Method of Transferring at Least Two Saccharide Units With a Polyglycosyltransferase, a Polyglycosyltransferase and Gene Encoding a Polyglycosyltransferase

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of transferring at least two saccharide units with a polyglycosyltransferase, a polyglycosyltransferase and a gene encoding such a polyglycosyltransferase.

2. Discussion of the Background

Biosynthesis of Oligosaccharides

Oligosaccharides are polymers of varying number of residues, linkages, and subunits. The basic subunit is a carbohydrate monosaccharide or sugar, such as mannose, glucose, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine, and the like. The number of different possible stereoisomeric oligosaccharide chains is enormous.

Oligosaccharides and polysaccharides play an important role in protein function and activity, by serving as half-life modulators, and, in some instances, by providing structure. Oligosaccharides are critical to the antigenic variability, and hence immune evasion, of Neisseria, especially gonococcus.

Numerous classical techniques for the synthesis of carbohydrates have been developed, but these techniques suffer the difficulty of requiring selective protection and deprotection. Organic synthesis of oligosaccharides is further hampered by the lability of many glycosidic bonds, difficulties in achieving regioselective sugar coupling, and generally low synthetic yields. In short, unlike the experience with peptide synthesis, traditional synthetic organic chemistry cannot provide for quantitative, reliable synthesis of even fairly simple oligosaccharides.

Recent advances in oligosaccharide synthesis have occurred with the isolation of glycosyltransferases from natural sources. These enzymes can be used in vitro to prepare oligosaccharides and polysaccharides (see, e.g., Roth, U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,674). The advantage of biosynthesis with glycosyltransferases is that the glycosidic linkages formed by enzymes are highly stereo and regiospecific. However, each enzyme catalyzes linkage of specific sugar donor residues to other specific acceptor molecules, e.g., an oligosaccharide or lipid. Thus, synthesis of a desired oligosaccharide has required the use of a different glycosyltransferase for each different saccharide unit being transferred.

More specifically, such glycosyltransferases have only provided for the transfer of a single saccharide unit, specific for the glycosyltransferase. For example, a galactosyltransferase would transfer only galactose, a glucosyltransferase would transfer only glucose, an N-acetylglucosaminlytransferase would transfer only N-acetylglucosamine and a sialyl transferase would transfer only sialic acid.

However, the lack of generality of glycosyltransferases makes it necessary to use a different glycosyltransferase for every different sugar donor being transferred. As the usefulness of oligosaccharide compounds expands, the ability to transfer more than one sugar donor would provide a tremendous advantage, by decreasing the number of glycosyltransferases necessary to form necessary glycosidic bonds.

In addition, a glycosyltransferase which transferred at least two different sugar donors would be advantageous in synthesizing two glycosidic bonds of at least a trisaccharide, using the same glycosyltransferase.

A locus involved in the biosynthesis of gonococcal lipooligosaccharide (LOS) has been reported as being cloned from the gonococcal strain F62 (Gotschlich, J. Exp. Med. (1994) 180, 2181-2190). Five genes lgtA, lgtB, lgtC, lgtD and lgtE are reported, and based on deletion experiments, activities are postulated, as encoding for glycosyltransferases. Due to the uncertainty caused by the nature of the deletion experiments, the exact activity of the proteins encoded by each of the genes was not ascertained and some of the genes are only suggested as being responsible for one or another activity, in the alternative. The gene lgtA is suggested as most likely to code for a GlcNAc transferase.

The transfer of more than one different saccharide moiety, by a polyglycosyltransferase has heretofore been unreported.

The present invention is directed to a method of transferring at least two saccharide units with a polyglycosyltransferase, a polyglycosyltransferase and nucleic acids encoding a polyglycosyltransferase.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention is directed to a method of transferring at least two saccharide units with a polyglycosyltransferase.

Accordingly, another aspect of the invention is directed to a method of transferring at least two saccharide units with a polyglycosyltransferase, which transfers both GlcNAc and GalNAc from the corresponding sugar nucleotides to a sugar acceptor.

According to another aspect of the invention, a polyglycosyltransferase is obtained from a bacteria of the genus Neisseria, Escherichia or Pseudomonas.

According aspect of the invention, is directed to a method of making at least two oligosaccharide compounds, from the same acceptor, with a polyglycosyltransferase.

