N-linked oligosaccharides on chondroitin 6-sulfotransferase-1 are required for production of the active enzyme, Golgi localization, and sulfotransferase activity toward keratan sulfate.

We have shown previously that purified chondroitin 6-sulfotransferase-1 (C6ST-1) was a glycoprotein abundant in N-linked oligosaccharides and could sulfate both chondroitin (C6ST activity) and keratan sulfate (KSST activity); however, functional roles of the N-glycans have remained unclear. In the present study, we show essential roles of N-glycans attached to C6ST-1 in the generation of the active enzyme and in its KSST activity. Treatment with tunicamycin of COS-7 cells transfected with C6ST-1 cDNA totally abolished production of the active C6ST-1. A nearly complete removal of N-glycans of the recombinant C6ST-1 by peptide N-glycosidase F increased the C6ST activity but decreased the KSST activity. Among six potential N-glycosylation sites, deletion of the fourth or sixth site from the amino terminus inhibited production of the active C6ST-1, whereas deletion of the fifth site resulted in a marked loss of the KSST activity. Wild-type recombinant C6ST-1 showed a typical Golgi localization, whereas M-4 recombinant C6ST-1, in which the fourth N-glycosylation site was deleted, colocalized with calnexin, an endoplasmic reticulum-resident protein. Unlike wildtype recombinant C6ST-1, M-4 recombinant C6ST-1 showed a weak affinity toward wheat germ agglutinin and was converted completely to the nonglycosylated form by endoglycosidase H. These observations suggest that N-glycan attached to the fourth N-glycosylation site may function in the proper processing of N-glycans required for the Golgi localization, thereby causing the production of the active C6ST-1, and that N-glycan attached to the fifth N-glycosylation site may contribute to the KSST activity of C6ST-1.