RESUMO
As part of a general project aimed at elucidating the initiation of mucin-type O-glycosylation in helminth parasites, we have characterized a novel ppGalNAc-T (UDP-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase) from the cestode Echinococcus granulosus (Eg-ppGalNAc-T1). A full-length cDNA was isolated from a library of the tissue-dwelling larval stage of the parasite, and found to code for a 654-amino-acid protein containing all the structural features of ppGalNAc-Ts. Functional characterization of a recombinant protein lacking the transmembrane domain showed maximal activity at 28 degrees C, in the range 6.5-7.5 pH units and in the presence of Cu2+. In addition, it transferred GalNAc to a broad range of substrate peptides, derived from human mucins and O-glycosylated parasite proteins, including acceptors containing only serine or only threonine residues. Interestingly, the C-terminal region of Eg-ppGalNAc-T1 bears a highly unusual lectin domain, considerably longer than the one from other members of the family, and including only one of the three ricin B repeats generally present in ppGalNAc-Ts. Furthermore, a search for conserved domains within the protein C-terminus identified a fragment showing similarity to a recently defined domain, specialized in the binding of organic phosphates (CYTH). The role of the lectin domain in the determination of the substrate specificity of these enzymes suggests that Eg-ppGalNAc-T1 would be involved in the glycosylation of a special type of substrate. Analysis of the tissue distribution by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry revealed that this transferase is expressed in the hydatid cyst wall and the subtegumental region of larval worms. Therefore it could participate in the biosynthesis of O-glycosylated parasite proteins exposed at the interface between E. granulosus and its hosts.
Assuntos
Echinococcus granulosus/enzimologia , Lectinas/química , N-Acetilgalactosaminiltransferases/química , Peptídeos/química , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Células COS/química , Células COS/metabolismo , Bovinos , Doenças dos Bovinos/enzimologia , Doenças dos Bovinos/parasitologia , Linhagem Celular , Chlorocebus aethiops , Clonagem Molecular , Cobre/fisiologia , DNA Complementar/genética , DNA de Helmintos/genética , Equinococose/enzimologia , Equinococose/veterinária , Proteínas de Helminto/biossíntese , Proteínas de Helminto/química , Proteínas de Helminto/genética , Proteínas de Helminto/fisiologia , Concentração de Íons de Hidrogênio , Lectinas/genética , Manganês/metabolismo , Dados de Sequência Molecular , N-Acetilgalactosaminiltransferases/biossíntese , N-Acetilgalactosaminiltransferases/genética , N-Acetilgalactosaminiltransferases/fisiologia , Peptídeos/genética , Estrutura Terciária de Proteína , Análise de Sequência de DNA , Especificidade por Substrato/genética , Polipeptídeo N-AcetilgalactosaminiltransferaseRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Down syndrome is the most frequent genetic disorder in humans. Rare cases involving partial trisomy of chromosome 21 allowed a small chromosomal region common to all carriers, called Down Syndrome Critical Region (DSCR), to be determined. The DSCR1 gene was identified in this region and is expressed preferentially in the brain, heart and skeletal muscle. Recent studies have shown that DSCR1 belongs to a family of proteins that binds and inhibits calcineurin, a serine-threonine phosphatase. The work reported on herein consisted of a study of the subcellular location of DSCR1 and DSCR1-mutated forms by fusion with a green fluorescent protein, using various cell lines, including human. RESULTS: The protein's location was preferentially nuclear, independently of the isoform, cell line and insertion in the GFP's N- or C-terminal. A segment in the C-terminal, which is important in the location of the protein, was identified by deletion. On the other hand, site-directed mutational analyses have indicated the involvement of some serine and threonine residues in this event. CONCLUSION: In this paper, we discuss the identification of amino acids which can be important for subcellular location of DSCR1. The involvement of residues that are prone to phosphorylation suggests that the location and function of DSCR1 may be regulated by kinases and/or phosphatases.