Identification of the plasticity-relevant fucose-α(1-2)-galactose proteome from the mouse olfactory bulb

Abstract

Fucose-α(1-2)-galactose [Fucα(1-2)Gal] sugars have been implicated in the molecular mechanisms that underlie neuronal development, learning, and memory. However, an understanding of their precise roles has been hampered by a lack of information regarding Fucα(1-2)Gal glycoproteins. Here, we report the first proteomic studies of this plasticity-relevant epitope. We identify five classes of putative Fucα(1-2)Gal glycoproteins: cell adhesion molecules, ion channels and solute carriers/transporters, ATP-binding proteins, synaptic vesicle-associated proteins, and mitochondrial proteins. In addition, we show that Fucα(1-2)Gal glycoproteins are enriched in the developing mouse olfactory bulb (OB) and exhibit a distinct spatiotemporal expression that is consistent with the presence of a "glycocode" to help direct olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) axonal pathfinding. We find that expression of Fucα(1-2)Gal sugars in the OB is regulated by the α(1-2)-fucosyltransferase FUT1. FUT1-deficient mice exhibit developmental defects, including fewer and smaller glomeruli and a thinner olfactory nerve layer, suggesting that fucosylation contributes to OB development. Our findings significantly expand the number of Fucα(1-2)Gal glycoproteins and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms by which fucosyl sugars contribute to neuronal processes. © 2009 American Chemical Society.