Biomaterial Database

[Molecular biological approach to functions of telencephalin, a cell adhesion molecule and HNK-1 carbohydrate epitope, which is commonly expressed on cell adhesion molecules in the nervous system]. 1998

S Oka

Department of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Japan.

Cell surface carbohydrates modulate a variety of cellular functions, including recognition and adhesion. The HNK-1 carbohydrate epitope, which is recognized by the monoclonal antibody HNK-1, is specifically expressed on a series of cell adhesion molecules and also on some glycolipids in the nervous system over a wide range of species from insect to mammal. The HNK-1 epitope is spatially and temporally regulated during the development of the nervous system and associated with neural crest cell migration, neuron to glial cell adhesion, outgrowth of astrocytic processes and migration of cell body, as well as the preferential outgrowth of neurites from motor neurons. These observations together with the unusual chemical nature of the HNK-1 epitope, namely a non-reducing terminal 3-sulfoglucuronic acid residue, prompted us to study the biosynthesis of the NHK-1 epitope, in which a unique glucuronyltransferase(s) plays a key role. We found that the respective glucuronyltransferases are involved in the biosynthesis of the HNK-1 epitope on glycoproteins (GlcAT-P) and on glycolipids (GlcAT-L). Then, we isolated a novel glucuronyltransferase (GlcAT-P) specific for glycoprotein substrates and its cDNA from the rat brain. The primary structure deduced from the cDNA sequence predicted a type II transmembrane protein with 347 amino acids. Transfection of the GlcAT-P cDNA into COS-1 cells induced not only expression of the HNK-1 epitope on the cell surface but also marked morphological changes of the cells, suggesting that the HNK-1 epitope was associated with the cell-substratum interaction. The GlcAT-P cDNA obtained in this study will be a useful molecular tool to open the way for further steps in the elucidation of the biological function of the HNK-1 carbohydrate epitope in the development of the nervous system.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008562	Membrane Glycoproteins	Glycoproteins found on the membrane or surface of cells.	Cell Surface Glycoproteins,Surface Glycoproteins,Cell Surface Glycoprotein,Membrane Glycoprotein,Surface Glycoprotein,Glycoprotein, Cell Surface,Glycoprotein, Membrane,Glycoprotein, Surface,Glycoproteins, Cell Surface,Glycoproteins, Membrane,Glycoproteins, Surface,Surface Glycoprotein, Cell,Surface Glycoproteins, Cell
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D009419	Nerve Tissue Proteins		Proteins, Nerve Tissue,Tissue Proteins, Nerve
D009420	Nervous System	The entire nerve apparatus, composed of a central part, the brain and spinal cord, and a peripheral part, the cranial and spinal nerves, autonomic ganglia, and plexuses. (Stedman, 26th ed)	Nervous Systems,System, Nervous,Systems, Nervous
D002450	Cell Communication	Any of several ways in which living cells of an organism communicate with one another, whether by direct contact between cells or by means of chemical signals carried by neurotransmitter substances, hormones, and cyclic AMP.	Cell Interaction,Cell-to-Cell Interaction,Cell Communications,Cell Interactions,Cell to Cell Interaction,Cell-to-Cell Interactions,Communication, Cell,Communications, Cell,Interaction, Cell,Interaction, Cell-to-Cell,Interactions, Cell,Interactions, Cell-to-Cell
D004247	DNA	A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine).	DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA
D006017	Glycolipids	Any compound containing one or more monosaccharide residues bound by a glycosidic linkage to a hydrophobic moiety such as an acylglycerol (see GLYCERIDES), a sphingoid, a ceramide (CERAMIDES) (N-acylsphingoid) or a prenyl phosphate. (From IUPAC's webpage)	Glycolipid
D006023	Glycoproteins	Conjugated protein-carbohydrate compounds including MUCINS; mucoid, and AMYLOID glycoproteins.	C-Glycosylated Proteins,Glycosylated Protein,Glycosylated Proteins,N-Glycosylated Proteins,O-Glycosylated Proteins,Glycoprotein,Neoglycoproteins,Protein, Glycosylated,Proteins, C-Glycosylated,Proteins, Glycosylated,Proteins, N-Glycosylated,Proteins, O-Glycosylated
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000595	Amino Acid Sequence	The order of amino acids as they occur in a polypeptide chain. This is referred to as the primary structure of proteins. It is of fundamental importance in determining PROTEIN CONFORMATION.	Protein Structure, Primary,Amino Acid Sequences,Sequence, Amino Acid,Sequences, Amino Acid,Primary Protein Structure,Primary Protein Structures,Protein Structures, Primary,Structure, Primary Protein,Structures, Primary Protein