Isolation and characterization of the two glycosylation isoforms of low molecular weight mannose 6-phosphate receptor from bovine testis. Effect of carbohydrate components on ligand binding.

Low molecular weight mannose 6-phosphate receptor from bovine testis exhibits two isoforms on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with Mr values of 45,000 (MPR-2A) and 41,000 (MPR-2B), respectively. Each isoform was purified to near homogeneity by the sequential application of differential centrifugation and affinity chromatography. The isoforms contain a common polypeptide core, but differ in their carbohydrate content. Treatment with specific endoglycosidases demonstrated that each isoform contains two high mannose and/or hybrid and two complex N-linked oligosaccharide chains. The results obtained from treatment of each isoform with endo-beta-galactosidase and neuraminidases and from lectin affinity chromatography reveal that MPR-2A contains a linear polylactosamine sequence(s) comprised of approximately 5 lactosamine units. A majority of the outer branches of the complex chains associated with MPR-2A are terminated with sialic acid residues. In contrast, MPR-2B lacks a polylactosamine sequence and a majority of the outer branches of the complex chains are terminated with galactose residues. MPR-2A exhibited a lower affinity than MPR-2B for mannose 6-phosphate-containing ligands. Treatment of MPR-2A with endo-beta-galactosidase and/or neuraminidases followed by affinity chromatography revealed that polylactosamine and sialic acid residues impair the ability of MPR-2A to bind ligands.