title: Cell surface human alpha-L-fucosidase.
abstract: The acid alpha-L-fucosidase is usually found as a soluble component of lysosomes where fucoglycoconjugates are degraded. In the present investigation, we have demonstrated the existence of a cell surface protein with enzymatic alpha-L-fucosidase activity that crossreacts specifically with a rabbit anti-(alpha-L-fucosidase) Ig. By different approaches, this alpha-L-fucosidase, which represents 10-20% of the total cellular fucosidase activity, was detected in all the tested human cells (hemopoietic, epithelial, mesenchymal). Two bands of approximately 43-49 kDa were observed, although theoretical data support the possibility of having the same genetic origin that the known 50 to 55-kDa Mr alpha-L-fucosidase. We speculate about an alternative traffic pathway for the plasma membrane alpha-L-fucosidase to work on the rapid turnover of glycoproteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Faculty of Biology, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. bnojcord@usc.es
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Cordero
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Páez de la Cadena
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bugía
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Viñuela
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Martínez-Zorzano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Carlos
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Berrocal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology*; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000201:enzymology; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D005644:alpha-L-Fucosidase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D005644:alpha-L-Fucosidase