Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10870557 | FEBS Letters | 2014 | 6 Pages |
Abstract
Humans do not synthesize chitin, yet they produce a number of active and inactive chitinases. One of the active enzymes is chitotriosidase whose serum levels are elevated in a number of diseases such as Gaucher's disease and upon fungal infection. Since the biological role of chitotriosidase in disease pathogenesis is not understood we screened a panel of mammalian GlcNAc-containing glycoconjugates as alternate substrates. LacNAc and LacdiNAc-terminating substrates are hydrolyzed, the latter with a turnover comparable to that of pNP-chitotriose. Glycolipids or glycoproteins with LacNAc and LacdiNAc represent potential chitinase substrates and the subsequent alteration of glycosylation pattern could be a factor in disease pathogenesis.
Keywords
Related Topics
Life Sciences
Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Plant Science
Authors
Tanja Larsen, Yayoi Yoshimura, Bjørn G.R. Voldborg, Giuseppe Cazzamali, Nicolai V. Bovin, Ulrika Westerlind, Monica M. Palcic, Jørgen J. Leisner,