Sialyltransferase multiplicity

The basis for the multiplicity of the sialyltransferase activities remains to be elucidated. We plan to purify these enzyme species to homogeneity, using isoelectric focusing columns of smaller pH ranges in conjunction with affinity chromatography which has been successfully used to purify the soluble sialyl-transferases from bovine colostrum (57). Possibility exists that the heterogeneity of sialyltransferase activities as observed is due to differences in polypeptide sequences, carbohydrate content, or non-covalent interactions with other membrane components, and these possibilities can be clarified only with highly purified enzyme preparations. 

Enzymatic glycosylation on SP was first reported by Schuster et al. (157) and since then has been used to perform multiple glycosylations. Two examples are reported in Fig. 2.28. The synthesis of oligosaccharides 2.94 and 2.95 related to the sialyl Lewis X antigen was carried out via glycosylations mediated by P-l,4-galactosyltransferase and a-2,3-sialyltransferase (171) and by p-l,4-galactosyltransferase, a-2,3-sialyl-transferase, and fucosyltransferase (172), respectively. The use of unprotected saccha-... 

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