Apparent Inhibition of β-Fructosidase Secretion by Tunicamycin May Be Explained by Breakdown of the Unglycosylated Protein during Secretion

Suspension-cultured carrot (Daucus carota) cells synthesize and secrete beta-fructosidase, a glycoprotein with asparagine-linked glycans. Treatment of the cells with tunicamycin completely inhibits the apparent secretion of beta-fructosidase as measured by the accumulation of the radioactive protein in the cell wall or the culture medium. In the past, such a result has been interpreted as an inhibition of secretion by tunicamycin, but we suggest another explanation based on the following results. In the presence of tunicamycin, unglycosylated beta-fructosidase is synthesized and is associated with an endoplasmic-reticulum-rich microsomal fraction. Pulse-chase experiments show that the unglycosylated beta-fructosidase does not remain in the cells and appears to be secreted in the same way as glycosylated beta-fructosidase; however, no radioactive, unglycosylated beta-fructosidase accumulates extracellularly (cell wall or medium). Protoplasts obtained from carrot cells secrete beta-fructosidase protein and activity, and treatment of the protoplasts with tunicamycin results in the synthesis of unglycosylated beta-fructosidase. In the presence of tunicamycin, there is no accumulation of beta-fructosidase activity or unglycosylated beta-fructosidase polypeptide in the protoplast incubation medium. These results are consistent with the interpretation that the glycans of beta-fructosidase are necessary for its stability, and that in these suspension-cultured cells, the unglycosylated enzyme is degraded during the last stage(s) of secretion, or immediately after its arrival in the wall.