycans and becomes more densely glycosylated if coexpressed with polypeptide-GalNAc-T4 transferase

Glycobiology. 2005 Feb;15(2):177-91. doi: 10.1093/glycob/cwh158. Epub 2004 Sep 29.

Abstract

A recombinant mucin O-glycosylation reporter protein, containing 1.7 tandem repeats (TRs) from the transmembrane mucin MUC1, was constructed. The reporter protein, MUC1(1.7TR)-IgG2a, was produced in CHO-K1 cells to study the glycosylation of the MUC1 TR and the in vivo role of polypeptide-GalNAc-T4 glycosyltransferase. N-terminal sequencing of MUC1(1.7TR)-IgG2a showed that all five potential O-glycosylation sites within the TR were used, with an average density of 4.5 glycans per repeat. The least occupied site was Thr in the PDTR motif, where 75% of the molecules were glycosylated, compared to 88-97% at the other sites. This glycan density was confirmed by an alternative liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based approach. The O-linked oligosaccharides were released from MUC1(1.7TR)-IgG2a and analyzed by nano-LC-MS and LC-MS/MS. Four oligosaccharides were present, NeuAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-3GalNAcol, NeuAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-3(NeuAcalpha2-6)GalNAcol, Galbeta1-3(NeuAcalpha2-6)GalNAcol, and Galbeta1-3GalNAcol, the two first being most abundant. Coexpression of the human polypeptide-GalNAc-T4 transferase with MUC1(1.7TR)-IgG2a increased the glycan occupancy at Thr in PDTR, Ser in VTSA, and Ser in GSTA, supporting the function of GalNAc-T4 proposed from previous in vitro studies. The expression of GalNAc-T4 with a mutation in the first lectin domain (alpha) had no glycosylation effect on PDTR and GSTA but surprisingly gave a dominant negative effect with a decreased glycosylation to around 50% at the Ser in VTSA. The results show that introduction of glycosyltransferases can specifically alter the sites for O-glycosylation in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • COS Cells
  • Cricetinae
  • Gene Expression / genetics*
  • Genes, Reporter / genetics
  • Genes, Reporter / physiology
  • Glycosylation*
  • Mucin-1 / genetics
  • Mucin-1 / metabolism*
  • N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / genetics
  • N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / metabolism*
  • N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / genetics
  • N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / metabolism*
  • Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase

Substances

  • Mucin-1
  • N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases
  • N-Acetylneuraminic Acid