Synthesis of neoproteoglycans using the transglycosylation reaction as a reverse reaction of endo-glycosidases

Proc Jpn Acad Ser B Phys Biol Sci. 2012;88(7):327-44. doi: 10.2183/pjab.88.327.

Abstract

A method for the synthesis of carbohydrate chains (glycosaminoglycans) and their coupling to peptides was investigated using proteoglycans. Glycosidases generally catalyze a hydrolytic reaction, but can also mediate the reverse reaction, which in this case is a transglycosylation. In the transglycosylation reaction of bovine testicular hyaluronidase, which is an endoglycosidase, glycosaminoglycans (hyaluronan and chondroitin sulfates) release disaccharide (uronic acid-N-acetylhexosamine) moieties from non-reducing terminal sites, and then the liberated disaccharides are transferred immediately to the non-reducing termini of other glycosaminoglycan chains. Using such continuous reactions, it is possible to synthesize glycosaminoglycan chains according to a specific design. It then becomes possible to transfer glycosaminoglycan chains synthesized on a peptide to other peptides using the transglycosylation reaction of endo-β-xylosidase acting on the linkage region between a peptide and glycosaminoglycan chains of proteoglycans. We believe this approach will open a new field for the synthesis of homogeneous proteoglycans or their corresponding analogues.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Carbohydrate Sequence
  • Glycosaminoglycans / metabolism
  • Glycoside Hydrolases / metabolism*
  • Glycosylation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Proteoglycans / biosynthesis*
  • Proteoglycans / chemistry

Substances

  • Glycosaminoglycans
  • Peptides
  • Proteoglycans
  • Glycoside Hydrolases