Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Ultrastructural evidence for ectoglycosyltransferase systems

Abstract

CONSIDERABLE biochemical evidence suggests that glycosyltransferases, in addition to being present in the Golgi apparatus1, are also located on the outer surface of the plasma membrane of a variety of normal and malignant cell types2–9. The enzymes catalyse the transfer of specific monosaccharide units from nucleotide sugar donors to appropriate glycoprotein or glycolipid acceptors. Presumably those in the Golgi play a major role in the biosynthesis of glycoproteins and glycolipids1 while those at the plasma membrane (ectoglycosyltransferases) have been implicated in mechanisms for cell to cell adhesion, recognition and communication2–7; cell surface repair8 and for binding circulating oligosaccharides or glycoconjugates9. Although the biochemical evidence for the existence of ectoglycosyltransferases is compelling, it is not definitive. In this report, we use electron microscope (EM) autoradiography to demonstrate the plasma membrane localisation of a N-acetylneuraminic acid ectoenzyme system (ectosialyltransferase, EC 2.4.99.1; the enzyme together with cell surface acceptor molecules constitute the ectoenzyme system5). The results provide the first ultrastructural evidence for the presence of such a glycosyltransferase system at a cell surface.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Schachter, H., Jabbal, I., Hudgin, R. L., Pinteric, L., McGuire, E. J., and Roseman, S., J. biol. Chem., 245, 1090–1100 (1970).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Roseman, S., Chem. Phys. Lipids, 5, 270–297 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Bosmann, H. B., Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun., 48, 523–529 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Bosmann, H. B., Bieber, G. F., Brown, A. E., Case, K. R., Gersten, D. M., Kimmerer, T. W., and Lione, A., Nature, 246, 487–489 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. McLean, R. J., and Bosmann, H. B., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 69, 310–313 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Roth, S., and White, D., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 69, 485–489 (1972).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Roth, S., McGuire, E. J., and Roseman, S., J. Cell Biol., 51, 536–547 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Bernacki, R. J., J. Cell Physiol., 83, 457–466 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Pricer, W. E., and Ashwell, G., J. biol. Chem., 246, 4825–4833 (1971).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Kean, E. L., and Bighouse, K. J., J. biol. Chem., 249, 7813–7823 (1974).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Salpeter, M. M., and Bachmann, L., J. Cell Biol., 22, 469–477 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Porter, C. W., Chiu, T. H., Wieckowski, J., and Barnard, E. A., Nature new Biol., 241, 3–7 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Neutra, M., and Leblond, C. P., J. Cell Biol., 30, 137–150 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Bennett, G., Leblond, C. P., and Haddad, A., J. Cell Biol., 60, 258–284 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hughes, R. C., Prog. Biophys. molec. Biol., 26, 189–268 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Barnard, E. A., and Rogers, A. W., Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 144, 584–612 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

PORTER, C., BERNACKI, R. Ultrastructural evidence for ectoglycosyltransferase systems. Nature 256, 648–650 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/256648a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/256648a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing