Jeon BC, Kim YJ, Park AK, Song MR, Na KM, Lee J, An D, Park Y, Hwang H, Kim TD, Lim J, Park SK.
Dynamic O-GlcNAcylation governs long-range chromatin interactions in V(D)J recombination during early B-cell development.
Cellular & molecular immunology2025
22(1)
39627609
Abstract: V(D)J recombination secures the production of functional immunoglobulin (Ig) genes and antibody diversity during the early stages of B-cell development through long-distance interactions mediated by cis-regulatory elements and trans-acting factors. O-GlcNAcylation is a dynamic and reversible posttranslational modification of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins that regulates various protein functions, including DNA-binding affinity and protein-protein interactions. However, the effects of O-GlcNAcylation on proteins involved in V(D)J recombination remain largely unknown. To elucidate this relationship, we downregulated O-GlcNAcylation in a mouse model by administering an O-GlcNAc inhibitor or restricting the consumption of a regular diet. Interestingly, the inhibition of O-GlcNAcylation in mice severely impaired Ig heavy-chain (IgH) gene rearrangement. We identified several factors crucial for V(D)J recombination, including YY1, CTCF, SMC1, and SMC3, as direct targets of O-GlcNAc modification. Importantly, O-GlcNAcylation regulates the physical interaction between SMC1 and SMC3 and the DNA-binding patterns of YY1 at the IgH gene locus. Moreover, O-GlcNAc inhibition downregulated DDX5 protein expression, affecting the functional association of CTCF with its DNA-binding sites at the IgH locus. Our results showed that locus contraction and long-range interactions throughout the IgH locus are disrupted in a manner dependent on the cellular O-GlcNAc level. In this study, we established that V(D)J recombination relies on the O-GlcNAc status of stage-specific proteins during early B-cell development and identified O-GlcNAc-dependent mechanisms as new regulatory components for the development of a diverse antibody repertoire.
Zhang N, Meng Y, Mao S, Ni H, Huang C, Shen L, Fu K, Lv L, Yu C, Meekrathok P, Kuang C, Chen F, Zhang Y, Yuan K.
FBXO31-mediated ubiquitination of OGT maintains O-GlcNAcylation homeostasis to restrain endometrial malignancy.
Nature communications2025
16(1)
39894887
Abstract: Protein O-GlcNAcylation is a post-translational modification coupled to cellular metabolic plasticity. Aberrant O-GlcNAcylation has been observed in many cancers including endometrial cancer (EC), a common malignancy in women. However, clinical characterization of dysregulated O-GlcNAcylation homeostasis in EC and interrogating its molecular mechanism remain incomplete. Here we report that O-GlcNAcylation level is positively correlated with EC histologic grade in a Chinese cohort containing 219 tumors, validated in The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset. Increasing O-GlcNAcylation in patient-derived endometrial epithelial organoids promotes proliferation and stem-like cell properties, whereas decreasing O-GlcNAcylation limits the growth of endometrial cancer organoids. CRISPR screen and biochemical characterization reveal that tumor suppressor F-box only protein 31 (FBXO31) regulates O-GlcNAcylation homeostasis in EC by ubiquitinating the O-GlcNAc transferase OGT. Downregulation of O-GlcNAcylation impedes EC tumor formation in mouse models. Collectively, our study highlights O-GlcNAcylation as a useful stratification marker and a therapeutic vulnerability for the advanced, poorly differentiated EC cases.
Jaiswal R, Liu Y, Petriello M, Zhang X, Yi Z, Fehl C.
A reference dataset of O-GlcNAc proteins in quadriceps skeletal muscle from mice.
Glycobiology2025
35(3)
39927985
Abstract: A key nutrient sensing process in all animal tissues is the dynamic attachment of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc). Determining the targets and roles of O-GlcNAc glycoproteins has the potential to reveal insights into healthy and diseased metabolic states. In cell studies, thousands of proteins are known to be O-GlcNAcylated, but reference datasets for most tissue types in animals are lacking. Here, we apply a chemoenzymatic labeling study to compile a high coverage dataset of quadriceps skeletal muscle O-GlcNAc glycoproteins from mice. Our dataset contains over 550 proteins, and > 80% of the dataset matched known O-GlcNAc proteins. This dataset was further annotated via bioinformatics, revealing the distribution, protein interactions, and gene ontology (GO) functions of these skeletal muscle proteins. We compared these quadriceps glycoproteins with a high-coverage O-GlcNAc enrichment profile from mouse hearts and describe the key overlap and differences between these tissue types. Quadriceps muscles can be used for biopsies, so we envision this dataset to have potential biomedical relevance in detecting aberrant glycoproteins in metabolic diseases and physiological studies. This new knowledge adds to the growing collection of tissues with high-coverage O-GlcNAc profiles, which we anticipate will further the systems biology of O-GlcNAc mechanisms, functions, and roles in disease.
Jin H, He H, Li J, Liu X, Cai Q, Shi J, Hao Z, He J.
Mannose Inhibits NSCLC Growth and Inflammatory Microenvironment by Regulating Gut Microbiota and Targeting OGT/hnRNP R/JUN/IL-8 Axis.
International journal of biological sciences2025
21(4)
39990658
Abstract: Recent studies have reported direct antitumor effects of mannose, a natural six-carbon monosaccharide, in the treatment of cancer. Herein, we utilized cancer cell lines, animal models, organoids and experimental techniques such as multi-omics and cellular experiments to investigate the regulatory effects of mannose on NSCLC growth and the inflammatory microenvironment. We demonstrated that mannose can inhibit cancer cell growth, inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammatory cytokine expression in NSCLC tissue, and enhance the antitumor efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor both in vitro and in vivo. Orally administered mannose increased the proportion of probiotics in the gut microbiota, the abundance of anti-inflammatory and antitumor metabolites in the blood and feces of NSCLC-bearing mice. In NSCLC cells, mannose reduced JUN mRNA stability and subsequent IL-8 transcription of NSCLC cells by directly targeting OGT to suppress the O-GlcNAc glycosylation of hnRNP R, which bound and stabilized JUN mRNA in an O-GlcNAc glycosylation dependent manner. Taken together, our study demonstrated that mannose can suppress NSCLC by inhibiting tumor growth and the inflammatory microenvironment, and serve as a promising adjunct medication.
Hao Y, Li Z, Du X, Xie Q, Li D, Lei S, Guo Y.
Characterization and chemoproteomic profiling of protein O-GlcNAcylation in SOD1-G93A mouse model.
Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.)2025
31(1)
40021952
Abstract: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating motor neuron disease. Protein O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification has been found to affect the processing of several important proteins implicated in ALS. However, the overall level and cellular localization of O-GlcNAc during ALS progression are incompletely understood, and large-scale profiling of O-GlcNAcylation sites in this context remains unexplored.
Jia L, Zheng H, Feng J, Ding Y, Sun X, Yu Y, Hao X, Wang J, Zhang X, Tian Y, Chen F, Cui J.
Upregulation of protein O-GlcNAcylation levels promotes zebrafish fin regeneration.
Molecular & cellular proteomics : MCP202540044042
Abstract: As one of the most important post-translational modifications, glycosylation participates in various cellular activities in organisms and is closely associated with many pathogeneses. It has been reported that glycosylation affects liver, spinal cord, and heart tissue regeneration. The zebrafish fin has become a valuable model due to its high regenerative capacity. The molecular mechanism of regeneration has been a hot research topic in the field for a long time. However, studies on the influence of glycosylation during limb regeneration in zebrafish are relatively scarce. We discovered that O-GlcNAc expression, identified by WGA, was elevated during the regeneration of the injured fin in zebrafish using lectin microarray. This phenomenon is due to the upregulation of the expression of OGT enzymes and elevated O-GlcNAcylation levels. To investigate the effects on the fin regeneration when O-GlcNAcylation changes, we used OSMI-1 or Alloxan unilateral microinjection to decrease O-GlcNAcylation and observed that it prevented the fin regeneration. Conversely, the O-GlcNAcylation was impressed by a unilateral microinjection of Thiamet-G or Glucose into the fin, leading to a stimulation of the fin regeneration. To further understand the role of O-GlcNAcylation in fin regeneration, LC-MS/MS was performed to identify O-GlcNAc-glycoproteins. The results demonstrated that the O-GlcNAc glycoproteins, such as THBS4 and HSPG, were involved in the regulation of zebrafish fin regeneration process and were closely associated with certain biological processes, such as stem cell differentiation, ECM-receptor interaction pathway, tissue remodeling, etc. We demonstrated that O-GlcNAc glycoproteins are crucial for zebrafish fin regeneration, during which OGT promotes the process by upregulating the O-GlcNAcylation levels in the zebrafish fin.
Le Minh G, Merzy J, Esquea EM, Ahmed NN, Young RG, Sharp RJ, Dhameliya TT, Agana B, Lee MH, Bethard JR, Comte-Walters S, Ball LE, Reginato MJ.
GATAD2B O-GlcNAcylation Regulates Breast Cancer Stem-like Potential and Drug Resistance.
