A novel alpha-D-galactosynthase from Thermotoga maritima converts beta-D-galactopyranosyl azide to alpha-galacto-oligosaccharides

Glycobiology. 2011 Apr;21(4):448-56. doi: 10.1093/glycob/cwq177. Epub 2010 Nov 17.

Abstract

The large-scale production of oligosaccharides is a daunting task, hampering the study of the role of glycans in vivo and the testing of the efficacy of novel glycan-based drugs. Glycosynthases, mutated glycosidases that synthesize oligosaccharides in high yields, are becoming important chemo-enzymatic tools for the production of oligosaccharides. However, while β-glycosynthase can be produced with a rather well-established technology, examples of α-glycosynthases are thus far limited only to enzymes from glycoside hydrolase 29 (GH29), GH31 and GH95 families. α-L-Fucosynthases from GH29 use convenient glycosyl azide derivatives as a strategic alternative to glycosyl fluoride donors. However, the general applicability of this method to other α-glycosynthases is not trivial and remains to be confirmed. Here, β-D-galactopyranosyl azide was converted to α-galacto-oligosaccharides with good yields and high regioselectivity, catalyzed by a novel α-galactosynthase based on the GH36 α-galactosidase from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima. These results open a new avenue to the practical synthesis of biologically interesting α-galacto-oligosaccharides and demonstrate more widespread use of β-glycosyl-azide as donors, confirming their utility to expand the repertoire of glycosynthases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aspartic Acid / chemistry
  • Azides / chemistry
  • Chromatography, Thin Layer
  • Disaccharides / biosynthesis
  • Galactose / metabolism
  • Glycine / chemistry
  • Kinetics
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Mutant Proteins / chemistry*
  • Mutant Proteins / genetics
  • Mutant Proteins / metabolism
  • Protein Engineering
  • Thermotoga maritima / enzymology*
  • alpha-Galactosidase / chemistry*
  • alpha-Galactosidase / genetics
  • alpha-Galactosidase / metabolism

Substances

  • Azides
  • Disaccharides
  • Mutant Proteins
  • Aspartic Acid
  • alpha-Galactosidase
  • Glycine
  • Galactose