Isolation of a cDNA encoding a murine UDPgalactose:beta-D-galactosyl- 1,4-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminide alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase: expression cloning by gene transfer.

We have developed a genetic approach to isolate cloned cDNA sequences that determine expression of cell surface oligosaccharide structures and their cognate glycosyltransferases. A cDNA library was constructed in a mammalian expression vector by using mRNA from a murine cell line known to express a UDPgalactose:beta-D-galactosyl-1,4-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminide alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase [(alpha 1-3)GT; EC 2.4.1.151]. This library was transfected into COS-1 cells, which lack expression of (alpha 1-3)GT. Transfected cells containing functional (alpha 1-3)GT cDNAs were detected and isolated with a lectin that recognizes the surface-expressed glycoconjugate product of the (alpha 1-3)GT enzyme. One cloned (alpha 1-3)GT cDNA was rescued from lectin-positive transfected cells. This cDNA contains a single long open reading frame that predicts a 394-amino-acid protein. No significant primary structure similarities were identified between this protein and other known sequences. However, the protein predicts a type II transmembrane topology similar to two other mammalian glycosyltransferases. This topology places the large COOH-terminal domain within the Golgi lumen; this domain was shown to be catalytically active when expressed in COS-1 cells as a portion of a secreted protein A fusion peptide. Biochemical analysis confirmed that this enzyme catalyzes a transglycosylation reaction between UDP-Gal and Gal(beta 1-4)GlcNAc to form Gal(alpha 1-3)Gal(beta 1-4)GlcNAc. This cloning approach may be generally applicable to the isolation of cDNAs encoding other mammalian glycosyltransferases.