Biosynthesis of oligosaccharides in intact Golgi preparations from rat liver. Analysis of N-linked glycans labeled by UDP-[6-3H]N-acetylglucosamine.

During short incubations of a Golgi apparatus-enriched subcellular fraction from rat liver with UDP-[3H]GlcNAc, label is efficiently transferred to endogenous acceptors. Most of the macromolecular radioactivity is specifically released by peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase, indicating that it is mainly associated with N-linked oligosaccharides. The glycoprotein acceptors are resistant to proteases unless detergent is added in amounts greater than the critical micellar concentration. This shows that the acceptors are within the lumen of intact compartments, which have the correct topological orientation expected for the Golgi apparatus in intact cells. Structural characterization of the radiolabeled N-linked oligosaccharides shows a variety of distinct neutral and anionic species. The neutral chains include bi-, tri-, and tetra-antennary molecules with terminal beta-[3H] GlcNAc residues. In vitro sialylation shows that some of the tetra-antennary chains have beta 1,3-linked Gal residues on their unlabeled antennae. An unknown modification appears to block the action of beta-galactosidase on these galactosylated oligosaccharides. Chasing the labeling reaction with a mixtures of UDP-Gal, CMP-Neu5Ac, and adenosine 3'-phosphate,5'-phosphosulfate causes an increase in the percent of radiolabeled anionic oligosaccharides. Most of the negative charge is due to sialic acid (Sia), and some appears to be in phosphodiester-linked [3H]GlcNAc. The sialylated oligosaccharides are a mixture of bi-, tri-, and tetra-antennary species with 1-3-Sia residues, and some of the [3H]GlcNAc residues are directly covered with unlabeled Gal and Sia residues. This in vitro approach should recapitulate reactions that occur in the biosynthesis of N-linked oligosaccharides in the Golgi apparatus of the intact cell. Since the conditions during labeling do not permit inter-compartmental transport, the oligosaccharides produced should represent the biosynthetic capabilities of individual Golgi compartments. Evidence is presented for a functional association of GlcNAc transferases I, II, and alpha-mannosidase II, with separation from GlcNAc transferase IV and/or V. The structures also indicate co-compartmentalization of several GlcNAc transferase(s) with beta-galactosyltransferase(s) and sialyltransferase(s). The compartmental organization of the Golgi apparatus is discussed in light of these findings.