A mutant of Chinese hamster ovary cells with a reduction in levels of dolichyl phosphate available for glycosylation.

F2A8, a glycosylation mutant of Chinese hamster ovary cells, was isolated without prior enrichment or selective procedures by screening colonies for reduced [3H]mannose incorporation into macromolecules. F2A8 cells incubated with [3H]mannose synthesized 70% the amount of labeled GDP-mannose found in parental cells, and the same oligosaccharides attached to lipid and protein as did parental cells, but in reduced amounts. Incorporation of radioactivity from labeled mannose into saccharide-lipids and into total glycopeptides of F2A8 was reduced 7-fold compared to parental cells. In addition, glycosylation of the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein was reduced in F2A8 cells as assessed by a mobility intermediate between normally glycosylated and unglycosylated protein during sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In vitro assays using membrane preparations showed that F2A8 had parental levels of glucosylphosphoryldolichol synthase and of UDP-GlcNAc:dolichyl phosphate:GlcNAc-phosphotransferase when the enzymatic determinations were done in the presence of exogenous dolichyl phosphate. However, 5-fold less glucosylphosphoryldolichol synthase activity was detected in membranes of F2A8 compared to membranes of parental cells in assays relying on endogenous lipid substrate. F2A8 appears to have reduced amounts of dolichyl phosphate available for its glycosylation reactions.