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,...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-10-01
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Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnana.2021.767126/full |
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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. |
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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. |
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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 |