Comparative analysis of the site-specific N-glycosylation of human lactoferrin produced in maize and tobacco plants

Eur J Biochem. 2003 Aug;270(15):3235-42. doi: 10.1046/j.1432-1033.2003.03706.x.

Abstract

We have compared the site-by-site N-glycosylation status of human lactoferrin (Lf) produced in maize, a monocotyledon, and in tobacco, used as a model dicotyledon. Maize and tobacco plants were stably transformed and recombinant Lf was purified from both seeds and leaves. N-glycopeptides were generated by trypsin digestion of recombinant Lf and purified by reverse-phase HPLC. The N-glycosylation pattern of each site was determined by mass spectrometry. Our results indicated that the N-glycosylation patterns of recombinant Lf produced in maize and tobacco share common structural features. In particular, both N-glycosylation sites of each recombinant Lf are mainly substituted by typical plant paucimannose-type N-glycans, with beta1,2-xylose and alpha1,3-linked fucose at the proximal N-acetylglucosamine. However, tobacco Lf shows a significant amount of processed N-glycans with one or two beta1,2GlcNAc linked to the trimannose core, which are weakly expressed in maize Lf. Finally, no Lewisa epitope was observed on tobacco Lf.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Asparagine / analysis
  • Glycopeptides / chemistry
  • Glycopeptides / isolation & purification
  • Glycosylation
  • Humans
  • Lactoferrin / biosynthesis*
  • Lactoferrin / chemistry*
  • Lactoferrin / genetics*
  • Nicotiana / genetics*
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Transformation, Genetic
  • Trypsin / metabolism
  • Zea mays / genetics*

Substances

  • Glycopeptides
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Asparagine
  • Lactoferrin
  • Trypsin