Sites of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides in porcine 32 kDa enamelin

Connect Tissue Res. 1998;39(1-3):39-46; discussion 63-7. doi: 10.3109/03008209809023910.

Abstract

The 32 kDa enamelin protein isolated from developing porcine enamel was previously shown to contain eight different asparagine-linked oligosaccharides. However, only three consensus attachment sites were evident in this protein. In this study, glycopeptides containing all three potential glycosylation sites (72-Asn, 79-Asn and 91-Asn) were purified from 32 kDa enamelin. The oligosaccharides were isolated from each glycopeptide following digestion with N-oligosaccharide glycopeptidase, labeled with 2-aminopyridine at the reducing ends, and then characterized by reverse phase HPLC. All three potential sites were found to be glycosylated heterogeneously (i.e., five biantennary complexes at 72-Asn, two biantennary complexes at 79-Asn, three triantennary complexes at 91-Asn), accounting for all eight oligosaccharides characterized previously. These results indicate that 32 kDa enamelin has a complex pattern of asparagine-linked glycosylation localized within a small region (20 residues) of the protein. The functional significance of this glycosylation remains to be established.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Asparagine*
  • Dental Enamel Proteins / analysis*
  • Glycopeptides / analysis*
  • Oligosaccharides / analysis*
  • Pronase
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • Swine

Substances

  • Dental Enamel Proteins
  • Glycopeptides
  • Oligosaccharides
  • tuftelin
  • Asparagine
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • glutamyl endopeptidase
  • Pronase