Another, another aspect of the invention is directed to a method of making at least two oligosaccharide compounds from the same acceptor with a polyglycosyltransferase which transfers both GlcNAc and GalNAc, from the corresponding sugar nucleotides, to the sugar acceptor.

Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method of transferring an N-acetylgalactosamine using a glycosyltransferase of SEQ ID NO: 8.

In specific embodiments, the invention relates to a nucleic acid that has a nucleotide sequence which encodes for the polypeptide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8.

The functionally active polyglycosyltransferase of the invention is characterized by catalyzing both the addition of GalNAc .beta.1.fwdarw.3 to Gal and the addition of GlcNAc .beta.1.fwdarw.3 to Gal.

FIG. 1: provides the amino acid sequence of a polyglycosyltransferase of SEQ ID NO: 3.

FIGS. 2A -2H: provides the polynucleotide sequence of a LOS encoding gene isolated from N. gonorrhoeae (SEQ ID NO:1), of which nucleotides 445-1488 encode for a polyglycosyltransferase.

As disclosed above, the present invention provides for a method of transferring at least two saccharide units with a polyglycosyltransferase, a gene encoding for a polyglycosyltransferase, and a polyglycosyltransferase. The polyglycosyltransferases of the invention can be used for in vitro biosynthesis of various oligosaccharides, such as the core oligosaccharide of the human blood group antigens, i.e., lacto-N-neotetraose.

Cloning and expression of a polyglycosyltransferase of the invention can be accomplished using standard techniques, as disclosed herein. Such a polyglycosyltransferase is useful for biosynthesis of oligosaccharides in vitro, or alternatively genes encoding such a polyglycosyltransferase can be transfected into cells, e.g., yeast cells or eukaryotic cells, to provide for alternative glycosylation of proteins and lipids.

The instant invention is based, in part, on the discovery that a polyglycosyltransferase isolated from Neisseria gonorrhoeae is capable of transferring both GlcNAc .beta.1-3 to Gal and GalNAc .beta.1-3 to Gal, from the corresponding sugar nucleotides.

An operon encoding fire proteins having glycosyltransferase activity, is reported by Gotschlich, U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,553, by cloning of a locus involved in the biosynthesis of gonococcal LOS, strain F62. The protein sequence identified herein as SEQ ID NO: 8, a 348 amino acid protein, has now been discovered to have a polyglycosyltransferase activity. More specifically, the protein sequence identified as SEQ ID NO: 8 has been discovered to transfer both GlcNAc .beta.1-3 to Gal and GalNAc .beta.1-3 to Gal, from the corresponding sugar nucleotides.

In addition to the protein sequence SEQ ID NO: 8 the nucleotide sequence encoding this protein sequence reported in U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,553, a new polyglycosyltransferase has been discovered which transfers two different sugar units. This protein is similar to the protein of SEQ ID: 8, with the deletion of one or two of the five glycine units occurring between amino acid nos 86-90 of lgtA. In addition, it has been determined that an additional amino acid sequence -Tyr-Ser-Arg-Asp-Ser-Ser (SEQ ID NO: 7), can be appended to the carboxy terminus of Ile (amino acid no 348) of SEQ ID NO: 3, while retaining the polyglycosyltransferase activity.

A polynucleotide sequence encoding for a polyglycosyltransferase is similar to the sequence of nucleotides 445 to 1488 of an LOS isolated from N. gonorrhoeae (see FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:1) in which three or six of the guanine units occuring between nucleic acids 700 to 715 have been deleted.

Another polynucleotide sequence is similar to the sequence of nucleotides 445 to 1488 of an LOS isolated from N. gonorrhoeae (see FIG. 2), in which nucleic acids sufficient to encode the amino acid sequence -Tyr-Ser-Arg-Asp-Ser-Ser (SEQ ID NO:7), can be appended to nucleic acid 1488 and the protein encoded by the nucleotide sequence (nucleotides 445 to 1488 and the appended sequence) retains polyglycosyltransferase activity.

Abbreviations used throughout this specification include: Lipopolysaccharide, LPS; Lipooligosaccharide, LOS; N-Acetyl-neuraminic acid cytidine mono phosphate, CMP-NANA; wild type, wt; Gal, galactose; Glc, glucose; NAc, N-acetyl (e.g., GalNAc or GlcNAc).