Cells2025
14(6)
40136647
Abstract: The growth of breast tumors is driven and controlled by a subpopulation of cancer cells resembling adult stem cells, which are called cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). In breast cancer, the function and maintenance of CSCs are influenced by protein O-GlcNAcylation and the enzyme responsible for this post-translational modification, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT). However, the mechanism of CSCs regulation by OGT and O-GlcNAc cycling in breast cancer is still unclear. Analysis of the proteome and O-GlcNAcome, revealed GATAD2B, a component of the Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase (NuRD) complex, as a substrate regulated by OGT. Reducing GATAD2B genetically impairs mammosphere formation, decreases expression of self-renewal factors and CSCs population. O-GlcNAcylation of GATAD2B at the C-terminus protects GATAD2B from ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation in breast cancer cells. We identify ITCH as a novel E3 ligase for GATAD2B and show that targeting ITCH genetically increases GATAD2B levels and increases CSCs phenotypes. Lastly, we show that overexpression of wild-type GATAD2B, but not the mutant lacking C-terminal O-GlcNAc sites, promotes mammosphere formation, expression of CSCs factors and drug resistance. Together, we identify a key role of GATAD2B and ITCH in regulating CSCs in breast cancer and GATAD2B O-GlcNAcylation as a mechanism regulating breast cancer stem-like populations and promoting chemoresistance.
Lei C, Chen Z, Hao Y, Huang W, Chu T, Xiao K, Zhang C, Zhou W, Li C, Chen X.
Quantitative and site-specific chemoproteomic profiling of O-GlcNAcylation in Drosophila.
Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry2025
124
40245499
Abstract: Protein O-GlcNAcylation plays a crucial role in Drosophila melanogaster development. Dysregulation of O-GlcNAc transferase (sxc/Ogt) and O-GlcNAcase (Oga) disrupts early embryogenesis and locomotor behavior. It is therefore of great interest to identify and quantitatively analyze O-GlcNAcylation sites in Drosophila. Here, we perform quantitative and site-specific profiling of O-GlcNAcylation in Drosophila by employing a chemoenzymatic labeling strategy. A total of 2196 unambiguous O-GlcNAcylation sites and 1308 O-GlcNAcylated proteins are identified. Quantitative analysis of O-GlcNAcylation in the head of Drosophila with sxc/Ogt knockdown in GABAergic neurons reveals a reduction in O-GlcNAcylation of several proteins involved in muscle development, consistent with the phenotypic defects observed in sxc/Ogt RNAi Drosophila. Furthermore, quantitative analysis of O-GlcNAcylation under a high-sugar diet reveals altered O-GlcNAcylation of several proteins associated with obesity and neurological diseases, such as Hex-A and Ankyrin 2. Our study not only establishes an effective method for large-scale identification of O-GlcNAcylation sites, but also provides a valuable resource for studying O-GlcNAc biology in Drosophila.
Xu S, Yin K, Xu X, Fu L, Wu R.
O-GlcNAcylation reduces proteome solubility and regulates the formation of biomolecular condensates in human cells.
Nature communications2025
16(1)
40307207
Abstract: O-GlcNAcylation plays critical roles in the regulation of protein functions and cellular activities, including protein interactions with other macromolecules. While the formation of biomolecular condensates (or biocondensates) regulated by O-GlcNAcylation in a few individual proteins has been reported, systematic investigation of O-GlcNAcylation on the regulation of biocondensate formation remains to be explored. Here we systematically study the roles of O-GlcNAcylation in regulating protein solubility and its impacts on RNA-protein condensates using mass spectrometry-based chemoproteomics. Unexpectedly, we observe a system-wide decrease in the solubility of proteins modified by O-GlcNAcylation, with glycoproteins involved in focal adhesion and actin binding exhibiting the most significant decrease. Furthermore, O-GlcNAcylation sites located in disordered regions and with fewer acidic and aromatic residues nearby are related to a greater drop in protein solubility. Additionally, we discover that a specific group of O-GlcNAcylation events promotes the dissociation of RNA-protein condensates under heat stress, while some enhance the formation of RNA-protein condensates during the recovery phase. Using site mutagenesis, inhibition of O-GlcNAc transferase, and fluorescence microscopy, we validate that O-GlcNAcylation regulates the formation of biocondensates for YTHDF3 and NUFIP2. This work advances our understanding of the functions of protein O-GlcNAcylation and its roles in the formation of biomolecular condensates.
Li G, Meng F, Zhong X, Yu K, Zhang N, Zhang K, Huang H, Li W, Zhang J, Wang W, Ren Y, Liu Y.
DNA probe pulldown screening uncovers O-GlcNAcylation modulation of transcription factor DNA interactions.
