Partitioning of chromatids during mitosis requires that chromosome compaction and spindle length scale appropriately with each other. However, it is not clear whether chromosome condensation and spindle elongation are linked. Here, we find that yeast cells could cope with a 45% increase in the length of their longest chromosome arm by increasing its condensation. The spindle midzone, aurora/Ipl1 activity, and Ser10 of histone H3 mediated this response. Thus, the anaphase spindle may function as a ruler to adapt the condensation of chromatids, promoting their segregation regardless of chromosome or spindle length.

Background: Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae N-glycosyltransferase is a cytoplasmic glycosyltransferase catalyzing N-glycosylation of polypeptides. Results: In depth analysis of a reconstituted A. pleuropneumoniae glycosylation system in Escherichia coli showed a surprisingly relaxed peptide substrate specificity of N-glycosyltransferase. Conclusion: N-Glycosyltransferase constitutes a general glycosylation system with a preference for autotransporters. Significance: Our study could provide the basis for a novel route for the engineering of N-glycoproteins in bacteria.

Akkermansia muciniphila is a mucin-degrading bacterium commonly found in the human gut that promotes a beneficial effect on health, likely based on the regulation of mucus thickness and gut barrier integrity, but also on the modulation of the immune system. In this work, we focus in OgpA from A. muciniphila, an O-glycopeptidase that exclusively hydrolyzes the peptide bond N-terminal to serine or threonine residues substituted with an O-glycan. We determine the high-resolution X-ray crystal structures of the unliganded form of OgpA, the complex with the glycodrosocin O-glycopeptide substrate and its product, providing a comprehensive set of snapshots of the enzyme along the catalytic cycle. In combination with O-glycopeptide chemistry, enzyme kinetics, and computational methods we unveil the molecular mechanism of O-glycan recognition and specificity for OgpA. The data also contribute to understanding how A. muciniphila processes mucins in the gut, as well as analysis of post-translational O-glycosylation events in proteins.

Background: N-Glycosyltransferases represent a novel class of N-glycosylation-catalyzing enzymes. Results: A quantitative activity assay allowed us to determine substrate specificities of N-glycosyltransferase. Conclusion: N-Glycosyltransferase exhibits a relaxed sugar substrate specificity and a peptide specificity strikingly similar to that of oligosaccharyltransferase. Significance: This study highlights the convergent evolution of two N-glycosylation systems and might lay the basis for a novel route for glycoengineering in bacteria.

A chemoenyzmatic method for direct glycosylation of polypeptides is described. The method consists of two site-specific enzymatic glycosylation steps: introduction of a glucose moiety at the consensus N-glycosylation sequence (NXS/T) in a polypeptide by an N-glycosyltransferase (NGT) and attachment of a complex N-glycan to the glucose primer by an endoglycosidase (ENGase)-catalyzed transglycosylation. Our experiments demonstrated that a relatively small excess of the UDP-Glc (the donor substrate) was sufficient for an effective glucosylation of polypeptides by the NGT, and different high-mannose and complex type N-glycans could be readily transferred to the glucose moiety by ENGases to provide full-size glycopeptides. The usefulness of the chemoenzymatic method was exemplified by an efficient synthesis of a complex glycoform of polypeptide C34, a potent HIV inhibitor derived from HIV-1 gp41. A comparative study indicated that the Glc-peptide was equally efficient as the natural GlcNAc-peptide to serve as an acceptor in the transglycosylation with sugar oxazoline as the donor substrate. Interestingly, the Glc–Asn linked glycopeptide was completely resistant to PNGase F digestion, in contrast to the GlcNAc–Asn linked natural glycopeptide that is an excellent substrate for hydrolysis. In addition, the Glc–Asn linked glycopeptide showed at least 10-fold lower hydrolytic activity toward Endo-M than the natural GlcNAc–Asn linked glycopeptide. The chemoenzymatic glycosylation method described here provides an efficient way to introducing complex N-glycans into polypeptides, for gain of novel properties that could be valuable for drug discovery.

EndoS from Streptococcus pyogenes hydrolyzes the functionally important glycan on the Fc portion of IgG during infections in humans. In mice with IgG mediated immunity against the M1 protein on the bacteria, EndoS is a virulence factor.

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is a mucosal respiratory pathogen causing contagious porcine pleuropneumonia. Pathogenesis studies have demonstrated a major role for the capsule, exotoxins and outer membrane proteins. Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae can also glycosylate proteins, using a cytoplasmic N-linked glycosylating enzyme designated NGT, but its transcriptional arrangement and role in virulence remains unknown. We investigated the NGT locus and demonstrated that the putative transcriptional unit consists of rimO, ngt and a glycosyltransferase termed agt. From this information we used the A. pleuropneumoniae glycosylation locus to decorate an acceptor protein, within Escherichia coli, with a hexose polymer that reacted with an anti-dextran antibody. Mass spectrometry analysis of a truncated protein revealed that this operon could add up to 29 repeat units to the appropriate sequon. We demonstrated the importance of NGT in virulence, by creating deletion mutants and testing them in a novel respiratory cell line adhesion model. This study demonstrates the importance of the NGT glycosylation system for pathogenesis and its potential biotechnological application for glycoengineering.

Background C. pseudotuberculosis is an important animal pathogen that causes substantial economical loss in sheep and goat farming. Zoonotic infections in humans are rare, but when they occur they are often severe and difficult to treat. One of the most studied proteins from this bacterium, the secreted protein CP40 is being developed as a promising vaccine candidate and has been characterized as a serine protease. In this study we have investigated if CP40 is an endoglycosidase rather than a protease.ResultsCP40 does not show any protease activity and contains an EndoS-like family 18 of glycoside hydrolase (chitinase) motif. It hydrolyzes biantennary glycans on both human and ovine IgGs. CP40 is not a general chitinase and cannot hydrolyze bisecting GlcNAc.ConclusionTaken together we present solid evidence for re-annotating CP40 as an EndoS-like endoglycosidase. Redefining the activity of this enzyme will facilitate subsequent studies that could give further insight into immune evasion mechanisms underlying corynebacterial infections in animals and humans.