Heparosan-glucuronate 5-epimerase: Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel enzyme

Iduronic acid (IdoA) is a critical component of heparan sulfate in its interaction with functional proteins. Heparosan-N-sulfate-glucuronate 5-epimerase (HNSG-5epi) converts d-glucuronic acid (GlcA) residues in N-sulfated heparosan (NS-heparosan), as an intermediate in heparan sulfate biosynthesis, to IdoA. In the present study, the authors discovered a different 5-epimerase, designated HG-5epi (heparosan-glucuronate 5-epimerase), that is involved in acharan sulfate biosynthesis and possesses novel substrate specificity. A candidate cDNA of HG-5epi was cloned from the cDNA library of Achatina fulica. The cloned cDNA contained a whole coding region that predicts a type II transmembrane protein composed of 601 amino acid residues. The amino acid sequence of HG-5epi is homologous to that of HNSG-5epi. Recombinant HG-5epi was expressed in insect cells and its enzymatic properties characterized. As expected, HG-5epi epimerizes GlcA residues in heparosan, but not in NS-heparosan. Conversion of IdoA to GlcA was also catalyzed by HG-5epi when completely desulfated N-acetylated heparin was used as the substrate, indicating a reversible reaction mechanism. At equilibrium of the epimerization, the proportion of IdoA in the reaction product reached up to 30% of total hexuronic acid. To our knowledge, this is the first report to describe an enzyme that catalyzes the epimerization of non-sulfated heparosan. This new enzyme may be applied to the study of synthetic heparan sulfate-related polysaccharides having certain biological and pharmacological activities. In addition, a new method using anion-exchange HPLC connected to a post-column fluorescent labeling system was developed for analyzing hexuronic acid isomers.