Scientific reports2025
15(1)
40596516
Abstract: O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc), a critical post-translational modification predominantly found in the nucleus, plays a substantial role in regulating gene expression by modulating transcription factors (TFs) activity. However, quantitative analysis investigating the influence of O-GlcNAcylation on protein-DNA interactions at a proteome scale remains undone. Herein, a pulldown screening approach using a consensus TF response element (catTFRE) was employed to unravel the impact of fluctuating levels of O-GlcNAcylation on the DNA binding efficiency of endogenous TFs/co-factors. Utilizing quantitative proteomics, we identified a substantial enhancement in the binding capacity of 241 nuclear proteins (NPs) to DNA sequences due to elevated levels of O-GlcNAcylation, whereas a decrease in DNA binding was observed for 2 NPs concurrently. Intriguingly, the O-GlcNAcylation elevation significantly enhanced the binding of 146 TFs/co-factors to specific DNA sequences. We further established that the O-GlcNAcylation of several Forkhead family TFs, including FOXA1 and FOXC1, notably enhances their binding to specific DNA sequences in living cells. Our research presents an efficacious approach to assessing the impact of O-GlcNAcylation on the interactions between proteins and DNA. This significantly enhances our understanding of the role O-GlcNAcylation plays in the regulation of transcription.
Hou C, Zhang H, Deng J, Wang X, Byers S, Levi M, Pak DTS, Moremen KW, Pei H, Hart GW, Ma J.
Comprehensive Evaluation of Cleavable Bioorthogonal Probes for Site-Specific O-GlcNAc Proteomics.
Molecular & cellular proteomics : MCP2025
24(10)
40885482
Abstract: O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification (i.e., O-GlcNAcylation) on proteins is an essential modification in physiology and pathology. Although O-GlcNAcylation is functionally critical, its analysis has been challenging. Despite the existence of a number of methods developed in the past years, which one(s) might have the best performance is largely unclear. To that end, we conducted a rigorous comparison of several cleavable bioorthogonal biotin-alkyne probes which showed promise for sensitive O-GlcNAc proteomics. In brief, we developed chemoenzymatic labeling/click chemistry-based analytical workflows for O-GlcNAc proteomics by utilizing four cleavable bioorthogonal probes, including photocleavabe-biotin-alkyne (PC-biotin-alkyne), dialkoxydiphenylsilane-biotin-alkyne (DADPS-biotin-alkyne); 1-(4,4-dimethyl-2,6-dioxocyclohex-1-ylidene)ethyl-biotin-alkyne (Dde-biotin-alkyne), and diazobenzene-biotin-alkyne (Diazo-biotin-alkyne). The analytical performance of these probes was evaluated with synthetic O-GlcNAc peptides and then benchmarked by using mouse brain lysates for O-GlcNAc proteomics. Besides providing valuable technical insights into O-GlcNAc proteomics methods, our work yielded an unprecedented O-GlcNAc proteome depth in the mouse brain. In total, 2906 O-GlcNAc sites were unambiguously assigned on 878 proteins. Among them, 1611 sites were newly identified, including 138 O-GlcNAcylated tyrosine residues. Our work will help guide the selection/development of O-GlcNAc proteomics methods for future studies, provide an invaluable resource for functional elucidation of protein O-GlcNAcylation in brain biology, and yield critical insights into tyrosine O-GlcNAcylation.
Oh SC, Jeon BC, Jang IH, Song MR, Hwang H, An D, Yue L, Jung Y, Lee Y, Jo S, Park SK, Kim TD.
Genetic manipulation of OGT enhances NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity in tumor immunity.
Journal of advanced research202540914422
Abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells are essential effectors in immune surveillance and cancer immunotherapy, but their function is often compromised by metabolic stress and environmental factors within the tumor microenvironment (TME). O-GlcNAcylation, a post-translational modification, regulates immune responses, yet its impact on NK cell function and therapeutic potential in immune cell-based therapies remains underexplored.
Liu X, Cai YD, Hou C, Liu X, Luo Y, Mendiola AJP, Xu X, Luo Y, Zheng H, Zhao C, Chen CH, Zhang Y, Xiang YK, Ma J, Chiu JC.
O-GlcNAcylation of nuclear proteins in the mouse liver exhibit daily oscillations that are influenced by meal timing.
