Expression of beta1,4-galactosyltransferase in the development of mouse brain.
Beta1,4-galactosyltransferase (GalTase, EC 2.4.1.38) transfers galactose to the terminal N-acetylglucosamine of complex-type N-glycans, which have great importance for cell-cell interactions during fertilization and early embryogenesis. In this study, the activity of beta1,4-galactosyltransferase in mouse brain during development was measured with the method of reverse HPLC using a fluorescence-labeled biantenary sugar chain, GlcNAcbeta1-2Manalpha1-6(GlcNAcbeta1-2Manalpha1- 3) Manbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-4GlcNAc-PA. The level of messenger RNA of this enzyme during the development of mouse brain was also investigated with Northern blot analysis. The results showed that: (1)beta1,4-galactosyltransferase showed similar branch specificity and kinetics for the biantenary substrate during development; (2) GalTase activity in fetal mouse brain was four times higher than that in adult mouse brain and decreased gradually in the course of development; (3) messenger RNA level was highest in fetal mouse and decreased dramatically after birth. However, the contents of mRNA were not parallel to the enzyme activity.
Zhou
D
D
Gene Research Center and Department of Biochemistry, Shanghai Medical University, Ministry of Public Health, PR China.
Chen
C
C
Jiang
S
S
Shen
Z
Z
Chi
Z
Z
Gu
J
J
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000201:enzymology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D051379:Mice; D008861:Microsomes / Q000201:enzymology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009237:N-Acetyllactosamine Synthase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000737:chemistry; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity
D009844:Oligosaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009237:N-Acetyllactosamine Synthase