Biosynthesis of yeast mannoproteins. Synthesis of mannan outer chain and of dolichol derivatives.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants affected in the structure of mannan outer chain were found to synthesize dolichol diphosphate-linked oligosaccharides identical in size to those of the wild type strain. The mannosyl transferases involved in the synthesis of the outer chain had an absolute requirement for manganese ions and were activated when enzymatic preparations were stored at 2 degrees C, whereas the transferases responsible for the formation of dolichol monophosphate mannose and dolichol diphosphate oligosaccharides were drastically inactivated from the onset of storage and required magnesium or manganese ions, the former being more effective than the latter. Both sets of enzymes could be separated by ion exchange chromatography. In vitro conditions that enhanced the synthesis of dolichol monophosphate mannose did not stimulate the incorporation of mannose residues into the outer chain. It is concluded that dolichol monophosphate mannose is not an intermediate in the synthesis of the outer chain and that this part of mannan and the dolichol diphosphate oligosaccharides are synthesized by different mannosyltransferases.