Journal of Lipid Research, Vol 31, 523-533, Copyright © 1990 by Lipid Research, Inc.
Lec9 CHO glycosylation mutants are defective in the synthesis of dolichol
AG Rosenwald and SS Krag
Department of Biochemistry, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205.
Lec9 Chinese hamster ovary cells were found previously to be defective in
the synthesis of N-linked glycans. This appeared to be the result of a
defect in the synthesis of oligosaccharide lipid and lipid phosphate
(Rosenwald, Stanley, and Krag. 1989. Mol. Cell. Biol. 9: 914-924). In this
study we analyzed the steady state levels of long-chain polyisoprenyl
lipids in Lec9 cells. We found that Lec9 cells are defective in the
synthesis of dolichol. They accumulated a presumed precursor to dolichol,
cis-a-unsaturated polyprenol and used this lipid in the synthesis of
oligosaccharide lipid. Chain lengths of the activated polyprenols in Lec9
were the same lengths as dolichols in parental cells. Lec9 cells had
increased levels of monosaccharylphosphoryl lipid and decreased levels of
oligosaccharylpyrophosphoryl lipid compared to parental cells. The defect
in Lec9 cells was specific for dolichol synthesis, since other aspects of
[3H]mevalonate metabolism in Lec9 cells were the same as in parental cells.
We hypothesize that Lec9 cells are defective in polyprenol reductase
activity.