Data mining of sugarcane glycosylation enzymes

• Grant number: 00/07420-5
• Support Opportunities: Genome Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2000
• End date: March 31, 2003
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Plant Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Arruda
• Grantee: Paulo Arruda
• Host Institution: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Higher organisms synthesize glycoprotein containing N-linked glycans attached to certain Asn-X-Ser/Thr tripetides and O-linked glycans attached to Ser, Thr or Hyp (hydroxiproline) residues. These glycoproteins are associated with the membranes of the secretory system, accumulate within specific compartments or are secreted from the cells. Glycosylation is a complex posttranslational event catalyzed by many specific glycosidases and glycosyltransferases. The functions of gIycans on glycoprotein have been studied quite extensively and it seems that they do not have a unique function, but rather impart to the function of the glycoprotein. Although the glycans of plants and mammals have certain common features, they also differ in very fundamental ways. Moreover, much less is known about the glycosylation in plants than in mammals. As plants are emerging as an important system for the production of recombinant proteins intended for therapeutic purposes, plant glycosylation is now receiving more attention. Many proteins which are of great pharmaceutical interest, such as that found in blood plasma, are glycoprotein. The different patterns of protein glycosylation in plants could result in protein inactivation. If it is not the case, prolonged human exposure to large quantities of immunogenic plant glycans can produces sensitization to these plant antigens. Thus, the use of plant as glycoprotein factory for therapeutic uses depends on the knocking out or humanization of the plant glycosylation system. To apply these strategies, a precise knowledge of plant glycoprotein biosynthesis is needed. Due to the possibility of utilization of sugarcane as bioreactor, and to its phylogenetic proximity to maize, one of the most promising vehicles for recombinant protein production, the prospection of sugarcane genes involved in protein glycosylation deserves special attention. Thus, the aim of this project is to prospect the SUCEST Data Bank to find all sequences sharing similarity with the enzymes involved in protein glycosylation. (AU)