PLoS biology2025
23(9)
40997131
Abstract: The liver circadian clock and hepatic transcriptome are highly responsive to metabolic signals generated from feeding-fasting rhythm. Previous studies have identified a number of nutrient-sensitive signaling pathways that could interpret metabolic input to regulate rhythmic hepatic biology. Here, we investigated the role of O-GlcNAcylation, a nutrient-sensitive post-translational modification (PTM) in mediating metabolic regulation of rhythmic biology in the liver. We observe daily oscillation of global nuclear protein O-GlcNAcylation in the liver of mice subjected to night-restricted feeding (NRF) using label-free global O-GlcNAc proteomics. Additional site-specific O-GlcNAc analysis by tandem mass tag mass spectrometry further supports temporal differences in O-GlcNAcylation by revealing day-night differences. Proteins involved in gene expression are enriched among rhythmically O-GlcNAcylated proteins, suggesting rhythmic O-GlcNAcylation may directly regulate the hepatic transcriptome. We show that rhythmic O-GlcNAcylation can also indirectly modulate nuclear proteins by interacting with phosphorylation. Several proteins harboring O-GlcNAcylation-phosphorylation interplay motif exhibit rhythmic O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation. Specifically, we show that O-GlcNAcylation occurs at a phospho-degron of a key circadian transcriptional activator, circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK), thus regulating its stability and transcriptional output. Finally, we report that day-restricted feeding (DRF) in the nocturnal mouse significantly alters O-GlcNAcylation pattern. Whereas global O-GlcNAcylation analysis indicates dampening of global O-GlcNAcylation rhythm in mice fed under DRF, site-specific analysis reveals differential responses of O-GlcNAc sites when timing of food intake is altered. Notably, a substantial number of O-GlcNAcylation sites exhibit inverted day-night profiles when mice are subjected to DRF. This suggests the dysregulation of daily nuclear protein O-GlcNAcylation rhythm may contribute to the disruption in liver transcriptome previously observed in DRF condition. In summary, our results provide new mechanistic insights into metabolic regulation of hepatic transcriptional regulators via interplay between O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation and shed light on the deleterious effects of improper mealtimes.
Srivastava PP, Dasari A, Kumar S, Gupta I, Jain D, Minocha S.
Epigenetic co-regulator HCF-1 promotes lung cancer via O-GlcNAcylation-dependent pathways.
Molecular therapy. Oncology2025
33(4)
41018975
Abstract: The rise in the incidences of lung cancer currently poses a global health challenge, making it crucial to understand the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms. Host cell factor-1 (HCF-1), a conserved epigenetic transcriptional co-regulator, undergoes proteolytic maturation and glycosylation by O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) transferase (OGT). Elevated O-GlcNAc and OGT levels have been observed in lung cancer, highlighting their potential significance in disease progression. In human lung cancer tissues, we observed a significant upregulation of HCF-1, which coincides with increased OGT, O-GlcNAc, and Nkx2.1 (a diagnostic marker for non-small cell lung cancer [NSCLSC]) levels. To further explore HCF-1's role mechanistically, we utilized the NSCLC cell lines, where HCF-1 depletion resulted in reduced proliferation, O-GlcNAcylation, Nkx2.1 expression, and O-GlcNAcylated proteins upon wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) pull-down, reinforcing its role in lung cancer progression. Additionally, Nkx2.1-mediated conditional knockout of HCF-1 impaired murine lung development and cell proliferation. Interestingly, OGT inhibition with OSMI-1 also reduced HCF-1, Nkx2.1 levels, and proliferation, suggesting a role for O-GlcNAcylation in HCF-1-mediated signaling cascades. Thus, our findings elucidate the critical role of HCF-1 and O-GlcNAcylation in lung cancer pathogenesis. These insights not only deepen our understanding of lung cancer pathogenesis but also identify potential molecular targets for studies aimed at intervention.
Luna S, Malard F, Pereckas M, Aoki M, Aoki K, Olivier-Van Stichelen S.
Studying the O-GlcNAcome of human placentas using banked tissue samples.
Glycobiology2024
34(4)
38253038
Abstract: O-GlcNAcylation is a dynamic modulator of signaling pathways, equal in magnitude to the widely studied phosphorylation. With the rapid development of tools for its detection at the single protein level, the O-GlcNAc modification rapidly emerged as a novel diagnostic and therapeutic target in human diseases. Yet, mapping the human O-GlcNAcome in various tissues is essential for generating relevant biomarkers. In this study, we used human banked tissue as a sample source to identify O-GlcNAcylated protein targets relevant to human diseases. Using human term placentas, we propose (1) a method to clean frozen banked tissue of blood proteins; (2) an optimized protocol for the enrichment of O-GlcNAcylated proteins using immunoaffinity purification; and (3) a bioinformatic workflow to identify the most promising O-GlcNAc targets. As a proof-of-concept, we used 45 mg of banked placental samples from two pregnancies to generate intracellular protein extracts depleted of blood protein. Then, antibody-based O-GlcNAc enrichment on denatured samples yielded over 2000 unique HexNAc PSMs and 900 unique sites using 300 μg of protein lysate. Due to efficient sample cleanup, we also captured 82 HexNAc proteins with high placental expression. Finally, we provide a bioinformatic tool (CytOVS) to sort the HexNAc proteins based on their cellular localization and extract the most promising O-GlcNAc targets to explore further. To conclude, we provide a simple 3-step workflow to generate a manageable list of O-GlcNAc proteins from human tissue and improve our understanding of O-GlcNAcylation's role in health and diseases.