Any Neisseria bacterial cell can potentially serve as the nucleic acid source for the molecular cloning of a polyglycosyltransferase gene. In a specific embodiment, infra, the genes are isolated from Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The DNA may be obtained by standard procedures known in the art from cloned DNA (e.g., a DNA "library"), by chemical synthesis, by cDNA cloning, or by the cloning of genomic DNA, or fragments thereof, purified from the desired cell (See, for example, Sambrook et al., 1989, supra; Glover, D. M. (ed.), 1985, DNA Cloning: A Practical Approach, MRL Press, Ltd., Oxford, U.K. Vol. 1, II). For example, a N. gonorrhoeae genomic DNA can be digested with a restriction endonuclease or endonucleases, e.g., Sau3A, into a phage vector digested with a restriction endonuclease or endonucleases, e.g., BamHI/EcoRI, for creation of a phage genomic library. Whatever the source, the gene should be molecularly cloned into a suitable vector for propagation of the gene.

In the molecular cloning of the gene from genomic DNA, DNA fragments are generated, some of which will encode the desired gene. The DNA may be cleaved at specific sites using various restriction enzymes. Alternatively, one may use DNAse in the presence of manganese to fragment the DNA, or the DNA can be physically sheared, as for example, by sonication. The linear DNA fragments can then be separated according to size by standard techniques, including but not limited to, agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and column chromatography.

Once the DNA fragments are generated, identification of the specific DNA fragment containing the desired polyglycosyltransferase gene may be accomplished in a number of ways. For example, the generated DNA fragments may be screened by nucleic acid hybridization to the labeled probe synthesized with a sequence as disclosed herein (Benton and Davis, 1977, Science 196:180; Grunstein and Hogness, 1975, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 72:3961). Those DNA fragments with substantial homology to the probe will hybridize.

Suitable probes can be generated by PCR using random primers. In particular a probe which will hybridize to the polynucleotide sequence encoding for a four or five glycine residue (i.e., a twelve or fifteen guanine residue) would be a suitable probe for a polyglycosyltransferase.

The presence of the polyglycosyltransferase gene may be detected by assays on the physical, chemical, or immunological properties of its expressed product. For example, these assays may screen for DNA clones that produce a protein that, e.g., has similar or identical electrophoretic migration, isoelectric focusing behavior, proteolytic digestion maps, and proteolytic activity, or functional properties, such as polyglycosyltransferase activity, the ability of a polyglycosyltransferase protein to mediate transfer of two different saccharide units to an acceptor molecule.

Alternatives to isolating a polyglycosyltransferase genomic DNA include, but are not limited to, chemically synthesizing the gene sequence itself from a known sequence that encodes a polyglycosyltransferase. In another embodiment, DNA for a polyglycosyltransferase gene can be isolated by PCR using oligonucleotide primers designed from the nucleotide sequences disclosed herein. Other methods are possible and within the scope of the invention.

The identified and isolated gene can then be inserted into an appropriate cloning vector. A large number of vector-host systems known in the art may be used. Possible vectors include, but are not limited to, plasmids or modified viruses, but the vector system must be compatible with the host cell used. In a specific aspect of the invention, the polyglycosyltransferase coding sequence is inserted in an E. coli cloning vector. Other examples of vectors include, but are not limited to, bacteriophages such as lambda derivatives, or plasmids such as pBR322 derivatives or pUC plasmid derivatives, e.g., pGEX vectors, pmal-c, pFLAG, etc. The insertion into a cloning vector can, for example, be accomplished by ligating the DNA fragment into a cloning vector which has complementary cohesive termini. However, if the complementary restriction sites used to fragment the DNA are not present in the cloning vector, the ends of the DNA molecules may be enzymatically modified. Alternatively, any site desired may be produced by ligating nucleotide sequences (linkers) onto the DNA termini; these ligated linkers may comprise specific chemically synthesized oligonucleotides encoding restriction endonuclease recognition sequences. In a specific embodiment, PCR primers containing such linker sites can be used to amplify the DNA for cloning. Recombinant molecules can be introduced into host cells via transformation, transfection, infection, electroporation, etc., so that many copies of the gene sequence are generated.

