Polysaccharide Sequence Influences the Specificity and Catalytic Activity of Glucuronyl C5-Epimerase

Biochemistry. 2020 Jul 14;59(27):2576-2584. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00419. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Abstract

Heparin is a widely used biotherapeutic produced from animal tissues. However, it might be possible to produce a bioengineered version using a multienzyme process, relying on the isolation of the E. coli K5 capsule heparosan and its chemical conversion to N-sulfoheparosan, NSH. Glucuronyl C5-epimerase, the first enzyme that acts on NSH, catalyzes the reversible conversion of glucuronic acid (GlcA) to iduronic acid (IdoA). Using full-length NSH, containing different amounts of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues, we demonstrate that C5-epimerase specificity relates to polysaccharide sequence, particularly the location of GlcNAc residues within the chain. We leveraged the deuterium exchange and the novel β-glucuronidase heparanase BP, which cleaves at the GlcA residue. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gel permeation chromatography of partial/complete heparanase BP digestion products from various NSH substrates treated with C5-epimerase provide information on C5-epimerase activity and action pattern. This study provides insight into optimizing the large-scale production of bioengineered heparin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylglucosamine / chemistry
  • Carbohydrate Epimerases / chemistry*
  • Carbohydrate Epimerases / metabolism*
  • Catalysis
  • Disaccharides / chemistry
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology*
  • Escherichia coli / isolation & purification
  • Glucuronic Acid / chemistry*
  • Heparin / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry*
  • Substrate Specificity

Substances

  • Disaccharides
  • Polysaccharides
  • heparosan
  • Glucuronic Acid
  • Heparin
  • Carbohydrate Epimerases
  • Acetylglucosamine