Fungal β-N-acetylhexosaminidases, though hydrolytic enzymes in vivo, are useful tools in the preparation of oligosaccharides of biological interest. The β-N-acetylhexosaminidase from Talaromyces flavus is remarkable in terms of its synthetic potential, broad substrate specificity, and tolerance to substrate modifications. It can be heterologously produced in Pichia pastoris in a high yield. The mutation of the Tyr470 residue to histidine greatly enhances its transglycosylation capability. The aim of this work was to identify the structural requirements of this model β-N-acetylhexosaminidase for its transglycosylation acceptors and formulate a structure-activity relationship study. Enzymatic reactions were performed using an activated glycosyl donor, 4-nitrophenyl N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminide or 4-nitrophenyl N-acetyl-β-d-galactosaminide, and a panel of glycosyl acceptors of varying structural features (N-acetylglucosamine, glucose, N-acetylgalactosamine, galactose, N-acetylmuramic acid, and glucuronic acid). The transglycosylation products were isolated and structurally characterized. The C-2 N-acetamido group in the acceptor molecule was found to be essential for recognition by the enzyme. The presence of the C-2 hydroxyl moiety strongly hindered the normal course of transglycosylation, yielding unique non-reducing disaccharides in a low yield. Moreover, whereas the gluco-configuration at C-4 steered the glycosylation into the β(1-4) position, the galacto-acceptor afforded a β(1-6) glycosidic linkage. The Y470H mutant enzyme was tested with acceptors based on β-glycosides of uronic acid and N-acetylmuramic acid. With the latter acceptor, we were able to isolate and characterize one glycosylation product in a low yield. To our knowledge, this is the first example of enzymatic glycosylation of an N-acetylmuramic acid derivative. In order to explain these findings and predict enzyme behavior, a modeling study was accomplished that correlated with the acquired experimental data.

Department of Chemistry in Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty of Pharmacy Complutense University of Madrid Plaza Ramón y Cajal E 28040 Madrid Spain

Department of Health Care Disciplines and Population Protection Faculty of Biomedical Engineering Czech Technical University Prague Nám Sítná 3105 CZ 27201 Kladno Czech Republic

Department of Organic Chemistry Autonomous University of Madrid Cantoblanco 28049 Madrid Spain

Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Center for Nanobiology and Structural Biology Zámek 136 CZ 37333 Nové Hrady Czech Republic

Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Vídeňská 1083 CZ 14220 Prague 4 Czech Republic

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