Transformation of host cells with recombinant DNA molecules that incorporate the isolated polyglycosyltransferase gene or synthesized DNA sequence enables generation of multiple copies of the gene. Thus, the gene may be obtained in large quantities by growing transformants, isolating the recombinant DNA molecules from the transformants and, when necessary, retrieving the inserted gene from the isolated recombinant DNA.

The present invention also relates to vectors containing genes encoding truncated forms of the enzyme (fragments) and derivatives of polyglycosyltransferases that have the same functional activity as a polyglycosyltransferase. The production and use of fragments and derivatives related to polyglycosyltransferases are within the scope of the present invention. In a specific embodiment, the fragment or derivative is functionally active, i.e., capable of mediating transfer of two different sugar donors to acceptor moieties.

Truncated fragments of the polyglycosyltransferases can be prepared by eliminating N-terminal, C-terminal, or internal regions of the protein that are not required for functional activity. Usually, such portions that are eliminated will include only a few, e.g., between 1 and 5, amino acid residues, but larger segments may be removed.

Chimeric molecules, e.g., fusion proteins, containing all or a functionally active portion of a polyglycosyltransferase of the invention joined to another protein are also envisioned. A polyglycosyltransferase fusion protein comprises at least a functionally active portion of a non-glycosyltransferase protein joined via a peptide bond to at least a functionally active portion of a polyglycosyltransferase polypeptide. The non-glycosyltransferase sequences can be amino- or carboxy-terminal to the polyglycosyltransferase sequences. Expression of a fusion protein can result in an enzymatically inactive polyglycosyltransferase fusion protein. A recombinant DNA molecule encoding such a fusion protein comprises a sequence encoding at least a functionally active portion of a non-glycosyltransferase protein joined in-frame to the polyglycosyltransferase coding sequence, and preferably encodes a cleavage site for a specific protease, e.g., thrombin or Factor Xa, preferably at the polyglycosyltransferase-non-glycosyltransferase juncture. In a specific embodiment, the fusion protein may be expressed in Escherichia coli.

In particular, polyglycosyltransferase derivatives can be made by altering encoding nucleic acid sequences by substitutions, additions or deletions that provide for functionally equivalent molecules. Due to the degeneracy of nucleotide coding sequences, other DNA sequences which encode substantially the same amino acid sequence as a polyglycosyltransferase gene may be used in the practice of the present invention. These include but are not limited to nucleotide sequences comprising all or portions of polyglycosyltransferase genes that are altered by the substitution of different codons that encode the same amino acid residue within the sequence, thus producing a silent change. Likewise, the polyglycosyltransferase derivatives of the invention include, but are not limited to, those containing, as a primary amino acid sequence, all or part of the amino acid sequence of a polyglycosyltransferase including altered sequences in which functionally equivalent amino acid residues are substituted for residues within the sequence resulting in a conservative amino acid substitution. For example, one or more amino acid residues within the sequence can be substituted by another amino acid of a similar polarity, which acts as a functional equivalent, resulting in a silent alteration. Substitutes for an amino acid within the sequence may be selected from other members of the class to which the amino acid belongs. For example, the nonpolar (hydrophobic) amino acids include alanine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, proline, phenylalanine, tryptophan and methionine. The polar neutral amino acids include glycine, serine, threonine, cysteine, tyrosine, asparagine, and glutamine. The positively charged (basic) amino acids include arginine, lysine and histidine. The negatively charged (acidic) amino acids include aspartic acid and glutamic acid.

The genes encoding polyglycosyltransferase derivatives and analogs of the invention can be produced by various methods known in the art (e.g., Sambrook et al., 1989, supra). The sequence can be cleaved at appropriate sites with restriction endonuclease(s), followed by further enzymatic modification if desired, isolated, and ligated in vitro. In the production of the gene encoding a derivative or analog of polyglycosyltransferase, care should be taken to ensure that the modified gene remains within the same translational reading frame as the polyglycosyltransferase gene, uninterrupted by translational stop signals, in the gene region where the desired activity is encoded.

