To advance the field of glycobiology, efficient synthesis methods of oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates are a requisite. In glycosylation reactions using superarmed donors, both selectivity and reactivity issues must be considered, and we herein investigate these aspects for differently protected beta-linked 2-O-glycosylated glucosyl donors carrying bulky tert-butyldimethylsilyl groups to different extents. The acceptors in reactions being secondary alcohols presents a challenging situation with respect to steric crowding. Conformational pyranose ring equilibria of the superarmed disaccharide donors with axial-rich substituents contained skew and boat conformations, and three-state models were generally assumed. With NIS/TfOH as the promotor, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylpyridine as the base, and a dichloromethane/toluene solvent mixture, ethyl 1-thio-beta-d-glucosyl disaccharide donors having 6-O-benzyl group(s) besides tert-butyldimethylsilyl groups were efficiently coupled at -40 degrees C to the hydroxyl group at position 3 of glucopyranosyl acceptors to form beta-(1 -> 2),beta-(1 -> 3)-linked trisaccharides, isolated in excellent 95% yield. The more axial-rich donors in skew and boat conformations are thus preorganized closer to the assumed transition state in these glycosylation reactions. The developed methodology was subsequently applied in the synthesis of a multibranched hexasaccharide related to the capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae type 37, which consists of a beta-(1 -> 3)-linked backbone and a beta-(1 -> 2)-linked side chain of D-glucosyl residues in disaccharide repeating units.
Empirical force fields for computer simulations of carbohydrates are often implicitly assumed to be valid also at temperatures different from room temperature for which they were optimited: Herein, the temperature dependence of the hydroxymethyl group rotamer populations in short oligogaccharides is invegtigated using Molecular dynamics simulations and NMR spectroscopy. Two oligosaccharides, methyl beta-cellobioside and beta-cellotetraose were simulated using three different carbohydrate force fields (CHARMM C35, GLYCAM06, and GROMOS 56A(carbo)) in combination with different water models (SPC, SPC/E, and TIP3P) using replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations. For comparison, hydroxymethyl group rotamer populations were investigated for methyl beta-cellobioside and cellopentaose based- on measured NMR (3)J(H5,H6) coupling constants, in the latter case by using a chemical shift selective NMR-filter. Molecular dynamics simulations in combination with NMR spectroscopy show that the temperature dependence of the hydroxymethyl rotamer population in these short cellooligomers, in the range 263-344 K, generally becomes exaggerated in simulations when compared to experimental data, but also that it is dependent on simulation conditions, and most notably properties of the water model.
The major glycoalkaloid in the roots of Solanum laciniatum is Solaradixine having the branched tetrasaccharide beta-D-Glcp-(1 -> 2)-beta-D-Glcp-(1 -> 3)[alpha-L-Rhap-(1 -> 2)]-beta-D-Galp linked to O3 of the steroidal alkaloid Solasodine. We herein describe the synthesis of the methyl glycoside of the tetrasaccharide using a super-armed disaccharide as a donor molecule. A 2-(naphthyl)methyl protecting group was used in the synthesis of the donor since it was tolerant to a wide range of reaction conditions. The 6-O-benzylated-hexa-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyi-protected beta-D-Glcp-(1 -> 2)-beta-D-Glcp-SEt donor, which avoided 1,6-anydro formation, was successfully glycosylated at O3 of a galactoside acceptor molecule. However, subsequent glycosylation at O2 by a rhamnosyl donor was unsuccessful and instead a suitably protected alpha-L-Rhap(1 -> 2)-beta-D-Galp-OMe disaccharide was used as the acceptor molecule together with a super-armed beta-D-Glcp-(1 -> 2)-beta-D-Glcp-SEt donor in the glycosylation reaction, to give a tetrasaccharide in a yield of 55%, which after deprotection resulted in the target molecule, the structure of which was verified by the NMR chemical shift prediction program CASPER.
Dioxygenases catalyze stereoselective oxygen atom transfer in metabolic pathways of biological, industrial, and pharmaceutical importance, but their precise chemical principles remain controversial. The α-ketoglutarate (αKG)-dependent dioxygenase AsqJ synthesizes biomedically active quinolone alkaloids via desaturation and subsequent epoxidation of a carbon–carbon bond in the cyclopeptin substrate. Here, we combine high-resolution X-ray crystallography with enzyme engineering, quantum-classical (QM/MM) simulations, and biochemical assays to describe a peroxidic intermediate that bridges the substrate and active site metal ion in AsqJ. Homolytic cleavage of this moiety during substrate epoxidation generates an activated high-valent ferryl (FeIV = O) species that mediates the next catalytic cycle, possibly without the consumption of the metabolically valuable αKG cosubstrate. Our combined findings provide an important understanding of chemical bond activation principles in complex enzymatic reaction networks and molecular mechanisms of dioxygenases.
Pd-catalyzed C-C bond-forming reactions under oxidative conditions constitute a class of important and widely used synthetic protocols. This Article describes a mechanistic investigation of the arylating carbocyclization of allenynes using boronic acids and focuses on the correlation between reaction conditions and product selectivity. Isotope effects confirm that either allenic or propargylic C-H activation occurs directly after substrate binding. With an excess of H2O, a triene product is selectively formed via allenic C-H activation. The latter C-H activation was found to be turnover-limiting and the reaction zeroth order in reactants as well as the oxidant. A dominant feature is continuous catalyst activation, which was shown to occur even in the absence of substrate. Smaller amounts of H2O lead to mixtures of triene and vinylallene products, where the latter is formed via propargylic C-H activation. The formation of triene occurs only in the presence of ArB(OH)(2). Vinylallene, on the other hand, was shown to be formed by consumption of (ArBO)(3) as a first-order reactant. Conditions with sub-stoichiometric BF3 center dot OEt2 gave selectively the vinylallene product, and the reaction is first order in PhB(OH)(2). Both C-H activation and transmetalation influence the reaction rate. However, with electron-deficient ArB(OH)(2), C-H activation is turnover-limiting. It was difficult to establish the order of transmetalation vs C-H activation with certainty, but the results suggest that BF3 center dot OEt2 promotes an early transmetalation. The catalytically active species were found to be dependent on the reaction conditions, and H2O is a crucial parameter in the control of selectivity.
