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Biosynthesis of Mucus Glycoproteins

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Mucus in Health and Disease—II

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 144))

Abstract

Mucus in higher organisms is usually defined as the viscous fluid lining the epithelium of the gastro-intestinal, respiratory and genito-urinary tracts. Mucus is a complex mixture containing large glycoproteins (mucins), water, electrolytes, sloughed epithelial cells, enzymes and various other materials, including bacteria and bacterial products depending on the source and location of the mucus. This discussion will be limited to a survey of the biosynthesis of the carbohydrate portion of mucins, the major components of mucus. Mucins are large glycoproteins (molecular weight is usually over 1 × 106> ) containing from 50 to 80% or more by weight of carbohydrate. As will be discussed in more detail below, the carbohydrate is linked to the polypeptide by an O-glycosidic bond between GalNAc and Ser or Thr. Mucins are polydisperse with respect to molecular size and oligosaccharide sequences and chain lengths. Thus structural information on mucin oligosaccharides must be obtained by cleaving the Ser(Thr)-GalNAc bond, usually by alkali-catalyzed β-elimination, and purifying individual oligosaccharides. By analogy, our discussion of biosynthesis will deal with the assembly of a single oligosaccharide at a time.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, and Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5G 1X8, Canada

    Harry Schachter & David Williams

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  1. Harry Schachter
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  2. David Williams
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  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of South Manchester, Manchester, England

    Eric N. Chantler  & Max Elstein  & 

  2. University of Department of Surgery, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, England

    James B. Elder

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© 1982 Plenum Press, New York

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Schachter, H., Williams, D. (1982). Biosynthesis of Mucus Glycoproteins. In: Chantler, E.N., Elder, J.B., Elstein, M. (eds) Mucus in Health and Disease—II. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 144. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9254-9_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9254-9_1

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