Detailed acceptor specificities of human alpha1,3-fucosyltransferases, Fuc-TVII and Fuc-TVI.

To clarify the acceptor specificity of Fuc-TVII, its activity toward various analogs of a 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl alpha2,3-sialyl lacto-N-neotetraose, an acceptor for both Fuc-TVII and Fuc-TVI, was examined in comparison with that of Fuc-TVI. Fuc-TVII required three portions of alpha2,3-sialylated type-2 oligosaccharide structures (i.e., the hydroxyl group at C-4 of Gal, the hydroxyl group at C-3 of GlcNAc, and the carbonylamino group at C-2 of GlcNAc) for its acceptor recognition. Fuc-TVI required the carbonylamino group at C-2 of GlcNAc for its acceptor recognition. Fuc-TVII showed higher affinity toward two analogs, in which the hydroxyl group at C-6 of GlcNAc has been deoxygenated and the acetamide group of N-acetylneuraminic acid has been replaced with a glycolylamino group, respectively, than that toward the original compound. On the other hand, Fuc-TVI showed higher affinity toward an analog, in which the acetamide group of GlcNAc has been modified with a lauroylamino group, than that toward the original compound. Analysis involving mass spectrometry confirmed that both Fuc-TVII and Fuc-TVI could fucosylate these three analogs to yield sialyl Lewis x derivatives.