Unique, polyfucosylated glycan-receptor interactions are essential for regeneration of Hydra magnipapillata

ACS Chem Biol. 2014 Jan 17;9(1):147-55. doi: 10.1021/cb400486t. Epub 2013 Sep 11.

Abstract

Cell-cell communications, cell-matrix interactions, and cell migrations play a major role in regeneration. However, little is known about the molecular players involved in these critical events, especially cell surface molecules. Here, we demonstrate the role of specific glycan-receptor interactions in the regenerative process using Hydra magnipapillata as a model system. Global characterization of the N- and O-glycans expressed by H. magnipapillata using ultrasensitive mass spectrometry revealed mainly polyfucosylated LacdiNAc antennary structures. Affinity purification showed that a putative C-type lectin (accession number Q6SIX6) is a likely endogenous receptor for the novel polyfucosylated glycans. Disruption of glycan-receptor interactions led to complete shutdown of the regeneration machinery in live Hydra. A time-dependent, lack-of-regeneration phenotype observed upon incubation with exogenous fuco-lectins suggests the involvement of a polyfucose receptor-mediated signaling mechanism during regeneration. Thus, for the first time, the results presented here provide direct evidence for the role of polyfucosylated glycan-receptor interactions in the regeneration of H. magnipapillata.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbohydrate Sequence
  • Hydra / cytology*
  • Hydra / physiology*
  • Lectins, C-Type / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry
  • Polysaccharides / metabolism*
  • Regeneration*

Substances

  • Lectins, C-Type
  • Polysaccharides