A glycogenin homolog controls Toxoplasma gondii growth via glycosylation of an E3 ubiquitin ligase

ABSTRACTSkp1, a subunit of E3 Skp1/Cullin-1/F-box protein ubiquitin ligases, is uniquely modified in protists by an O2-dependent prolyl hydroxylase that generates the attachment site for a defined pentasaccharide. Previous studies demonstrated the importance of the core glycan for growth of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii in fibroblasts, but the significance of the non-reducing terminal sugar was unknown. Here, we find that a homolog of glycogenin, an enzyme that can initiate and prime glycogen synthesis in yeast and animals, is required to catalyze the addition of an α-galactose in 3-linkage to the subterminal glucose to complete pentasaccharide assembly in cells. A strong selectivity of the enzyme (Gat1) for Skp1 in extracts is consistent with other evidence that Skp1 is the sole target of the glycosyltransferase pathway. gat1-disruption results in slow growth attesting to the importance of the terminal sugar. Molecular dynamics simulations provide an explanation for this finding and confirm the potential of the full glycan to control Skp1 organization as in the amoebozoan Dictyostelium despite the different terminal disaccharide assembled by different glycosyltransferases. Though Gat1 also exhibits low α-glucosyltransferase activity like glycogenin, autoglycosylation is not detected and gat1-disruption reveals no effect on starch accumulation. A crystal structure of the ortholog from the crop pathogen Pythium ultimum explains the distinct substrate preference and regiospecificity relative to glycogenin. A phylogenetic analysis suggests that Gat1 is related to the evolutionary progenitor of glycogenin, and acquired a role in glycogen formation following the ancestral disappearance of the underlying Skp1 glycosyltransferase prior to amoebozoan emergence.

Ethanolic Extract ofButea monospermaLeaves Elevate Blood Insulin Level in Type 2 Diabetic Rats, Stimulate Insulin Secretion in Isolated Rat Islets, and Enhance Hepatic Glycogen Formation

We measured a vast range of parameters, in an attempt to further elucidate previously claimed antihyperglycemic activity ofButea monosperma. Our study clearly negates the possibility of antidiabetic activity by inhibited gastrointestinal enzyme action or by reduced glucose absorption. Reduction of fasting and postprandial glucose level was reconfirmed (P<0.05). Improved serum lipid profile via reduced low density lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), and increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) was also reestablished (P<0.05). Significant insulin secretagogue activity ofB. monospermawas found in serum insulin assay ofB. monospermatreated type 2 diabetic rats (P<0.01). This was further ascertained by our study on insulin secretion on isolated rat islets (P<0.05). Improved sensitivity of glucose was shown by the significant increase in hepatic glycogen deposition (P<0.05). Hence, we concluded that antihyperglycemic activity ofB. monospermawas mediated by enhanced insulin secretion and enhanced glycogen formation in the liver.

Hepatic autoregulation: response of glucose production and gluconeogenesis to increased glycogenolysis

The effect of increased glycogenolysis, simulated by galactose's conversion to glucose, on the contribution of gluconeogenesis (GNG) to hepatic glucose production (GP) was determined. The conversion of galactose to glucose is by the same pathway as glycogen's conversion to glucose, i.e., glucose 1-phosphate → glucose 6-phosphate → glucose. Healthy men ( n = 7) were fasted for 44 h. At 40 h, hepatic glycogen stores were depleted. GNG then contributed ∼90% to a GP of ∼8 μmol·kg−1·min−1. Galactose, 9 g/h, was infused over the next 4 h. The contribution of GNG to GP declined from ∼90% to 65%, i.e., by ∼2 μmol·kg−1·min−1. The rate of galactose conversion to blood glucose, measured by labeling the infused galactose with [1-2H]galactose ( n = 4), was also ∼2 μmol·kg−1·min−1. The 41st h GP rose by ∼1.5 μmol·kg−1·min−1 and then returned to ∼9 μmol·kg−1·min−1, while plasma glucose concentration increased from ∼4.5 to 5.3 mM, accompanied by a rise in plasma insulin concentration. Over 50% of the galactose infused was accounted for in blood glucose and hepatic glycogen formation. Thus an increase in the rate of GP via the glycogenolytic pathway resulted in a concomitant decrease in the rate of GP via GNG. While the compensatory response to the galactose administration was not complete, since GP increased, hepatic autoregulation is operative in healthy humans during prolonged fasting.