We introduce the abundant hydroxyl groups of glycans as NMR handle's and structural probes to expand the repertoire of tools for structure function studies on glycans in solution. To this end, we present the facile detection and assignment of hydroxyl groups in a Wide range of sample concentrations (0.5-1700 mM) and temperatures, ranging from -5 to 25 degrees C.,We then exploit this information to directly detect hydrogen bonds, well-known for their importance in molecular structural determination through NMR. Via HSQC-TOCSY, we were able to determine the directionality; of these hydrogen bonds in sucrose Furthermore, by means Of molecular dynamics simulations in conjunction with NMR, we establish that one Out of the three detected hydrogen bonds arises from intermolecular interactions. This finding may shed light on glycan glycan interactions and glycan recognition by proteins.
Snowmelt and runoff in urban areas in Lulea, north Sweden, are discussed and compared with rural conditions. The uneven snow distribution in cities is quantified. Energy fluxes at the snow surface in different environments are estimated. It is shown that, mainly because of increased absorbed radiative energy in the snow, the daily melt is about 10 mm higher in the city than in rural environments. In the course of prolonged snowmelt, the infiltration capacity of most soils in urban areas becomes so reduced that melt-induced peak flows from grassed and gravelled surfaces are similar to those from asphalted surfaces. When rain falls on snow, overland flow may take place from the entire area of a basin.
The solubility of cellulose in water-based media is promoted by low temperature, which may appear counter-intuitive. An explanation to this phenomenon has been proposed that is based on a temperature-dependent orientation of the hydroxymethyl group. In this paper, this hypothesis is investigated using molecular dynamics computer simulations and NMR spectroscopy, and is discussed in conjunction with alternative explanations based on solvent–solute and solvent–solvent hydrogen bond formation respectively. It is shown that neither simulations nor experiments lend support to the proposed mechanism based on the hydroxymethyl orientation, whereas the two alternative explanations give rise to two distinct contributions to the hydration free energy of cellooligomers.
The macromolecular conformation of the constituent polysaccharides in lignocellulosic biomass influences their supramolecular interactions, and therefore their function in plants and their performance in technical products. The flexibility of glycosidic linkages from the backbone of hemicelluloses was studied by evaluating the conformational freedom of the φ and ψ dihedral angles using molecular dynamic simulations, additionally selected molecules were correlated with experimental data by NMR spectroscopy. Three types of β-(1→4) glycosidic linkages involving the monosaccharides (Glcp, Xylp and Manp) present in the backbone of hemicelluloses were defined. Different di- and tetrasaccharides with combinations of such sugar monomers from hemicelluloses were simulated and free energy maps of the φ - ψ space and hydrogen bonding patterns were obtained. The glycosidic linkage between Glc-Glc or Glc-Man (C-type) was the stiffest with mainly one probable conformation; the linkage from Man-Man or Man-Glc (M-type) was similar but with an increased probability for an alternative conformation making it more flexible, and the linkage between two Xyl-units (X-type) was the most flexible with two almost equally populated conformations. Glycosidic linkages of the same type showed essentially the same conformational space in both disaccharides and in the central region of tetrasaccharides. Different probabilities of glycosidic linkage conformations in the backbone of hemicelluloses can be directly estimated from the free energy maps, which to a large degree affect the overall macromolecular conformations of these polymers. The information gained contributes to an increased understanding of hemicelluloses’ function both in the cell wall and in technical products.
The outer leaflet of the outer membrane in Gram-negative bacteria contains lipopolysaccharides (LPS) as a major component, and the outer membrane provides a physical barrier and protection against hostile environments. The enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli of serogroup O91 has an O-antigen polysaccharide (PS) with five sugar residues in the repeating unit (RU), and the herein studied O-antigen PS contains similar to 10 RUs. H-1-C-13 HSQC-NOESY experiments on a 1-C-13-labeled PS were employed to deduce H-1-H-1 cross-relaxation rates and transglycosidic (3)J(CH) related to the psi torsional angles were obtained by H-1-H-1 NOESY experiments. Dynamical parameters were calculated from the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the PS in solution and compared to those from C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation studies. Importantly, the MD simulations can reproduce the dynamical behavior of internal correlation times along the PS chain. Two-dimensional free energy surfaces of glycosidic torsion angles delineate the conformational space available to the O-antigen. Although similar with respect to populated states in solution, the O-antigen in LPS bilayers has more extended chains as a result of spatial limitations due to close packing. Calcium ions are highly abundant in the phosphate-containing core region mediating LPS LPS association that is crucial for maintaining bilayer integrity, and the negatively charged O-antigen promotes a high concentration of counterbalancing potassium ions. The ensemble of structures present for the PS in solution is captured by the NMR experiments, and the similarities between the O-antigen on its own and as a constituent of the full LPS in a bilayer environment make it possible to realistically describe the LPS conformation and dynamics from the MD simulations.
Mass spectrometry is the primary analytical technique used to characterize the complex oligosaccharides that decorate cell surfaces. Monosaccharide building blocks are often simple epimers, which when combined produce diastereomeric glycoconjugates indistinguishable by mass spectrometry. Structure elucidation frequently relies on assumptions that biosynthetic pathways are highly conserved. Here, we show that biosynthetic enzymes can display unexpected promiscuity, with human glycosyltransferase pp-a-GanT2 able to utilize both uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine and uridine diphosphate N-acetylgalactosamine, leading to the synthesis of epimeric glycopeptides in vitro. Ion-mobility mass spectrometry ( IM-MS) was used to separate these structures and, significantly, enabled characterization of the attached glycan based on the drift times of the monosaccharide product ions generated following collision-induced dissociation. Finally, ion-mobility mass spectrometry following fragmentation was used to determine the nature of both the reducing and non-reducing glycans of a series of epimeric disaccharides and the branched pentasaccharide Man3 glycan, demonstrating that this technique may prove useful for the sequencing of complex oligosaccharides.