Zhao J, Hua J, Zhan Y, Chen C, Liu Y, Yang L, Wang H, Wang H, Li J.
O-GlcNAcylation stimulates the deubiquitination activity of USP16 and regulates cell cycle progression.
The Journal of biological chemistry2024
300(4)
38462164
Abstract: Histone 2A monoubiquitination (uH2A) underscores a key epigenetic regulation of gene expression. In this report, we show that the deubiquitinase for uH2A, ubiquitin-specific peptidase 16 (USP16), is modified by O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc). O-GlcNAcylation involves the installation of the O-GlcNAc moiety to Ser/Thr residues. It crosstalks with Ser/Thr phosphorylation, affects protein-protein interaction, alters enzyme activity or protein folding, and changes protein subcellular localization. In our study, we first confirmed that USP16 is glycosylated on Thr203 and Ser214, as reported in a previous chemoenzymatic screen. We then discovered that mutation of the O-GlcNAcylation site Thr203, which is adjacent to deubiquitination-required Cys204, reduces the deubiquitination activity toward H2AK119ub in vitro and in cells, while mutation on Ser214 had the opposite effects. Using USP16 Ser552 phosphorylation-specific antibodies, we demonstrated that O-GlcNAcylation antagonizes cyclin-dependent kinase 1-mediated phosphorylation and promotes USP16 nuclear export. O-GlcNAcylation of USP16 is also required for deubiquitination of Polo-like kinase 1, a mitotic master kinase, and the subsequent chromosome segregation and cytokinesis. In summary, our study revealed that O-GlcNAcylation of USP16 at Thr203 and Ser214 coordinates deubiquitination of uH2A and Polo-like kinase 1, thus ensuring proper cell cycle progression.
Vang S, Helton ES, Guo Y, Burpee B, Rose E, Easter M, Bollenbecker S, Hirsch MJ, Matthews EL, Jones LI, Howze PH 4th, Rajasekaran V, Denson R, Cochran P, Attah IK, Olson H, Clair G, Melkani G, Krick S, Barnes JW.
O-GlcNAc transferase regulates collagen deposition and fibrosis resolution in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Frontiers in immunology2024
15
38665916
Abstract: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic pulmonary disease that is characterized by an excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins (e.g. collagens) in the parenchyma, which ultimately leads to respiratory failure and death. While current therapies exist to slow the progression, no therapies are available to resolve fibrosis.
Yu SB, Wang H, Sanchez RG, Carlson NM, Nguyen K, Zhang A, Papich ZD, Abushawish AA, Whiddon Z, Matysik W, Zhang J, Whisenant TC, Ghassemian M, Koberstein JN, Stewart ML, Myers SA, Pekkurnaz G.
Neuronal activity-driven O-GlcNAcylation promotes mitochondrial plasticity.
Developmental cell202438843836
Abstract: Neuronal activity is an energy-intensive process that is largely sustained by instantaneous fuel utilization and ATP synthesis. However, how neurons couple ATP synthesis rate to fuel availability is largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the metabolic sensor enzyme O-linked N-acetyl glucosamine (O-GlcNAc) transferase regulates neuronal activity-driven mitochondrial bioenergetics in hippocampal and cortical neurons. We show that neuronal activity upregulates O-GlcNAcylation in mitochondria. Mitochondrial O-GlcNAcylation is promoted by activity-driven glucose consumption, which allows neurons to compensate for high energy expenditure based on fuel availability. To determine the proteins that are responsible for these adjustments, we mapped the mitochondrial O-GlcNAcome of neurons. Finally, we determine that neurons fail to meet activity-driven metabolic demand when O-GlcNAcylation dynamics are prevented. Our findings suggest that O-GlcNAcylation provides a fuel-dependent feedforward control mechanism in neurons to optimize mitochondrial performance based on neuronal activity. This mechanism thereby couples neuronal metabolism to mitochondrial bioenergetics and plays a key role in sustaining energy homeostasis.
Hou C, Wu C, Wu Z, Cheng Y, Li W, Sun H, Ma J.
