title: Schistosoma mansoni α1,3-fucosyltransferase-F generates the Lewis X antigen.
abstract: Genetic evidence suggests that the Schistosoma mansoni genome contains six genes that encode α1,3-fucosyltransferases (smFuTs). To date, the activities and specificities of these putative fucosyltransferases are unknown. As Schistosoma express a variety of fucosylated glycans, including the Lewis X antigen Galβ1-4(Fucα1-3)GlcNAcβ-R, it is likely that this family of genes encode enzymes that are partly responsible for the generation of those structures. Here, we report the molecular cloning of fucosyltransferase-F (smFuT-F) from S. mansoni, as a soluble, green fluorescent protein fusion protein and its acceptor specificity. The gene smFuT-F was expressed in HEK freestyle cells, purified by affinity chromatography, and analyzed toward a broad panel of glycan acceptors. The enzyme product of smFuT-F effectively utilizes a type II chain acceptor Galβ1-4GlcNAc-R, but notably not the LDN sequence GalNAcβ1-4GlcNAc-R, to generate Lewis X type-glycans, and smFuT-F transcripts are present in all intramammalian life stages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and the Emory Glycomics Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Megan L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Mickum
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and the Emory Glycomics Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Teerapat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rojsajjakul
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and the Emory Glycomics Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and the Emory Glycomics Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA rcummin1@bidmc.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Cummings
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005643:Fucose / Q000737:chemistry; D005647:Fucosyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry*; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D011134:Polysaccharides; D005643:Fucose; D005647:Fucosyltransferases
keywords: Lewis X; S. mansoni; fucose; fucosyltransferase