The increased interest in using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) as a platform for biopharmaceuticals has led to the need for new analytical techniques that can precisely assess physicochemical properties of these large and very complex drugs for the purpose of correctly identifying quality attributes (QA). One QA, higher order structure (HOS), is unique to biopharmaceuticals and essential for establishing consistency in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, detecting process-related variations from manufacturing changes and establishing comparability between biologic products. To address this measurement challenge, two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (2D-NMR) methods were introduced that allow for the precise atomic-level comparison of the HOS between two proteins, including mAbs. Here, an inter-laboratory comparison involving 26 industrial, government and academic laboratories worldwide was performed as a benchmark using the NISTmAb, from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to facilitate the translation of the 2D-NMR method into routine use for biopharmaceutical product development. Two-dimensional H-1,N-15 and H-1,C-13 NMR spectra were acquired with harmonized experimental protocols on the unlabeled Fab domain and a uniformly enriched-N-15, 20%-C-13-enriched system suitability sample derived from the NISTmAb. Chemometric analyses from over 400 spectral maps acquired on 39 different NMR spectrometers ranging from 500 MHz to 900 MHz demonstrate spectral fingerprints that are fit-for-purpose for the assessment of HOS. The 2D-NMR method is shown to provide the measurement reliability needed to move the technique from an emerging technology to a harmonized, routine measurement that can be generally applied with great confidence to high precision assessments of the HOS of mAb-based biotherapeutics.
Colwellia psychrerythraea strain 34H, a Gram-negative bacterium isolated from Arctic marine sediments, is considered a model to study the adaptation to cold environments. Recently, we demonstrated that C. psychrerythraea 34H produces two different extracellular polysaccharides, a capsular polysaccharide and a medium released polysaccharide, which confer cryoprotection to the bacterium. In this study, we report the structure of an additional capsular polysaccharide produced by Colwellia grown at a different temperature. The structure was determined using chemical methods, and one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. The results showed a trisaccharide repeating unit made up of only amino-sugar residues: N-acetyl-galactosamine, 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-glucose (bacillosamine), and 2-acetamido-2-deoxyglucuronic acid with the following structure: -> 4)-beta-d-GlcpNAcA-(1 -> 3)-beta-d-QuipNAc4NAc-(1 -> 3)-beta-d-GalpNAc-(1 ->. The 3D model, generated in accordance with H-1,H-1-NOE NMR correlations and consisting of ten repeating units, shows a helical structure. In contrast with the other extracellular polysaccharides produced from Colwellia at 4 A degrees C, this molecule displays only a low ice recrystallization inhibition activity.
Extensive analysis by NMR spectroscopy of the delipidated lipopolysaccharide of Shigella flexneri serotype 6 strain MDC 2924-71 confirmed the most recently reported structure of the O-antigen repeating unit as {4)--D-GalpA-(13)--D-GalpNAc-(12)--L-Rhap3Ac/4Ac-(12)--L-Rhap-(1}, and revealed the non-stoichiometric acetylation at O-3C/4C. Input from the CASPER program helped to ascertain the fine distribution of the three possible patterns of O-acetylation. The non-O-acetylated repeating unit (ABCD) corresponded to about 2/3 of the population, while 1/4 was acetylated at O-3C (3AcCDAB), and 1/10 at O-4C (4AcCDAB). Di- to tetrasaccharides with a GalpA residue (A) at their reducing end were synthesized as their propyl glycosides following a multistep linear strategy relying on late-stage acetylation at O-3C. Thus, the 3C-O-acetylated and non-O-acetylated targets were synthesized from common protected intermediates. Rhamnosylation was most efficiently achieved by using imidate donors, including at O-4 of a benzyl galacturonate acceptor. In contrast, a thiophenyl 2-deoxy-2-trichloroacetamido-D-galactopyranoside precursor was preferred for chain elongation involving residue B. Final Pd/C-mediated deprotection ensured O-acetyl stability. All of the target molecules represent parts of the O-antigen of S. flexneri 6, a prevalent serotype. Non-O-acetylated oligosaccharides are also fragments of the Escherichia coli O147 O-antigen.
Pathenogenesis-related (PR) proteins are extensively used as molecular markers to dissect the signaling cascades leading to plant defense responses. However, studies focusing on the biochemical or biological properties of these proteins remain rare. Here, we identify and characterize a class of apple (Malus domestica) PR proteins, named M. domestica AGGLUTININS (MdAGGs), belonging to the amaranthin-like lectin family. By combining molecular and biochemical approaches, we show that abundant production of MdAGGs in leaf tissues corresponds with enhanced resistance to the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, the causal agent of the disease fire blight. We also show that E. amylovora represses the expression of MdAGG genes by injecting the type 3 effector DspA/E into host cells and by secreting bacterial exopolysaccharides. Using a purified recombinant MdAGG, we show that the protein agglutinates E. amylovora cells in vitro and binds bacterial lipopolysaccharides at low pH, conditions reminiscent of the intercellular pH occurring in planta upon E. amylovora infection. We finally provide evidence that negatively charged polysaccharides, such as the free exopolysaccharide amylovoran progressively released by the bacteria, act as decoys relying on charge–charge interaction with the MdAGG to inhibit agglutination. Overall, our results suggest that the production of this particular class of PR proteins may contribute to apple innate immunity mechanisms active against E. amylovora.
Room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) of the imidazolium family have attracted much attention during the past decade for their capability to dissolve biomass. Besides experimental work, numerous compuational studies have been concerned with the physical properties of both neat ILs and their interactions with different solutes, in particular, carbohydrates. Many classical force fields designed specifically for ILs have been found to yield viscosities that are too high for the liquid state, which has been attributed to the fact that the effective charge densities are too high due to the lack of electronic polarizability. One solution to this problem has been uniform scaling of the partial charges by a scale factor in the range 0.6-0.9, depending on model. This procedure has been shown to improve the viscosity of the models, and also to positively affect other properties, such as diffusion constants and ionic conductivity. However, less attention has been paid to how this affects the overall thermodynamics of the system, and the problems it might create when the IL models are combined with other force fields (e.g., for solutes). In the present work, we employ three widely used IL force fields to simulate 1-n-buty1-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride in both the crystal and the liquid state, as well as its binary mixture with ethanol. Two approaches are used: one in which the ionic charge is retained at its full integer value and one in which the partial charges are uniformly reduced to 85%. We investigate and calculate crystal and liquid structures, molar heat capacities, heats of fusion, self-diffusion constants, ionic conductivity, and viscosity for the neat IL, and ethanol activity as a function of ethanol concentration for the binary mixture. We show that properties of the crystal are less affected by charge scaling compared to the liquid. In the liquid state, transport properties of the neat IL are generally improved by scaling, whereas values for the heat of fusion are unaffected, and results for the heat capacity are ambiguous. Neither full nor reduced charges could reproduce experimental ethanol activities for the whole range of compositions.
A series of compounds associated with naturally occurring and biologically relevant glycans consisting of alpha-mannosides were prepared and analyzed using collision-induced dissociation (CID), energy-resolved mass spectrometry (ERMS), and H-1 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The CID experiments of sodiated species of disaccharides and ERMS experiments revealed that the order of stability of mannosyl linkages was as follows: 6-linked > 4-linked >= 2-linked > 3-linked mannosyl residues. Analysis of linear trisaccharides revealed that the order observed in disaccharides could be applied to higher glycans. A branched trisaccharide showed a distinct dissociation pattern with two constituting disaccharide ions. The estimation of the content of this ion mixture was possible using the disaccharide spectra. The hydrolysis of mannose linkages at 3- and 6-positions in the branched trisaccharide revealed that the 3-linkage was cleaved twice as fast as the 6-linkage. It was observed that the solution-phase hydrolysis and gas-phase dissociation have similar energetics.
Glypican-1 and its heparan sulfate (HS) chains play important roles in modulating many biological processes including growth factor signaling. Glypican-1 is bound to a membrane surface via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor. In this study, we used all-atom molecular modeling and simulation to explore the structure, dynamics, and interactions of GPI-anchored glypican-1, three HS chains, membranes, and ions. The folded glypican-1 core structure is stable, but has substantial degrees of freedom in terms of movement and orientation with respect to the membrane due to the long unstructured C-terminal region linking the core to the GPI-anchor. With unique structural features depending on the extent of sulfation, high flexibility of HS chains can promote multi-site interactions with surrounding molecules near and above the membrane. This study is a first step toward all-atom molecular modeling and simulation of the glycocalyx, as well as its modulation of interactions between growth factors and their receptors.
Methodology development in carbohydrate chemistry entails the stereoselective formation of C-O bonds as a key step in the synthesis of oligo- and polysaccharides. The anomeric selectivity of a glycosylation reaction is affected by a multitude of parameters, such as the nature of the donor and acceptor, activator/promotor system, temperature and solvent. The influence of different solvents on the stereoselective outcome of glycosylation reactions employing thioglucopyranosides as glycosyl donors with a non-participating protecting group at position 2 has been studied. A large change in selectivity as a function of solvent was observed and a correlation between selectivity and the Kamlet-Taft solvent parameter pi* was found. Furthermore, molecular modeling using density functional theory methodology was conducted to decipher the role of the solvent and possible reaction pathways were investigated.
Glycans are central to information content and regulation in biological systems. These carbohydrate molecules are active either as oligo- or polysaccharides, often in the form of glycoconjugates. The monosaccharide entities are joined by glycosidic linkages and stereochemical arrangements are of utmost importance in determining conformation and flexibility of saccharides. The conformational preferences and population distributions at the glycosidic torsion angles phi and psi have been investigated for O-methyl glycosides of three disaccharides where the substitution takes place at a secondary alcohol, viz., in alpha-l-Fucp-(1 -> 3)-beta-d-Glcp-OMe, alpha-l-Fucp-(1 -> 3)-alpha-d-Galp-OMe and alpha-d-Glcp-(1 -> 4)-alpha-d-Galp-OMe, corresponding to disaccharide structural elements present in bacterial polysaccharides. Stereochemical differences at or adjacent to the glycosidic linkage were explored by solution state NMR spectroscopy using one-dimensional 1H,1H-NOESY NMR experiments to obtain transglycosidic proton-proton distances and one- and two-dimensional heteronuclear NMR experiments to obtain 3JCH transglycosidic coupling constants related to torsion angles phi and psi. Computed effective proton-proton distances from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showed excellent agreement to experimentally derived distances for the alpha-(1 -> 3)-linked disaccharides and revealed that for the bimodal distribution at the psi torsion angle for the alpha-(1 -> 4)-linked disaccharide experiment and simulation were at variance with each other, calling for further force field developments. The MD simulations disclosed a highly intricate inter-residue hydrogen bonding pattern for the alpha-(1 -> 4)-linked disaccharide, including a nonconventional hydrogen bond between H5 ' in the glucosyl residue and O3 in the galactosyl residue, supported by a large downfield 1H NMR chemical shift displacement compared to alpha-d-Glcp-OMe. Comparison of population distributions of the glycosidic torsion angles phi and psi in the disaccharide entities to those of corresponding crystal structures highlighted the potential importance of solvation on the preferred conformation. The importance of solvation on the preferred conformation of saccharides in solution and in crystals is unraveled by solution-state NMR and computational MD studies of solvated disaccharides. Crystal structures containing solvated glycan structures have glycosidic linkage conformations similar to those of the carbohydrate molecules in solution.
