A sensitive green fluorescent protein biomarker of N-glycosylation site occupancy.
N-glycosylation mediates many biological functions. Genetic defects in the N-glycosylation pathway cause >35 inherited human disorders called congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDGs). As a result, some N-glycosylation sites are unoccupied. Serum transferrin is a diagnostic marker for these patients, but there are no corresponding cellular markers to assess glycosylation competence. Therefore, we engineered a green fluorescent protein (GFP) construct to measure N-glycosylation site occupancy. We designed an endoplasmic reticulum-retained GFP biomarker whose fluorescence is lost when it is N-glycosylated due to steric hindrance by the glycan. This marker is a highly sensitive indicator of N-glycosylation site occupancy. In CDG cells carrying the GFP construct, a 25% decrease of glycosylation efficiency induces a 5-fold increase in fluorescence, while cDNA complementation of the genetic defect results in a 5-fold decrease in fluorescence. This engineered GFP detects impaired N-glycosylation in multiple cell lines, including CHO cells, HeLa cells, normal and patient fibroblasts, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). This marker is a highly sensitive tool to study N-glycosylation site occupancy. It can be used to screen for compounds that reverse poor N-glycosylation site occupancy.
Sanford Children's Health Research Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, 10901 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Marie-Estelle
ME
Losfeld
Francesca
F
Soncin
Bobby G
BG
Ng
Ilyas
I
Singec
Hudson H
HH
Freeze
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D058732:Embryoid Bodies / Q000378:metabolism; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006031:Glycosylation; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins