Al,3-fucosyltransferase

DeBose-Boyd, R.A., Nyame, A.K. and Cummings, R.D. (1998) Molecular cloning and characterization of an al,3 fucosyltransferase, CEFT-1 from Caenorhabditis elegans. Glycobiology 8, 905-917. 

A heptaprenylhydroquinone derivative (402) was isolated from an Indian sample of Ircinia fasciculata [341]. Ircinia spinulosa from the Adriatic contained three sulfated 2-prenylhydroquinones (403-405) that are toxic to brine shrimp [342]. An Ircinia sp. from New Caledonia contained a sulfated 2-prenylhydroquinone (406) and a sulfated furanoterpene (407) [343]. An Australian Sarcotragus sp. contained octaprenylhydroquinone sulfate (408) and nonaprenylhydroquinone sulfate (409) as inhibitors of al,3 fucosyltransferase VH [344]. 

After preparation of this review, an abstract by Godde A, Kragl U, Biselli M, Katapodis A, Bowen BR, Ernst B, Wandrey C, was published on the XVIIIth International Carbohydrate Symposium, July 21-26, 1996, Milano, Italy (BP 135, p 390). It reports the large-scale production of 1800 units of a recombinant human al-3 fucosyltransferase (FucT VI, EC. 2.4.1.152) in its soluble form with a CHO cell line in a continuous fermentation process in a fluidized bed reactor (34mUmg 1 in culture supernatant). After partial purification the specific activity yielded 220 mU mg ... 

An associated enzyme, al-3-fucosyltransferase, has also been used in syntheses to provide the Lewis x and sialyl Lewis x structural motifs [65]. Increasing availability of fucosyltransferases via cloning techniques are expected to have a strong influence on oligosaccharide synthesis in the near future. 

Several fucosyltransferases have been isolated and used for in vitro synthesis. The Lewis A al,4-fucosyltransferase transfers unnatural fucose derivatives in from their GDP esters [23]. The enzyme al,3-fucosyltransferase has been used to L-fucosylate the 3-position of the GlcNAc of A-acetyllactosamine and of sialyl a2,3-N-acetyllactosamine [24]. Several acceptor substrates with modifications in the GlcNAc residue could also be... 

G. Formation of the fucosyl al,3-linkage using al,3-fucosyltransferase without regeneration of GDP-Fuc 499... 

DeBose-Boyd, R, Nyame, AK and Cummings, RD (1996) Schistosoma mansoni characterization of an al-3 fucosyltransferase in adult parasites. Exp Parasitol 82 1-10. 

DeBose-Boyd RA, Nyame AK, Jasmer DP, Cummings RD (1998) The ruminant parasite Haemonchus contortus expresses an al,3-fucosyltransferase capable of synthesizing the Lewis x and sialyl Lewis x antigens. Glycoconj J 15 789-98. 

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