Carbohydrate structures containing alkyl groups as aglycones are useful for investigating enzyme activity and glycan-protein interactions. Moreover, linker-containing oligosaccharides with a spacer group are commonly used to print glycan microarrays or to prepare protein-conjugates as vaccine candidates. The structural accuracy of these synthesized glycans are essential for interpretation of results from biological experiments in which the compounds have been used and NMR spectroscopy can unravel and confirm their structures. An approach for efficient 1H and 13C NMR chemical shift assignments employed a parallel NOAH-10 measurement followed by NMR spin-simulation to refine the 1H NMR chemical shifts, as exemplified for a disaccharide with an azidoethyl group as an aglycone, the NMR chemical shifts of which have been used to enhance the quality of CASPER (http://www.casper.organ.su.se/casper/). The CASPER program has been further developed to aid characterization of linker-containing oligo- and polysaccharides, either by chemical shift prediction for comparison to experimental NMR data or as structural investigation of synthesized glycans based on acquired unassigned NMR data. The ability of CASPER to elucidate structures of linker-containing oligosaccharides is demonstrated and comparisons to assigned or unassigned NMR data show the utility of CASPER in supporting a proposed oligosaccharide structure. Prediction of NMR chemical shifts of an oligosaccharide, corresponding to the repeating unit of an O-antigen polysaccharide, having a linker as an aglycone and a non-natural substituent derivative thereof are presented to exemplify the diversity of structures handled. Furthermore, NMR chemical shift predictions of synthesized polysaccharides, corresponding to bacterial polysaccharides, containing a linker are described showing that in addition to oligosaccharide structures also polysaccharide structures having an aglycone spacer group can be analyzed by CASPER.
Cell wall glycopolymers on the surface of Gram-positive bacteria are fundamental to bacterial physiology and infection biology. Here we identify gacH, a gene in the Streptococcus pyogenes group A carbohydrate (GAC) biosynthetic cluster, in two independent transposon library screens for its ability to confer resistance to zinc and susceptibility to the bactericidal enzyme human group IIA-secreted phospholipase A(2). Subsequent structural and phylogenetic analysis of the GacH extracellular domain revealed that GacH represents an alternative class of glycerol phosphate transferase. We detected the presence of glycerol phosphate in the GAC, as well as the serotype c carbohydrate from Streptococcus mutans, which depended on the presence of the respective gacH homologs. Finally, nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of GAC confirmed that glycerol phosphate is attached to approximately 25% of the GAC N-acetylglucosamine side-chains at the C6 hydroxyl group. This previously unrecognized structural modification impacts host-pathogen interaction and has implications for vaccine design.
Three dimensional shape and conformation of. carbohydrates are important factors in molecular recognition events and the N-acetyl group of a monosaccharide residue can function as a conformational gatekeeper whereby it influences the overall shape of the oligosaccharide. NMR spectroscopy and quantum mechanics (QM) calculations are used herein to investigate both the conformational preferences and the dynamic behavior of N-acetyl and N-formyl substituents of 3-amino-3,6-dideoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranose, a sugar and substitution pattern found in bacterial O-antigen polysaccharides. QM calculations suggest that the amide oxygen can be involved in hydrogen bonding with the axial OH4 group primarily but also with the equatorial OH2 group. However, an NMR J coupling analysis indicates that the 01 torsion angle, adjacent to the sugar ring, prefers an ap conformation where conformations <180 degrees also are accessible, but does not allow for intramolecular hydrogen bonding. In the formyl-substituted compound (4)J(HH) coupling constants to the exo-cyclic group were detected and analyzed. A van't Hoff analysis revealed that the trans conformation at the amide bond is favored by Delta G degrees approximate to - 0.8 kcal.mol(-1) in the formyl-containing compound and with Delta G degrees approximate to -2.5 kcal.mol(-1) when the N-acetyl group is the substituent. In both cases the enthalpic term dominates to the free energy, irrespective of water or DMSO as solvent, with only a small contribution from the entropic term. The cis-trans isomerization of the theta(2) torsion angle, centered at the amide bond, was also investigated by employing H-1 NMR line shape analysis and C-13 NMR saturation transfer experiments. The extracted transition rate constants were utilized to calculate transition energy barriers that were found to be about 20 kcal.mol(-1) in both DMSO-d(6) and D2O. Enthalpy had a higher contribution to the energy barriers in DMSO-d(6) compared to in D2O, where entropy compensated for the loss of enthalpy.
Glycofullerenes, in which carbohydrate molecules are attached via a linker to a [60]fullerene core, facilitate spherical presentation of glyco-based epitopes. We herein investigate the dynamics of two glycofullerenes, having 12 and 36 mannose residues at their periphery, by NMR translational diffusion and quantitative C-13 relaxation studies employing a model-free approach for their interpretation. The sugar residues are shown to be highly flexible entities with S-2 < 0.2 in both compounds. Notably, the larger glycofullerene with longer linkers shows faster internal dynamics and higher flexibility than its smaller counterpart. The dynamics and flexibility as well as the slower translational diffusion of the larger glycofullerene, thereby favoring rebinding to a receptor, may together with its spatial extension explain why it is better than the smaller one at blocking the DC-SIGN receptor and inhibiting the infection by pseudotyped Ebola virus particles.
Methyl 3-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-D-galactopyranoside as a monohydrate, C15H27NO11·H2O, crystallizes in space group P212121, with four molecules in the unit cell. It constitutes the methyl glycoside of the carbohydrate part of the teichoic acid type polysaccharide from Micrococcus sp. A1, in which the disaccharides are joined through phosphodiester linkages. The conformation of the disaccharide is described by the glycosidic torsion angles ϕ = − 31° and ψ = + 1°, and the hydroxymethyl groups of the constituent monosaccharides are present in the gg and gt conformations for the sugar residues having the gluco- and galacto-configuration, respectively. For the N-acetyl group at C2 of the galactosamine residue the torsion angle τH = 147°, i.e., the amide proton has an antiperiplanar relationship to H2 of the sugar ring. The structure shows extensive hydrogen bonding along the a-direction, including the water molecule, and forms sheets with hydrophilic interactions within the sheets as a result of hydrogen bonding between disaccharides as well as hydrophobic interactions between the sheets, in particular, amongst methyl groups of the N-acetyl group of the α-D-GalpNAc residue in the disaccharides.
