Glycosyltransferases for biosynthesis of oligosaccharides, and genes encoding them

摘要

The present invention is directed to nucleic acids encoding glycosyltransferases, the proteins encoded thereby, and to methods for synthesizing oligosaccharides using the glycosyltransferases of the invention. In particular, the present application is directed to identification a glycosyltransferase locus of Neisseria gonorrhoeae containing five open reading frames for five different glycosyltransferases. The functionally active glycosyltransferases of the invention are characterized by catalyzing reactions such as adding Gal β1→4 to GlcNAc or Glc; adding GalNAc or GlcNAc β1→3 to Gal; and adding Gal αl→4 to Gal. The glycosyltransferases of the invention are particularly suited to the synthesis of the oligosaccharides Galβ1→4GlcNAcβ1→3Galβ1→4Glc (a mimic of lacto-N-neotetraose), GalNAcβ1→3Galβ1→4GlcNAcβ1→3Galβ1→4Glcβ1→4 (a mimic ganglioside), and Galα1→4Galβ1→4Glcβ1→4Hep→R (a mimic of the saccharide portion of globo-glycolipids).