Systematic Evaluation of Affinity Enrichment Methods for O-GlcNAc Proteomics.
Journal of proteome research202439302247
Abstract: O-Linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification (i.e., O-GlcNAcylation) on proteins plays critical roles in the regulation of diverse biological processes. However, protein O-GlcNAcylation analysis, especially at a large scale, has been a challenge. So far, a number of enrichment materials and methods have been developed for site-specific O-GlcNAc proteomics in different biological settings. Despite the presence of multiple methods, their performance for the O-GlcNAc proteomics is largely unclear. In this work, by using the lysates of PANC-1 cells (a pancreatic cancer cell line), we provided a head-to-head comparison of three affinity enrichment methods and materials (i.e., antibody, lectin AANL6, and an OGA mutant) for site-specific O-GlcNAc proteomics. The enriched peptides were analyzed by HCD product-dependent EThcD (i.e., HCD-pd-EThcD) mass spectrometry. The resulting data files were processed by three different data analysis packages (i.e., Sequest HT, Byonic, and FragPipe). Our data suggest that each method captures a subpopulation of the O-GlcNAc proteins. Besides the enrichment methods, we also observe complementarity between the different data analysis tools. Thus, combining different approaches holds promise for enhanced coverage of O-GlcNAc proteomics.
Hou C, Deng J, Wu C, Zhang J, Byers S, Moremen KW, Pei H, Ma J.
Ultradeep O-GlcNAc proteomics reveals widespread O-GlcNAcylation on tyrosine residues of proteins.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America2024
121(47)
39531497
Abstract: As a unique type of glycosylation, O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification (O-GlcNAcylation) on Ser/Thr residues of proteins was discovered 40 y ago. O-GlcNAcylation is catalyzed by two enzymes: O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA), which add and remove O-GlcNAc, respectively. O-GlcNAcylation is an essential glycosylation that regulates the functions of many proteins in virtually all cellular processes. However, deep and site-specific characterization of O-GlcNAcylated proteins remains a challenge. We developed an ultradeep O-GlcNAc proteomics workflow by integrating digestion with multiple proteases, two mass spectrometric approaches (i.e., electron-transfer/higher-energy collision dissociation [EThcD] and HCD product-dependent electron-transfer/higher-energy collision dissociation [HCD-pd-EThcD]), and two data analysis tools (i.e., MaxQuant and Proteome Discoverer). The performance of this strategy was benchmarked by the analysis of whole lysates from PANC-1 (a pancreatic cancer cell line). In total, 2,831 O-GlcNAc sites were unambiguously identified, representing the largest O-GlcNAc dataset of an individual study reported so far. Unexpectedly, in addition to confirming known sites and identifying many other sites of Ser/Thr modification, O-GlcNAcylation was found on 121 tyrosine (Tyr) residues of 93 proteins. In vitro enzymatic assays showed that OGT catalyzes the transfer of O-GlcNAc onto Tyr residues of peptides and OGA catalyzes its removal. Taken together, our work reveals widespread O-GlcNAcylation on Tyr residues of proteins and that Tyr O-GlcNAcylation is mediated by OGT and OGA. As another form of glycosylation, Tyr O-GlcNAcylation is likely to have important regulatory roles.
Xiong Y, Lu Z, Shao Y, Meng P, Wang G, Zhou X, Yao J, Bao H, Lu H.
Rapid and large-scale glycopeptide enrichment strategy based on chemical ligation.
National science review2024
11(11)
39534244
Abstract: Protein glycosylation, the most universal post-translational modification, is thought to play a crucial role in regulating multiple essential cellular processes. However, the low abundance of glycoproteins and the heterogeneity of glycans complicate their comprehensive analysis. Here, we develop a rapid and large-scale glycopeptide enrichment strategy via bioorthogonal ligation and trypsin cleavage. The enrichment process is performed in one tube to minimize sample loss and time costs. This method combines convenience and practicality, identifying over 900 O-GlcNAc sites from a 500 μg sample. Surprisingly, it allows simultaneous identification of N-glycosites, O-GlcNAc sites, O-GalNAc sites and N-glycans via a two-step enzymatic release strategy. Combined with quantitative analysis, it reveals the distinct O-GlcNAcylation patterns in different compartments during oxidative stress. In summary, our study offers a convenient and robust tool for glycoproteome and glycome profiling, facilitating in-depth analysis to elucidate the biological functions of glycosylation.
Hao Y, Li X, Qin K, Shi Y, He Y, Zhang C, Cheng B, Zhang X, Hu G, Liang S, Tang Q, Chen X.