The title compound, C13H24O9 center dot H2O, a structural model for part of bacterial O-antigen polysaccharides from Shigella flexneri and Escherichia coli, crystallizes with four independent disaccharide molecules and four water molecules in the asymmetric unit. The conformation at the glycosidic linkage joining the two rhamnosyl residues is described by the torsion angles phi(H) of 39, 30, 37 and 37 degrees, and psi(H) of -32, -35, -31 and -32 degrees, which are the major conformation region known to be populated in an aqueous solution. The hexopyranose rings have the C-1(4) chair conformation. In the crystal, the disaccharide and water molecules are associated through O-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonds, forming a layer parallel to the bc plane. The layers stack along the a axis via hydrophobic interactions between the methyl groups.
The title compound, C13H24O10 is the methyl glycoside of a structural element alpha-L-Fucp-(1 -> 3)-alpha-D-Galp making up two thirds of the repeating unit in the capsular polysaccharide of Klebsiella K63. The conformation of the title compound is described by the glycosidic torsion angles phi(H) = 55 (1)degrees and psi H = -24 (1)degrees. The hydroxymethyl group in the galactose residue is present in the gauche-trans conformation. In the crystal, O-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonds connect the disaccharide units into chains along the a-axis direction and further hydrogen bonds cross-link the chains.
The title compound, C13H24O10·4H2O, is the methyl glycoside of a disaccharide structural element present in the backbone of the capsular polysaccharide from Klebsiella K1, which contains only three sugars and a substituent in the polysaccharide repeating unit. The conformation of the title disaccharide is described by the glycosidic torsion angles ϕH = 51.1 (1)° and ψH = 25.8 (1)°. In the crystal, a number of O—HO hydrogen bonds link the methyl glycoside and water molecules, forming a three-dimensional network. One water molecule is disordered over two positions with occupancies of 0.748 (4) and 0.252 (4).
The title hydrate, C19H34O13·5H2O, contains a vicinally disubstituted trisaccharide in which the two terminal rhamnosyl sugar groups are positioned adjacent to each other. The conformation of the trisaccharide is described by the glycosidic torsion angles ϕ2 = 48 (1)°, ψ2 = −29 (1)°, ϕ3 = 44 (1)° and ψ3 = 4 (1)°, whereas the ψ2 torsion angle represents a conformation from the major state in solution, the ψ3 torsion angle conformation may have been caught near a potential energy saddle-point when compared to its solution structure, in which at least two but probably three conformational states are populated. Extensive intermolecular O—HO hydrogen bonding is present in the crystal and a water-containing channel is formed along the b-axis direction.
The structures of the lipooligosaccharides from Brucella melitensis mutants affected in the WbkD and ManB(core) proteins have been fully characterized using NMR spectroscopy. The results revealed that disruption of wbkD gives rise to a rough lipopolysaccharide (R-LPS) with a complete core structure (beta-D-Glcp-(1 -> 4)-alpha-Kdop-(2 -> 4)[beta-D-GlcpN-(1 -> 6)-beta-D-GlcpN-(1 -> 4)[beta-D-GlcpN-(1 -> 6)]-beta-D-GlcpN-(1 -> 3)-alpha-D-Manp-(1 -> 5)]-alpha-Kdop-(2 -> 6)-beta-D-GlcpN3N4P-(1 -> 6)-alpha-D-GlcpN3N1P), in addition to components lacking one of the terminal beta-D-GlcpN and/or the beta-D-Glcp residues (48 and 17%, respectively). These structures were identical to those of the R-LPS from B. melitensis EP, a strain simultaneously expressing both smooth and R-LPS, also studied herein. In contrast, disruption of man-B-core gives rise to a deep-rough pentasaccharide core (beta-D-Glcp-(1 -> 4)-alpha-Kdop-(2 -> 4)-alpha-Kdop-(2 -> 6)-beta-D-GlcpN3N4P-(1 -> 6)-alpha-D-GlcpN3N1P) as the major component (63%), as well as a minor tetrasaccharide component lacking the terminal beta-D-Glcp residue (37%). These results are in agreement with the predicted functions of the WbkD (glycosyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of the O-antigen) and ManB(core) proteins (phosphomannomutase involved in the biosynthesis of a mannosyl precursor needed for the biosynthesis of the core and O-antigen). We also report that deletion of B. melitensis wadC removes the core oligosaccharide branch not linked to the O-antigen causing an increase in overall negative charge of the remaining LPS inner section. This is in agreement with the mannosyltransferase role predicted for WadC and the lack of GlcpN residues in the defective core oligosaccharide. Despite carrying the O-antigen essential in B. melitensis virulence, the core deficiency in the wadC mutant structure resulted in a more efficient detection by innate immunity and attenuation, proving the role of the beta-D-GlcpN-(1 -> 6)-beta-D-GlcpN-(1 -> 4)[beta-D-GlcpN-(1 -> 6)]-beta-D-GlcpN-(1 -> 3)-alpha-D-Manp-(1 -> 5) structure in virulence.
