Lessons from GNE-deficient embryonic stem cells: sialic acid biosynthesis is involved in proliferation and gene expression

• Published in: Glycobiology (Oxford) Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 107 - 117
• Main Authors: Weidemann, Wenke, Klukas, Christian, Klein, Andreas, Simm, Andreas, Schreiber, Falk, Horstkorte, Rüdiger
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 2010
• Subjects: Alleles; Animals; cell differentiation; Cell Proliferation; Embryonic Stem Cells - cytology; Gene Expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Genotype; Hexosamines - chemistry; Hexosamines - genetics; Mice; N-acetylmannosamine; N-acetylmannosamine kinase; N-Acetylneuraminic Acid - metabolism; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) - chemistry; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Signal Transduction; UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-2- epimerase; UDP; acetylmannosamine kinase; acetylglucosamine-2- epimerase; cell differentiation; acetylmannosamine
• ISSN: 0959-6658; 1460-2423
• DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwp153

Sialic acids are widely expressed as terminal carbohydrates on glycoconjugates of eukaryotic cells. They are involved in a variety of cellular functions, such as cell adhesion or signal recognition. The key enzyme of sialic acid biosynthesis is the bifunctional UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase (GNE), which catalyzes the first two steps of sialic acid biosynthesis in the cytosol. Inactivation of GNE causes early embryonic lethality. In this study, we analyzed wild-type and GNE-deficient embryonic stem cells from mice. We found for the first time that proliferation is directly correlated with GNE-expression and the cellular sialic acid concentration. Furthermore, we identified growth-related genes that are differentially expressed in GNE-deficient embryonic stem cells compared to wild-type embryonic stem cells.