Chemoproteomic and Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals that O-GlcNAc Regulates Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Fate through the Pluripotency Network.
Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)2023
62(17)
36852467
Abstract: Self-renewal and differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are influenced by protein O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification, but the underlying mechanism remains incompletely understood. Herein, we report the identification of 979 O-GlcNAcylated proteins and 1340 modification sites in mouse ESCs (mESCs) by using a chemoproteomics method. In addition to OCT4 and SOX2, the third core pluripotency transcription factor (PTF) NANOG was found to be modified and functionally regulated by O-GlcNAc. Upon differentiation along the neuronal lineage, the O-GlcNAc stoichiometry at 123 sites of 83 proteins-several of which were PTFs-was found to decline. Transcriptomic profiling reveals 2456 differentially expressed genes responsive to OGT inhibition during differentiation, of which 901 are target genes of core PTFs. By acting on the core PTF network, suppression of O-GlcNAcylation upregulates neuron-related genes, thus contributing to mESC fate determination.
Hung YW, Ouyang C, Ping X, Qi Y, Wang YC, Kung HJ, Ann DK.
Extracellular arginine availability modulates eIF2α O-GlcNAcylation and heme oxygenase 1 translation for cellular homeostasis.
Journal of biomedical science2023
30(1)
37217939
Abstract: Nutrient limitations often lead to metabolic stress during cancer initiation and progression. To combat this stress, the enzyme heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1, commonly known as HO-1) is thought to play a key role as an antioxidant. However, there is a discrepancy between the level of HO-1 mRNA and its protein, particularly in cells under stress. O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification of proteins (O-GlcNAcylation) is a recently discovered cellular signaling mechanism that rivals phosphorylation in many proteins, including eukaryote translation initiation factors (eIFs). The mechanism by which eIF2α O-GlcNAcylation regulates translation of HO-1 during extracellular arginine shortage (ArgS) remains unclear.
Luo Y, Wang Y, Tian Y, Zhou H, Wen L.
"Two Birds One Stone" Strategy for the Site-Specific Analysis of Core Fucosylation and O-GlcNAcylation.
Journal of the American Chemical Society2023
145(29)
37340703
Abstract: Core fucosylation and O-GlcNAcylation are the two most famous protein glycosylation modifications that regulate diverse physiological and pathological processes in living organisms. Here, a "two birds one stone" strategy has been described for the site-specific analysis of core fucosylation and O-GlcNAcylation. Taking advantage of two mutant endoglycosidases (EndoF3-D165A and EndoCC-N180H), which efficiently and specifically recognize core fucose and O-GlcNAc, glycopeptides can be labeled using a biantennary N-glycan probe bearing azido and oxazoline groups. Then, a temperature-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) polymer functionalized with dibenzocyclooctyne was introduced to facilitate the enrichment of the labeled glycopeptides from the complex mixture. The captured glycopeptides can be further released enzymatically by wild-type endoglycosidases (EndoF3 and EndoCC) in a traceless manner for mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. The described strategy allows simultaneous profiling of core-fucosylated glycoproteome and O-GlcNAcylated glycoproteome from one complex sample by MS technology and searching the database using different variable modifications.
Gonzalez-Rellan MJ, Parracho T, Heras V, Rodriguez A, Fondevila MF, Novoa E, Lima N, Varela-Rey M, Senra A, Chantada-Vazquez MDP, Ameneiro C, Bernardo G, Fernandez-Ramos D, Lopitz-Otsoa F, Bilbao J, Guallar D, Fidalgo M, Bravo S, Dieguez C, Martinez-Chantar ML, Millet O, Mato JM, Schwaninger M, Prevot V, Crespo J, Frühbeck G, Iruzubieta P, Nogueiras R.
Hepatocyte-specific O-GlcNAc transferase downregulation ameliorates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by improving mitochondrial function.
Molecular metabolism2023
75
37453647
Abstract: O-GlcNAcylation is a post-translational modification that directly couples the processes of nutrient sensing, metabolism, and signal transduction, affecting protein function and localization, since the O-linked N-acetylglucosamine moiety comes directly from the metabolism of glucose, lipids, and amino acids. The addition and removal of O-GlcNAc of target proteins are mediated by two highly conserved enzymes: O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA), respectively. Deregulation of O-GlcNAcylation has been reported to be associated with various human diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. The contribution of deregulated O-GlcNAcylation to the progression and pathogenesis of NAFLD remains intriguing, and a better understanding of its roles in this pathophysiological context is required to uncover novel avenues for therapeutic intervention. By using a translational approach, our aim is to describe the role of OGT and O-GlcNAcylation in the pathogenesis of NAFLD.