In this study, a set of nuclear magnetic resonance experiments, some of them commonly used in the study of C-13-labeled proteins and/or nucleic acids, is applied for the structure determination of uniformly C-13-enriched carbohydrates. Two model substances were employed: one compound of low molecular weight [(UL-C-13)-sucrose, 342 Da] and one compound of medium molecular weight (C-13-enriched O-antigenic polysaccharide isolated from Escherichia coli O142, similar to 10 kDa). The first step in this approach involves the assignment of the carbon resonances in each monosaccharide spin system using the anomeric carbon signal as the starting point. The C-13 resonances are traced using C-13-C-13 correlations from homonuclear experiments, such as (H)CC-CT-COSY, (H)CC-NOESY, CC-CT-TOCSY and/or virtually decoupled (H)CC-TOCSY. Based on the assignment of the C-13 resonances, the H-1 chemical shifts are derived in a straightforward manner using one-bond H-1-C-13 correlations from heteronuclear experiments (HC-CT-HSQC). In order to avoid the (1) J (CC) splitting of the C-13 resonances and to improve the resolution, either constant-time (CT) in the indirect dimension or virtual decoupling in the direct dimension were used. The monosaccharide sequence and linkage positions in oligosaccharides were determined using either C-13 or H-1 detected experiments, namely CC-CT-COSY, band-selective (H)CC-TOCSY, HC-CT-HSQC-NOESY or long-range HC-CT-HSQC. However, due to the short T-2 relaxation time associated with larger polysaccharides, the sequential information in the O-antigen polysaccharide from E. coli O142 could only be elucidated using the H-1-detected experiments. Exchanging protons of hydroxyl groups and N-acetyl amides in the C-13-enriched polysaccharide were assigned by using HC-H2BC spectra. The assignment of the N-acetyl groups with N-15 at natural abundance was completed by using HN-SOFAST-HMQC, HNCA, HNCO and C-13-detected (H)CACO spectra.
Some lactic acid bacteria, such as those of the Lactobacillus genus, have the ability to produce exopolysaccharides (EPSs) that confer favorable physicochemical properties to food and/or beneficial physiological effects on human health. In particular, the EPS of Lactobacillus plantarum C88 has recently demonstrated in vitro antioxidant activity and, herein, its structure has been investigated using NMR spectroscopy and the computer program CASPER (Computer Assisted Spectrum Evaluation of Regular polysaccharides). The pentasaccharide repeating unit of the O-deacetylated EPS consists of a trisaccharide backbone, -> 4)-alpha-DGalp-(1 -> 2)-alpha-D-Glcp-(1 -> 3)-beta-D-Glcp-(1 ->, with terminal D-Glc and D-Gal residues (1.0 and 0.8 equiv per repeating unit, respectively) extending from O3 and O6, respectively, of the -> 4)-alpha-D-Galp-(1 -> residue. In the native EPS an O-acetyl group is present, 0.85 equiv per repeating unit, at O2 of the alpha-linked galactose residue; thus the repeating unit of the EPS has the following structure: -> 4)[beta-D-Glcp-(1 -> 3)][beta-D-Galp-(1 -> 6)]alpha-D-Galp2Ac-(1 -> 2)-alpha-D-Glcp-(1 -> 3)-beta-D-Glcp-(1 ->. These structural features, and the chain length (similar to 10(3) repeating units on average, determined in a previous study), are expected to play an important role in defining the physicochemical properties of the polymer.
A computerized method that uses predicted functions of glycosyltransferases (GTs) in conjunction with unassigned NMR data has been developed for the structural elucidation of bacterial polysaccharides (PSs). In this approach, information about the action of GTs (consisting of possible sugar residues used as donors and/or acceptors, as well as the anomeric configuration and/or substitution position in the respective glycosidic linkages) is extracted from the Escherichia coli O-antigen database and is submitted, together with the unassigned NMR data, to the CASPER program. This time saving methodology, which alleviates the need for chemical analysis, was successfully implemented in the structural elucidation of the O-antigen PS of E. coli O59. The repeating unit of the O-specific chain was determined using the O-deacylated PS and has a branched structure, namely, -> 6)[alpha-d-GalpA3Ac/4Ac-(1 -> 3)]-alpha-d-Manp-(1 -> 3)-alpha-d-Manp-(1 -> 3)-beta-d-Manp-(1 -> 3)-alpha-d-GlcpNAc-(1 ->. The identification of the O-acetylation positions was efficiently performed by comparison of the H-1,C-13 HSQC NMR spectra of the O-deacylated lipopolysaccharide and the lipid-free PS in conjunction with chemical shift predictions made by the CASPER program. The side-chain d-GalpA residue carries one equivalent of O-acetyl groups at the O-3 and O-4 positions distributed in the LPS in a 3:7 ratio, respectively. The presence of O-acetyl groups in the repeating unit of the E. coli O59 PS is consistent with the previously proposed acetyltransferase WclD in the O-antigen gene cluster.
The structure of the repeating unit of the O-antigenic polysaccharide (PS) from Escherichia coli O174 has been determined. Component analysis together with H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy experiments were employed to elucidate the structure. Inter-residue correlations were determined by H-1, C-13-heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation and H-1, H-1-NOESY experiments. The PS is composed of tetrasaccharide repeating units with the following structure: -> 4)-beta-D-GlcpA-(1 -> 3)-beta-D-Galp-(1 -> 3)-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1 -> vertical bar beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1 -> 2) Cross-peaks of low intensity were present in the NMR spectra consistent with a beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1 -> 2)-beta-D-GlcpA(1 -> structural element at the terminal part of the polysaccharide, which on average is composed of similar to 15 repeating units. Consequently the biological repeating unit has a 3-substituted N-acetyl-D-galactosamine residue at its reducing end.
The structure of the O-antigen polysaccharide (PS) of Escherichia coliO115 has been investigated using a combination of component analysis and 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy experiments. The repeating unit of the O-antigen was elucidated using the O-deacetylated PS and has the following branched pentasaccharide structure: →3)[β-L-Rhap-(1 → 4)]-β-D-GlcpNAc-(1 → 4)-α-D-GalpA-(1 → 3)-α-D-Manp-(1 → 3)-β-D-GlcpNAc-(1→. Cross-peaks of low intensity, corresponding to a β-L-Rhap-(1 → 4)-β-D-GlcpNAc-(1→ structural element, were present in the NMR spectra and attributed to the terminal part of the PS; this information defines the biological repeating unit of the O-antigen by having a 3-substituted N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) residue at its reducing end. Analysis of the NMR spectra of the native PS revealed O-acetyl groups distributed over different positions of theL-Rhap residue (∼0.70 per repeating unit) as well as at O-2 and O-3 of the D-GalpA residue (∼0.03 and ∼0.25 per repeating unit, respectively), which is in agreement with the presence of two acetyltransferases previously identified in the O-antigen gene cluster (Wang Q, Ruan X, Wei D, Hu Z, Wu L, Yu T, Feng L, Wang L. 2010. Mol Cell Probes. 24:286–290.). In addition, the four glycosyltransferases initially identified in the O-antigen gene cluster of E. coli O115 were analyzed using BLAST, and the function of two of them predicted on the basis of similarities with glycosyltransferases from Shigella dysenteriae type 5 and 12, as well as E. coli O58 and O152.
