Inhibition of N-linked oligosaccharide trimming does not interfere with surface expression of certain integral membrane proteins.

The effects of 1-deoxynojirimycin (dNM) and 1-deoxymannojirimycin (dMM), inhibitors of oligosaccharide trimming glucosidase I and mannosidase I, respectively, on the biosynthesis of vesicular stomatitis virus G protein, influenza virus hemagglutinin, and human class I histocompatibility antigens were investigated. Although the oligosaccharides of these membrane glycoproteins were greatly altered, neither dNM nor dMM interferred with their surface expression, as determined by a variety of assays, including accessibility to proteases and antibodies; neither did these drugs inhibit production of infectious virus particles.