Mucin-Type O-Glycosylation in the Drosophila Nervous System

Mucin-type O-glycosylation, a predominant type of O-glycosylation, is an evolutionarily conserved posttranslational modification in animals. Mucin-type O-glycans are often found on mucins in the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. These glycan structures are also expressed in other cell types,...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kazuyoshi Itoh, Shoko Nishihara
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Neuroanatomy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnana.2021.767126/full
_version_ 1818579924930265088
author Kazuyoshi Itoh
Shoko Nishihara
Shoko Nishihara
author_facet Kazuyoshi Itoh
Shoko Nishihara
Shoko Nishihara
author_sort Kazuyoshi Itoh
collection DOAJ
description Mucin-type O-glycosylation, a predominant type of O-glycosylation, is an evolutionarily conserved posttranslational modification in animals. Mucin-type O-glycans are often found on mucins in the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. These glycan structures are also expressed in other cell types, such as blood cells and nephrocytes, and have crucial physiological functions. Altered expression of mucin-type O-glycans is known to be associated with several human disorders, including Tn syndrome and cancer; however, the physiological roles of mucin-type O-glycans in the mammalian brain remains largely unknown. The functions of mucin-type O-glycans have been studied in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. The basic structures of mucin-type O-glycans, including Tn antigen (GalNAcα1-Ser/Thr) and T antigen (Galβ1–3GalNAcα1-Ser/Thr), as well as the glycosyltransferases that synthesize them, are conserved between Drosophila and mammals. These mucin-type O-glycans are expressed in the Drosophila nervous system, including the central nervous system (CNS) and neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). In primary cultured neurons of Drosophila, mucin-type O-glycans show a characteristic localization pattern in axons. Phenotypic analyses using mutants of glycosyltransferase genes have revealed that mucin-type O-glycans are required for CNS development, NMJ morphogenesis, and synaptic functions of NMJs in Drosophila. In this review, we describe the roles of mucin-type O-glycans in the Drosophila nervous system. These findings will provide insight into the functions of mucin-type O-glycans in the mammalian brain.
first_indexed 2024-12-16T07:09:26Z
format Article
id doaj.art-db67f63866794dc8bbcb0dee048dddad
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1662-5129
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-16T07:09:26Z
publishDate 2021-10-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Neuroanatomy
spelling doaj.art-db67f63866794dc8bbcb0dee048dddad2022-12-21T22:39:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroanatomy1662-51292021-10-011510.3389/fnana.2021.767126767126Mucin-Type O-Glycosylation in the Drosophila Nervous SystemKazuyoshi Itoh0Shoko Nishihara1Shoko Nishihara2Glycan & Life Systems Integration Center (GaLSIC), Soka University, Hachioji, JapanGlycan & Life Systems Integration Center (GaLSIC), Soka University, Hachioji, JapanDepartment of Biosciences, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Soka University, Hachioji, JapanMucin-type O-glycosylation, a predominant type of O-glycosylation, is an evolutionarily conserved posttranslational modification in animals. Mucin-type O-glycans are often found on mucins in the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. These glycan structures are also expressed in other cell types, such as blood cells and nephrocytes, and have crucial physiological functions. Altered expression of mucin-type O-glycans is known to be associated with several human disorders, including Tn syndrome and cancer; however, the physiological roles of mucin-type O-glycans in the mammalian brain remains largely unknown. The functions of mucin-type O-glycans have been studied in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. The basic structures of mucin-type O-glycans, including Tn antigen (GalNAcα1-Ser/Thr) and T antigen (Galβ1–3GalNAcα1-Ser/Thr), as well as the glycosyltransferases that synthesize them, are conserved between Drosophila and mammals. These mucin-type O-glycans are expressed in the Drosophila nervous system, including the central nervous system (CNS) and neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). In primary cultured neurons of Drosophila, mucin-type O-glycans show a characteristic localization pattern in axons. Phenotypic analyses using mutants of glycosyltransferase genes have revealed that mucin-type O-glycans are required for CNS development, NMJ morphogenesis, and synaptic functions of NMJs in Drosophila. In this review, we describe the roles of mucin-type O-glycans in the Drosophila nervous system. These findings will provide insight into the functions of mucin-type O-glycans in the mammalian brain.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnana.2021.767126/fullmucin-type O-glycansmucin-type O-glycosylationT antigenDrosophilanervous systemneuromuscular junction
spellingShingle Kazuyoshi Itoh
Shoko Nishihara
Shoko Nishihara
Mucin-Type O-Glycosylation in the Drosophila Nervous System
Frontiers in Neuroanatomy
mucin-type O-glycans
mucin-type O-glycosylation
T antigen
Drosophila
nervous system
neuromuscular junction
title Mucin-Type O-Glycosylation in the Drosophila Nervous System
title_full Mucin-Type O-Glycosylation in the Drosophila Nervous System
title_fullStr Mucin-Type O-Glycosylation in the Drosophila Nervous System
title_full_unstemmed Mucin-Type O-Glycosylation in the Drosophila Nervous System
title_short Mucin-Type O-Glycosylation in the Drosophila Nervous System
title_sort mucin type o glycosylation in the drosophila nervous system
topic mucin-type O-glycans
mucin-type O-glycosylation
T antigen
Drosophila
nervous system
neuromuscular junction
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnana.2021.767126/full
work_keys_str_mv AT kazuyoshiitoh mucintypeoglycosylationinthedrosophilanervoussystem
AT shokonishihara mucintypeoglycosylationinthedrosophilanervoussystem
AT shokonishihara mucintypeoglycosylationinthedrosophilanervoussystem