Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Preparation of Quality Inositol Pyrophosphates
Published on: September 3, 2011
Characterisation of the enzymatic complex for the first step in glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis
A Tiede1, C Nischan, J Schubert
1Department of Clinical Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Germany.
The mammalian N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase for the first step in glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis has been shown to consist of at least four components: PIG-A, PIG-C, PIG-H and GPI1. Here, the enzymatic complex is further characterised. PIG-A protein, which is thought to represent the catalytic subunit of the complex, was expressed in an epitope-tagged form in the PIG-A deficient JY5 lymphoblastoid cell line. Subcellular localisation of this protein was studied using immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. The protein was localised to both perinuclear and mitochondria-associated lamellae of the endoplasmic reticulum. Using affinity chromatography, epitope-tagged PIG-A protein was partially purified. To identify regions that might be involved in the catalytic process, computer-aided comparison was performed between PIG-A and 26 distantly related glycosyl transferases. A number of residues in the membrane-proximal region of the cytoplasmic domain (230-340) were found highly conserved. Finally, a topological model of the four partners participating in the enzymatic complex is introduced to provide a working model for further structural and functional analysis.
The mammalian N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase for the first step in glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis has been shown to consist of at least four components: PIG-A, PIG-C, PIG-H and GPI1. Here, the enzymatic complex is further characterised. PIG-A protein, which is thought to represent the catalytic subunit of the complex, was expressed in an epitope-tagged form in the PIG-A deficient JY5 lymphoblastoid cell line. Subcellular localisation of this protein was studied using immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. The protein was localised to both perinuclear and mitochondria-associated lamellae of the endoplasmic reticulum. Using affinity chromatography, epitope-tagged PIG-A protein was partially purified. To identify regions that might be involved in the catalytic process, computer-aided comparison was performed between PIG-A and 26 distantly related glycosyl transferases. A number of residues in the membrane-proximal region of the cytoplasmic domain (230-340) were found highly conserved. Finally, a topological model of the four partners participating in the enzymatic complex is introduced to provide a working model for further structural and functional analysis.
More Related Videos
10:52Radiolabeling and Quantification of Cellular Levels of Phosphoinositides by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-coupled Flow Scintillation
Published on: January 6, 2016
08:07Identification of Inositol Phosphate or Phosphoinositide Interacting Proteins by Affinity Chromatography Coupled to Western Blot or Mass Spectrometry
Published on: July 26, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Phosphoinositides and PIPs
Different phosphoinositides are synthesized and recruited on the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane. The localization of specific phosphoinositides concentrated in separate membrane...
Oligosaccharide Assembly
Multiple sugar molecules that may or may...
Glycolysis: Preparatory Phase
GPI Anchoring of Proteins in the ER Membrane
GPI-anchor structure
A sequence of 11 enzymatic reactions results in the synthesis of the complete GPI anchor consisting of a hydrophobic and a hydrophilic portion. The hydrophobic portion comprises phosphatidylinositol, while the hydrophilic part comprises polar groups like phosphoethanolamine,...
IP3/DAG Signaling Pathway
Peptidoglycan Synthesis