Efficient introduction of a bisecting GlcNAc residue in tobacco N-glycans by expression of the gene encoding human N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III

Glycobiology. 2007 Mar;17(3):334-44. doi: 10.1093/glycob/cwl078. Epub 2006 Dec 19.

Abstract

In this study, we show that introduction of human N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnT)-III gene into tobacco plants leads to highly efficient synthesis of bisected N-glycans. Enzymatically released N-glycans from leaf glycoproteins of wild-type and transgenic GnT-III plants were profiled by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) in native form. After labeling with 2-aminobenzamide, profiling was performed using normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, and glycans were structurally characterized by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS and reverse-phase nano-liquid chromatography-MS/MS. These analyses revealed that most of the complex-type N-glycans in the plants expressing GnT-III were bisected and carried at least two terminal N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues in contrast to wild-type plants, where a considerable proportion of N-glycans did not contain GlcNAc residues at the nonreducing end. Moreover, we have shown that the majority of N-glycans of an antibody produced in a plant expressing GnT-III is also bisected. This might improve the efficacy of therapeutic antibodies produced in this type of transgenic plant.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylglucosamine / analysis
  • Acetylglucosamine / metabolism*
  • Antibodies / chemistry
  • Antibodies / genetics
  • Antibodies / metabolism
  • Carbohydrate Sequence
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases / biosynthesis*
  • N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases / genetics
  • Nicotiana / enzymology*
  • Nicotiana / genetics
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / enzymology*
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / genetics
  • Polysaccharides / analysis
  • Polysaccharides / biosynthesis*
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Transgenes

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Polysaccharides
  • N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases
  • beta-1,4-mannosyl-glycoprotein beta-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase
  • Acetylglucosamine