Additionally, the polyglycosyltransferase nucleic acid sequence can be mutated in vitro or in vivo, to create and/or destroy translation, initiation, and/or termination sequences, or to create variations in coding regions and/or form new restriction endonuclease sites or destroy preexisting ones, to facilitate further in vitro modification. Any technique for mutagenesis known in the art can be used, including but not limited to, in vitro site-directed mutagenesis (Hutchinson, C., et al., 1978, J. Biol. Chem. 253:6551; Zoller and Smith, 1984, DNA 3:479-488; Oliphant et al., 1986, Gene 44:177; Hutchinson et al., 1986, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83:710), use of TABO linkers (Pharmacia), etc. PCR techniques are preferred for site directed mutagenesis (see Higuchi, 1989, "Using PCR to Engineer DNA", in PCR Technology: Principles and Applications for DNA Amplification, H. Erlich, ed., Stockton Press, Chapter 6, pp. 61-70).

While a polyglycosyltransferase has been isolated from a bacteria of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, polyglycosyltransferases can also be isolated from other bacterial species of Neisseria. Exemplary Neisseria bacterial sources include N. animalis (ATCC 19573), N. canis (ATCC 14687), N. cinerea (ATCC 14685), N. cuniculi (ATCC 14688), N. denitrificans (ATCC 14686), N. elongata (ATCC 25295), N. elongata subsp glycolytica (ATCC 29315), N. elongata subsp. nitroreducens (ATCC 49377), N. flavescens (ATCC 13115), N. gonorrhoeae (ATCC 33084), N. lactamica (ATCC 23970), N. macaca (ATCC 33926), N. meningitidis, N. mucosa (ATCC 19695), N. mucosa subsp. heidelbergensis (ATCC 25998), N. polysaccharea (ATCC 43768), N. sicca (ATCC 29256) and N. subflava (ATCC 49275). Strains assigned American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) accession numbers are available from the ATCC, 1201 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852. In addition polyglycosyltransferases can be isolated from Branhamella catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas cepacia.

The gene coding for a polyglycosyltransferase, or a functionally active fragment or other derivative thereof, can be inserted into an appropriate expression vector, i.e., a vector which contains the necessary elements for the transcription and translation of the inserted protein-coding sequence. An expression vector also preferably includes a replication origin. The necessary transcriptional and translational signals can also be supplied by the native polyglycosyltransferase gene and/or its flanking regions. A variety of host-vector systems may be utilized to express the protein-coding sequence. Preferably, however, a bacterial expression system is used to provide for high level expression of the protein with a higher probability of the native conformation. Potential host-vector systems include but are not limited to mammalian cell systems infected with virus (e.g., vaccinia virus, adenovirus, etc.); insect cell systems infected with virus (e.g., baculovirus); microorganisms such as yeast containing yeast vectors, or bacteria transformed with bacteriophage, DNA, plasmid DNA, or cosmid DNA. The expression elements of vectors vary in their strengths and specificities. Depending on the host-vector system utilized, any one of a number of suitable transcription and translation elements may be used.

Preferably, the periplasmic form of the polyglycosyltransferase (containing a signal sequence) is produced for export of the protein to the Escherichia coli periplasm or in an expression system based on Bacillus subtilis.

Any of the methods previously described for the insertion of DNA fragments into a vector may be used to construct expression vectors containing a chimeric gene consisting of appropriate transcriptional/translational control signals and the protein coding sequences. These methods may include in vitro recombinant DNA and synthetic techniques and in vivo recombinants (genetic recombination).

Expression of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polyglycosyltransferase or peptide fragment may be regulated by a second nucleic acid sequence so that the polyglycosyltransferase or peptide is expressed in a host transformed with the recombinant DNA molecule. For example, expression of a polyglycosyltransferase may be controlled by any promoter/enhancer element known in the art, but these regulatory elements must be functional in the host selected for expression. For expression in bacteria, bacterial promoters are required. Eukaryotic viral or eukaryotic promoters, including tissue specific promoters, are preferred when a vector containing a polyglycosyltransferase gene is injected directly into a subject for transient expression, resulting in heterologous protection against bacterial infection, as described in detail below. Promoters which may be used to control polyglycosyltransferase gene expression include, but are not limited to, the SV40 early promoter region (Benoist and Chambon, 1981, Nature 290:304-310), the promoter contained in the 3' long terminal repeat of Rous sarcoma virus (Yamamoto, et al., 1980, Cell 22:787-797), the herpes thymidine kinase promoter (Wagner et al., 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78:1441-1445), the regulatory sequences of the metallothionein gene (Brinster et al., 1982, Nature 296:39-42); prokaryotic expression vectors such as the O-lactamase promoter (Villa-Kamaroff, et al., 1978, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75:3727-3731), or the tac promoter (DeBoer, et al., 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80:21-25); see also "Useful proteins from recombinant bacteria" in Scientific American, 1980, 242:74-94; and the like.

