O-linked but not N-linked glycosylation is necessary for the secretion of endoglucanases I and II by Trichoderma reesei

The effect of inhibiting protein glycosylation was studied in nongrowing mycelia and protoplasts of Trichoderma reesei which secreted two endoglucanases (I and II) upon addition of sophorose. Tunicamycin (40 μg∙mL−1) inhibited incorporation of N-acetylglucosamine into secreted protein, but had no effect on secretion of total protein or endoglucanases. The secreted endoglucanases I and II exhibited relative molecular masses of 58 and 45 kilodaltons, respectively, irrespective of the presence of tunicamycin. On the other hand 2-deoxy-D-glucose inhibited the biosynthesis of extracellular as well as intracellular protein over a wide range of concentrations; at 50 μg∙mL−1, however, it inhibited the synthesis of extracellular protein more strongly. The synthesis of endoglucanases I and II was decreased accordingly under these conditions. SDS–PAGE did not reveal the secretion of endoglucanases with smaller molecular weights. When the two endoglucanases were purified and subjected to Endo H treatment or β-elimination, the former had no detectable effect, whereas the latter released all carbohydrate from the protein. Nevertheless, endoglucanases I and II contained 1.3 and 0.5 mol of glucosamine per mol enzyme, respectively. It is concluded that endoglucanases I and II from T. reesei contain mainly O-linked neutral carbohydrate, which is required for their secretion.