Modification of Artificial Oliogosaccharides in Recombinant Escherichia coli Cells

Artificial oligosaccharides were modified using recombinant Escherichia coli cells that overexpress sialidase. Based on the principle of the saccharide primer method by using bacterial cells overexpressing enzymes related to oligosaccharide modification. Problem statement: It is very hard to obtain oligosaccharides, because they have complex and diverse structures with different linkage patterns and monosaccharide components. Approach: It had been known that various oligosaccharides can be synthesized in mammalian cells from saccharide primers. We attempted to modify oligosaccharides by using bacterial cells overexpressing enzymes related to oligosaccharide modification instead of mammalian cells. Results: The glycosphingolipid-like derivative GM3 was absorbed by the cell and desialylated by the expressed sialidase and the desialylated product was then secreted into the medium. The GM3-type oligosaccharides were not detected from the cell fraction of recombinant E. coli cells that overexpress sialidase differently from recombinant E. coli carrying only vector DNA (pET-19b). Conclusion/Recommendations: E. coli as well as mammalian cells may be used as a biocatalyst for oligosaccharide modification and production of artificial functional oligosaccharides.