Expression vectors containing polyglycosyltransferase gene inserts can be identified by four general approaches: (a) PCR amplification of the desired plasmid DNA or specific mRNA, (b) nucleic acid hybridization, (c) presence or absence of "marker" gene functions, and (d) expression of inserted sequences. In the first approach, the nucleic acids can be amplified by PCR with incorporation of radionucleotides or stained with ethidium bromide to provide for detection of the amplified product. In the second approach, the presence of a foreign gene inserted in an expression vector can be detected by nucleic acid hybridization using probes comprising sequences that are homologous to an inserted polyglycosyltransferase gene. In the third approach, the recombinant vector/host system can be identified and selected based upon the presence or absence of certain "marker" gene functions (e.g., .beta.-galactosidase activity, PhoA activity, thymidine kinase activity, resistance to antibiotics, transformation phenotype, occlusion body formation in baculovirus, etc.) caused by the insertion of foreign genes in the vector. If the polyglycosyltransferase gene is inserted within the marker gene sequence of the vector, recombinants containing the polyglycosyltransferase insert can be identified by the absence of the marker gene function. In the fourth approach, recombinant expression vectors can be identified by assaying for the activity of the polyglycosyltransferase gene product expressed by the recombinant. Such assays can be based, for example, on the physical or functional properties of the polyglycosyltransferase gene product in in vitro assay systems, e.g., polyglycosyltransferase activity. Once a suitable host system and growth conditions are established, recombinant expression vectors can be propagated and prepared in quantity.

Biosynthesis of Oligosaccharides

The polyglycosyltransferases of the present invention can be used in the biosynthesis of oligosaccharides. The polyglycosyltransferases of the invention are capable of stereospecific conjugation of two specific activated saccharide units to specific acceptor molecules. Such activated saccharides generally consist of uridine or guanosine diphosphate and cytidine monophosphate derivatives of the saccharides, in which the nucleoside mono- and diphosphate serves as a leaving group. Thus, the activated saccharide may be a saccharide-UDP, a saccharide-GDP, or a saccharide-CMP. In specific embodiments, the activated saccharide is UDP-GlcNAC, UDP-GalNAc, or UDP-Gal.

Within the context of the claimed invention, two different saccharide units means saccharides which differ in structure and/or stereochemistry at a position other than C.sub.1 and accordingly the pyranose and furanose of the same carbon backbone are considered to be the same saccharide unit, while glucose and galactose (i.e. C.sub.4 isomers) are considered different.

A glycosyltransferase typically has a catalytic activity of from about 1 to 250 turnovers/sec in order to be considered to possess a specific glycosyltransferase activity. Accordingly, each individual glycosyltransferase activity of the polyglycosyltransferase of the present invention is within the range of from 1 to 250 turnovers/sec, preferably from 5 to 100 turnovers/sec, more preferably from 10 to 30 turnovers/sec.

In addition to absolute glycosyltransferase activity, the polyglycosyltransferases used according to the methods of the invention catalyze a glycidic linkage having a relative activity of from 0.1 to 10 times, preferably from 0.2 to 5 times, more preferably from 0.5 to 2 times and most preferably from 0.8 to 1.5 times, the rate of any one of the other glycosyltransferase activity identified for that particular glycosyltransferase activity identified for that particular glycosyltransferase.

The term "acceptor moiety" as used herein refers to the molecules to which the polyglycosyltransferase transfers activated sugars.

For the synthesis of an oligosaccharide, a polyglycosyltransferase is contacted with an appropriate activated saccharide and an appropriate acceptor moiety under conditions effective to transfer and covalently bond the saccharide to the acceptor molecule. Conditions of time, temperature, and pH appropriate and optimal for a particular saccharine unit transfer can be determined through routine testing; generally, physiological conditions will be acceptable. Certain co-reagents may also be desirable; for example, it may be more effective to contact the polyglycosyltransferase with the activated saccharide and the acceptor moiety in the presence of a divalent cation.

