Biosynthesis, in calf pancreas microsomes, of three lipid-linked oligosaccharide diphosphates from a synthetic dolichyl diphosphate tetrasaccharide.

Incubation of calf pancreas microsomes with synthetic alpha-D-Manp-(1----6)-beta-D-Manp-(1----4)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1 ----4)-alpha-D- GlcpNAc-PP-Dol and GDP-D-[14C]-mannose gave three major lipid-linked oligosaccharide diphosphates. After release of the phospholipid residue by mild acid hydrolysis, the corresponding [14C]oligosaccharides were analyzed by gel-filtration, liquid chromatography, degradation by endo-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidases D and H, by jack bean alpha-D-mannosidase and Aspergillus oryzae (1----2)-alpha-D-mannosidase, acetolysis, and binding to concanavalin A-Sepharose. From the results it could be inferred that the following reaction took place in calf pancreas microsomes: alpha-D-Manp-(1----6)-beta-D-Manp-(1----4)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1 ----4)-alpha-D- GlcpNAc-PP-Dol + GDP-D-Man gave GDP + alpha-D-Manp-(1----3)-[alpha-D-Manp-(1----6)]-beta-D-Manp -(1----4)- beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1----4)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-PP-Dol. The next products to be formed were alpha-D-Manp-(1----2)-alpha-D-Manp-(1----3)-[alpha-D-Manp -(1----6)]-beta-D- Manp-(1----4)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1----4)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-PP-Dol, followed by alpha-D-Manp-(1----2)-alpha-D-Manp-(1----2)-alpha-D-Manp+ ++-(1----3)- [alpha-D-Manp-(1----6)]-beta-D-Manp-(1----4)-beta-D-GlcpNAc- (1----4)-alpha- D-GlcpNAc-PP-Dol. The mannose incorporation was enhanced by Triton X-100 and inhibited by Mn2+, and it occurred in the presence of either Mg2+ or EDTA. It is likely that the mannose donor was GDP-mannose since, under the conditions used, the formation of dolichyl mannosyl phosphate was negligible and the dolichyl heptasaccharide diphosphate accumulated.