Skip to main content
Biochemical Journal logoLink to Biochemical Journal
. 1987 May 15;244(1):123–128. doi: 10.1042/bj2440123

Structural relationships between human erythrocyte sialoglycoproteins beta and gamma and abnormal sialoglycoproteins found in certain rare human erythrocyte variants lacking the Gerbich blood-group antigen(s).

M E Reid 1, D J Anstee 1, M J Tanner 1, K Ridgwell 1, G T Nurse 1
PMCID: PMC1147962  PMID: 2444210

Abstract

The human erythrocyte membrane sialoglycoproteins beta and gamma are important for the maintenance of the discoid shape of the normal erythrocyte. In this paper we show that the human erythrocyte sialoglycoproteins beta and gamma (hereafter called beta and gamma) are structurally related. Rabbit antisera produced against purified beta and beta 1 and rendered specific to the cytoplasmic portion of these proteins also react with the cytoplasmic portion of gamma. Some human anti-Gerbich (Ge) sera react with the extracellular portion of both beta and gamma. This reactivity is shown to be directed towards a common epitope on beta and gamma. However, most anti-Ge sera do not react with beta, but react with an extracellular epitope only present on gamma. All individuals who lack the Ge antigens lack beta and gamma. In some cases abnormal sialoglycoproteins are present in the erythrocytes, and these are shown to be structurally related to beta and gamma. Rabbit antisera raised against the purified abnormal sialoglycoprotein from a Ge-negative erythrocyte type reacted with the cytoplasmic portion of both beta and gamma. Unlike normal beta and gamma, the abnormal sialoglycoproteins found in Ge-negative erythrocytes migrate as a diffuse band on SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. Studies using endoglycosidases suggest that the diffuse nature of these bands results from carbohydrate heterogeneity and that the abnormal sialoglycoproteins contain N-glycosidically linked oligosaccharides with repeating lactosamine units. Such polylactosamine chains are not present on normal beta or gamma.

Full text

PDF
124

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Anstee D. J., Mawby W. J., Tanner M. J. Abnormal blood-group-Ss-active sialoglycoproteins in the membrane of Miltenberger class III, IV and V human erythrocytes. Biochem J. 1979 Nov 1;183(2):193–203. doi: 10.1042/bj1830193. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Anstee D. J., Parsons S. F., Ridgwell K., Tanner M. J., Merry A. H., Thomson E. E., Judson P. A., Johnson P., Bates S., Fraser I. D. Two individuals with elliptocytic red cells apparently lack three minor erythrocyte membrane sialoglycoproteins. Biochem J. 1984 Mar 1;218(2):615–619. doi: 10.1042/bj2180615. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Anstee D. J., Ridgwell K., Tanner M. J., Daniels G. L., Parsons S. F. Individuals lacking the Gerbich blood-group antigen have alterations in the human erythrocyte membrane sialoglycoproteins beta and gamma. Biochem J. 1984 Jul 1;221(1):97–104. doi: 10.1042/bj2210097. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Anstee D. J., Tanner M. J. The distribution of blood-group antigens on butanol extraction of human erythrocyte 'ghosts'. Biochem J. 1974 Mar;138(3):381–386. doi: 10.1042/bj1380381. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. DODGE J. T., MITCHELL C., HANAHAN D. J. The preparation and chemical characteristics of hemoglobin-free ghosts of human erythrocytes. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1963 Jan;100:119–130. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(63)90042-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Dahr W., Beyreuther K., Kordowicz M., Krüger J. N-terminal amino acid sequence of sialoglycoprotein D (glycophorin C) from human erythrocyte membranes. Eur J Biochem. 1982 Jun 15;125(1):57–62. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1982.tb06650.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Daniels G. L., Shaw M. A., Judson P. A., Reid M. E., Anstee D. J., Colpitts P., Cornwall S., Moore B. P., Lee S. A family demonstrating inheritance of the Leach phenotype: a Gerbich-negative phenotype associated with elliptocytosis. Vox Sang. 1986;50(2):117–121. doi: 10.1111/j.1423-0410.1986.tb04860.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Elder J. H., Alexander S. endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase F: endoglycosidase from Flavobacterium meningosepticum that cleaves both high-mannose and complex glycoproteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1982 Aug;79(15):4540–4544. doi: 10.1073/pnas.79.15.4540. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gahmberg C. G., Andersson L. C. Selective radioactive labeling of cell surface sialoglycoproteins by periodate-tritiated borohydride. J Biol Chem. 1977 Aug 25;252(16):5888–5894. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kornfeld R., Kornfeld S. Assembly of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides. Annu Rev Biochem. 1985;54:631–664. doi: 10.1146/annurev.bi.54.070185.003215. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Laemmli U. K. Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature. 1970 Aug 15;227(5259):680–685. doi: 10.1038/227680a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Langone J. J. Applications of immobilized protein A in immunochemical techniques. J Immunol Methods. 1982 Dec 30;55(3):277–296. doi: 10.1016/0022-1759(82)90088-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Mallinson G., Martin P. G., Anstee D. J., Tanner M. J., Merry A. H., Tills D., Sonneborn H. H. Identification and partial characterization of the human erythrocyte membrane component(s) that express the antigens of the LW blood-group system. Biochem J. 1986 Mar 15;234(3):649–652. doi: 10.1042/bj2340649. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Mawby W. J., Anstee D. J., Tanner M. J. Immunochemical evidence for hybrid sialoglycoproteins of human erythrocytes. Nature. 1981 May 14;291(5811):161–162. doi: 10.1038/291161a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Mueller T. J., Li Y. T., Morrison M. Effect of endo-beta-galactosidase on intact human erythrocytes. J Biol Chem. 1979 Sep 10;254(17):8103–8106. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Owens J. W., Mueller T. J., Morrison M. A minor sialoglycoprotein of the human erythrocyte membrane. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1980 Oct 1;204(1):247–254. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(80)90030-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Reid M. E., Shaw M. A., Rowe G., Anstee D. J., Tanner M. J. Abnormal minor human erythrocyte membrane sialoglycoprotein (beta) in association with the rare blood-group antigen Webb (Wb). Biochem J. 1985 Nov 15;232(1):289–291. doi: 10.1042/bj2320289. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Reid M. E. The Gerbich blood group antigens: a review. Med Lab Sci. 1986 Apr;43(2):177–182. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Biochemical Journal are provided here courtesy of The Biochemical Society

RESOURCES