Scaled-up expression of human alpha 2,6(N)sialyltransferase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Expression of recombinant full length human alpha 2,6(N)sialyltransferase has been scaled-up in S. cerevisiae in a 150-l bioreactor yielding 47 U at a concentration of 0.31 U/l. The protein specific activity as measured in reconstituted yeast lyophilisate was 0.8 mU/mg protein. The recombinant enzyme exhibited similar Michaelis constants as previously determined for the native rat enzyme. By immunoblotting the enzyme was shown to be heterogeneous by size (44-48 kD) and N-glycosylated. We conclude that recombinant alpha 2,6(N)sialyltransferase expressed in S. cerevisiae is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum as a fully active enzyme.