Glucuronidase-catalyzed transglycosylation was examined by using 4-nitrophenyl β-D-glucuronide (D-GlcA-O-pNP) as the glycosyl donor; when pNP 6-O-sulfo-β-D-gluco- and D-galacto-pyranosides were used as the acceptors, a bovine enzyme was found to construct β-D-GlcA-(1â3)-linkages with the 6-O-sulfo-sugars in both a site- and β-selective way.
Glucuronidase-assisted Transglycosylation for the Synthesis of Highly Functional Disaccharides: β-D-Glucuronyl 6-<i>O</i>-Sulfo-β-D-Gluco- and -β-D-Galactopyranosides
The substrate specificity of snail (Helix pomatia and Helix aspersa), limpet (Patella vulgata), and bovine glucuronidases was examined by using p-nitrophenyl glucuronide (GlcA-O-pNP) and p-nitrophenyl 6-O-sulfo--D-glycopyranosides as the glycosyl donor and acceptors, respectively. When the donor was treated with these enzymes in the absence of the acceptors, (1 3) glucuronyl disaccharides were obtained as the major products together with (1 2) isomers as the result of an enzymatic self-transglycosylation reaction. When p-nitrophenyl 6-O-sulfo--D-glucopyranosides (6-O-sulfo-Glc-O-pNP and 6-O-sulfo-Glc-S-pNP) were applied as acceptor substrates, every glucuronidase transferred the GlcA residue to either the O-3 or O-2 position in 6-O-sulfo-Glc to yield a mixture of GlcA (1 3)- and GlcA (1 2)-linked disaccharides in a ratio of 12:1 1:1. On the other hand, when p-nitrophenyl 6-O-sulfo--D-galactopyranosides (6-O-sulfo-Gal-O-pNP and 6-O-sulfo-Gal-S-pNP) were applied, limpet and bovine glucuronidases gave a GlcA (1 3)-linked disaccharide regioselectively, while the snail enzymes showed no reactivity.