Non-targeted N-glycome profiling reveals multiple layers of organ-specific diversity in mice

Nat Commun. 2024 Nov 9;15(1):9725. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-54134-z.

Abstract

N-glycosylation is one of the most common protein modifications in eukaryotes, with immense importance at the molecular, cellular, and organismal level. Accurate and reliable N-glycan analysis is essential to obtain a systems-wide understanding of fundamental biological processes. Due to the structural complexity of glycans, their analysis is still highly challenging. Here we make publicly available a consistent N-glycome dataset of 20 different mouse tissues and demonstrate a multimodal data analysis workflow that allows for unprecedented depth and coverage of N-glycome features. This highly scalable, LC-MS/MS data-driven method integrates the automated identification of N-glycan spectra, the application of non-targeted N-glycome profiling strategies and the isomer-sensitive analysis of glycan structures. Our delineation of critical sub-structural determinants and glycan isomers across the mouse N-glycome uncovered tissue-specific glycosylation patterns, the expression of non-canonical N-glycan structures and highlights multiple layers of N-glycome complexity that derive from organ-specific regulations of glycobiological pathways.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chromatography, Liquid / methods
  • Glycomics* / methods
  • Glycosylation
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Organ Specificity*
  • Polysaccharides* / chemistry
  • Polysaccharides* / metabolism
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry* / methods

Substances

  • Polysaccharides