The program CASPER was successfully employed to rapidly elucidate a new O-antigen polysaccharide structure (obtained from a strain of Escherichia coli serogroup O155), using solelyunassigned NMR spectroscopy data as input information. Thus, what is considered the most tedious and time-consuming part of the structural elucidation process has been reduced from several hours (or even days) of manual interpretation to about four minutes of automated analysis.
Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is an important pathogen associated to food-borne infection in humans; strains of E.coli O181, isolated from human cases of diarrhea, have been classified as belonging to this pathotype. Herein, the structure of the O-antigen polysaccharide (PS) from E.coli O181 has been investigated. The sugar analysis showed quinovosamine (QuiN), glucosamine (GlcN), galactosamine (GalN), and glucose (Glc) as major components. Analysis of the high-resolution mass spectrum of the oligosaccharide (OS), obtained by dephosphorylation of the O-deacetylated PS with aqueous 48% hydrofluoric acid, revealed a pentasaccharide composed of two QuiNAc, one GlcNAc, one GalNAc, and one Glc residue. The H-1 and (CNMR)-C-13 chemical shift assignments of the OS were carried out using 1D and 2D NMR experiments, and the OS was sequenced using a combination of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) data and NMR (CNMR)-C-13 glycosylation shifts. The structure of the native PS was determined using NMR spectroscopy, and it consists of branched pentasaccharide repeating units joined by phosphodiester linkages: -> 4)[alpha-L-QuipNAc-(1 -> 3)]-alpha-D-GalpNAc6Ac-(1 -> 6)-alpha-D-Glcp-(1 -> P-4)-alpha-L-QuipNAc-(1 -> 3)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1 ->; the O-acetyl groups represent 0.4 equivalents per repeating unit. Both the OS and PSs exhibit rare conformational behavior since two of the five anomeric proton resonances could only be observed at an elevated temperature.
The structure of the O-antigen polysaccharide (PS) from Escherichia coli O42 has been investigated by NMR spectroscopy as the main method, which was complemented with sugar analysis, mass spectrometry, and analysis of biosynthetic information. The O-specific chain of the O-deacylated lipopolysaccharide (LPS-OH) consists of branched tetrasaccharide-glycerol repeating units joined by phosphodiester linkages. The lipid-free polysaccharide contains 0.8 equiv of O-acetyl groups per repeating unit and has the following teichoic acid-like structure: Based on biosynthetic aspects, this should also be the biological repeating unit. This O-antigen structure is remarkably similar to that of E. coli O28ac, differing only in the presence or absence, respectively, of a glucose residue at the branching point. The structural similarity explains the serological cross-reactivity observed between strains of these two serogroups, and also their almost identical O-antigen gene cluster sequences. -> 2)-(R)-Gro-(1-P-4)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1 -> 3)-beta-D-Galf2Ac-(1 -> 3)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1 -> vertical bar a-D-Glcp-(1 -> 3)
Glycans, carbohydrate molecules in the realm of biology, are present as biomedically important glycoconjugates and a characteristic aspect is that their structures in many instances are branched. In determining the primary structure of a glycan, the sugar components including the absolute configuration and ring form, anomeric configuration, linkage(s), sequence, and substituents should be elucidated. Solution state NMR spectroscopy offers a unique opportunity to resolve all these aspects at atomic resolution. During the last two decades, advancement of both NMR experiments and spectrometer hardware have made it possible to unravel carbohydrate structure more efficiently. These developments applicable to glycans include, inter alia, NMR experiments that reduce spectral overlap, use selective excitations, record tilted projections of multidimensional spectra, acquire spectra by multiple receivers, utilize polarization by fast-pulsing techniques, concatenate pulse-sequence modules to acquire several spectra in a single measurement, acquire pure shift correlated spectra devoid of scalar couplings, employ stable isotope labeling to efficiently obtain homo- and/or heteronuclear correlations, as well as those that rely on dipolar cross-correlated interactions for sequential information. Refined computer programs for NMR spin simulation and chemical shift prediction aid the structural elucidation of glycans, which are notorious for their limited spectral dispersion. Hardware developments include cryogenically cold probes and dynamic nuclear polarization techniques, both resulting in enhanced sensitivity as well as ultrahigh field NMR spectrometers with a 1H NMR resonance frequency higher than 1 GHz, thus improving resolution of resonances. Taken together, the developments have made and will in the future make it possible to elucidate carbohydrate structure in great detail, thereby forming the basis for understanding of how glycans interact with other molecules.
The structure of a polysaccharide from Vibrio parahaemolyticus strain AN-16000 has been investigated. The sugar and absolute configuration analysis revealed D-Glc, D-GalN, D-QuiN and L-FucN as major components. The PS was subjected to dephosphorylation with aqueous 40% HF to obtain an oligosaccharide that was analyzed by H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy. The HR-MS spectrum of the oligosaccharide revealed a pentasaccharide composed of two Glc residues, one QuiNAc and one GalNAc, one FucNAc, as well as a glycerol moiety. The structure of the PS was determined using H-1, C-13, N-15 and P-31 NMR spectroscopy; inter-residue correlations were identified by H-1, C-13-heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation, H-1, H-1-NOESY and H-1, P-31-hetero-TOCSY experiments. The PS backbone has the following teichoic acid-like structure: -> 3)-D-Gro-(1-P-6)-beta-D-Glcp-(1 -> 4)-alpha-L-FucpNAc-(1 -> 3)-beta-D-QuipNAc-(1 -> with a side-chain consisting of alpha-D-Glcp-(1 -> 6)-alpha-D-GalpNAc-(1 -> linked to the O3 position of the FucNAc residue.