Saposin B is a small, nonenzymatic glycosphingolipid activator protein required for the breakdown of cerebroside sulfates (sulfatides) within the lysosome. The protein can extract target lipids from membranes, forming soluble protein-lipid complexes that are recognized by arylsulfatase A. The crystal structure of human saposin B reveals an unusual shell-like dimer consisting of a monolayer of ␣-helices enclosing a large hydrophobic cavity. Although the secondary structure of saposin B is similar to that of the known monomeric members of the saposin-like superfamily, the helices are repacked into a different tertiary arrangement to form the homodimer. A comparison of the two forms of the saposin B dimer suggests that extraction of target lipids from membranes involves a conformational change that facilitates access to the inner cavity.T he saposins are a group of four structurally related activator proteins that function in conjunction with hydrolase enzymes for the stepwise breakdown of glycosphingolipids within the lysosome (1, 2). These proteins act by modifying the local environment of target lipids, and ''activate'' the breakdown of their substrates by presenting them in a form in which the lipid scissile bonds are accessible to the active sites of the specific enzymes. Presumably, the hydrolases cannot form a catalytic complex with the glycosphingolipids when these are in unmodified membrane bilayers.Each of the four saposins activates one or more lipid exohydrolases. For example, saposin B (also known as the cerebroside sulfate activator, or CS-Act) facilitates the hydrolysis of the sulfate group from cerebroside sulfate by arylsulfatase A, resulting in the formation of galactosylceramide (3). This glycolipid is then catabolized to ceramide by ␤-galactosylceramidase in a reaction activated by saposin C. There seems to be more than one mechanism of activation by the saposins, and this may further depend on the particular target lipid. Thus, saposin B is able to extract and solubilize cerebroside sulfates from membranes, allowing arylsulfatase A to act on the small, diffusible protein-lipid complexes. Saposin B may also have a physiological role in activating the hydrolysis of the ganglioside GM1 to GM2 by lysosomal ␤-galactosidase, and in this case, the activator may act by modifying the local lipid structure at the membrane surface to allow catalysis to proceed (4).The saposins belong to a large and diverse family of small, cysteine-rich proteins that share a common ability to interact with membranes but act in a wide variety of functions. Other members of the ''saposin-like'' superfamily of proteins include the lung surfactant-associated protein B (SP-B), the tumorolytic protein NK-lysin, granulysin, the pore-forming amoebapores, and the membrane-targeting domain of some enzymes (5, 6). The saposin-like proteins are Ϸ80 residues in length and have a characteristic pattern of conserved cysteines ( Fig. 1A; refs. 7 and 8). To date, the three-dimensional modeling of the saposins and other members of the sapo...

Like many lysosomal storage disorders, metachromatic leukodystrophy shows clinical heterogeneity that seems to reflect genetic heterogeneity. One of the known alleles (allele I) is associated with earlier and more severe disease than the other (allele A).

Several complementary DNAs (cDNAs) coding for sphingolipid activator protein-2 (SAP-2) were isolated from a lambda gt-11 human hepatoma library by means of polyclonal antibodies. The nucleotide sequence of the largest cDNA was colinear with the derived amino acid sequence of SAP-2 and with the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA coding for the 70-kilodalton precursor of SAP-1 (SAP precursor cDNA). The coding sequence for mature SAP-2 was located 3' to that coding for SAP-1 in the SAP precursor cDNA. Both SAP-1 and SAP-2 appeared to be derived by proteolytic processing from a common precursor that is coded by a genetic locus on human chromosome 10. Two other domains similar to SAP-1 and SAP-2 were also identified in SAP precursor protein. Each of the four domains was approximately 80 amino acid residues long, had nearly identical placement of cysteine residues, potential glycosylation sites, and proline residues. Each domain also contained internal amino acid sequences capable of forming amphipathic helices separated by helix breakers to give a cylindrical hydrophobic domain that is probably stabilized by disulfide bridges. Protein immunoblotting experiments indicated that SAP precursor protein (70 kilodaltons) as well as immunoreactive SAP-like proteins of intermediate sizes (65, 50, and 31 kilodaltons) are present in most human tissues.

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Saposins are small, heat-stable glycoproteins required for the hydrolysis of sphingolipids by specific lysosomal hydrolases. Saposins A