According to the invention, the polyglycosyltransferase enzymes can be covalently or non-covalently immobilized on a solid phase support such as SEPHADEX, SEPHAROSE, or poly(acrylamide-co-N-acryloxysucciimide) (PAN) resin. A specific reaction can be performed in an isolated reaction solution, with facile separation of the solid phase enzyme from the reaction products. Immobilization of the enzyme also allows for a continuous biosynthetic stream, with the specific polyglycosyltransferases attached to a solid support, with the supports arranged randomly or in distinct zones in the specified order in a column, with passage of the reaction solution through the column and elution of the desired oligosaccharide at the end. An efficient method for attaching the polyglycosyltransferase to a solid support and using such immobilized polyglycosyltransferases is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,674, issued Jan. 19, 1993 to Roth, which is specifically incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

An oligosaccharide, e.g., a disaccharide, prepared using a polyglycosyltransferase of the present invention, can serve as an acceptor moiety for further synthesis, either using other polyglycosyltransferases of the invention, or glycosyltransferases known in the art (see, e.g., Roth, U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,674).

Alternatively, the polyglycosyltransferases of the present invention can be used to prepare GalNAc.beta.1-3-Gal.beta.1-4-GlcNAc.beta.-3-Gal.beta.1-4-Glc or GalNAc.beta.1-3-Gal.beta.1-4-GlcNAc.beta.1-3-Gal.beta.1from lactose or lactosamine respectively, in which a polyglycosyltransferase is used to synthesize both the GlcNAc .beta.1-3-Gal and GalNAc .beta.1-3 Gal linkages.

Accordingly, a method for preparing an oligosaccharide having the structure GalNAc.beta.1-3-Gal.beta.1-4-GlcNAc.beta.1-3-Gal.beta.1-4-Glc comprises sequentially performing the steps of:

a) contacting a reaction mixture comprising an activated GlcNAc (such as UDP-GlcNAc) to lactose with a polyglycosyltransferase having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3, or a functionally active fragment thereof;

b) contacting a reaction mixture comprising an activated Gal (i.e UDP-Gal) to the acceptor moiety comprising a GlcNAc.beta.1-3-Gal.beta.1-4-Glc residue in the presence of a .beta.1-4-galactosyltransferase; and

c) contacting a reaction mixture comprising an activated GalNAc (i.e UDP-GalNAc) to the acceptor moiety comprising a Gal.beta.1-4-GlcNAc.beta.1-3-Gal.beta.1-4-Glc residue in the presence of the polyglycosyltransferase of step a). A suitable .beta.1-4 galactosyltransferase can be isolated from bovine milk.

Oligosaccharide synthesis using a polyglycosyltransferase is generally conducted at a temperature of from 15 to 38.degree. C., preferably from 20 to 25.degree. C. While enzymatic activity is comparable at 25.degree. C. and 37.degree. C., the polyglycosyltransferase stability is greater at 25.degree. C.

In a preferred embodiment the polyglycosyltransferase activity is observed in the absence of .alpha.-lactalbumin.

In a preferred embodiment the polyglycosyltransferase activity is observed at the same pH, more preferably at pH 6.5 to 7.5.

In a preferred embodiment polyglycosyltransferase activity is observed at the same temperature.

Other features of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following descriptions of exemplary embodiments which are given for illustration of the invention and are not intended to be limiting thereof.

Synthesis of GalNAc.beta.1-3-Gal.beta.1-4-GlcNAc.beta.1-3-Gal.beta.1-4-Glc

Lactose was contacted with UDP-N-acetylglucosamine and a .beta.-galactoside .beta.1-3 N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase of SEQ ID NO: 3, in a 0.5 M HEPES buffered aqueous solution at 25.degree. C. The product trisaccharide was then contacted with UDP-Gal and a .beta.-N-acetylglucosaminoside .beta.1-4 Galactosyltransferase isolated from bovine milk, in a 0.05 M HEPES buffered aqueous solution at 37.degree. C. The product tetrasaccharide was then contacted with UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine and a .beta.-galactoside .beta.1-3 N-acetylgalactosaminyl transferase of SEQ ID NO: 3, in a 0.05 M HEPES buffered aqueous solution at 25.degree. C. The title pentasaccharide was isolated by conventional methods.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described therein.