GDP‐fucose: β‐N‐acetylglucosamine (Fuc to (Fucα1 → 6GlcNAc)‐Asn‐peptide) α1 → 3‐fucosyltransferase activity in honeybee (Apis mellifica) venom glands

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Abstract
Incubation of honeybee (Apis mellifica) venom‐gland extracts with GDP‐[14C]fucose and GlcNAcβ1 → 2Manα1 → 6(GlcNAcβ1 → 2Manα1 → 3)Manβ1 → 4GlcNAcβ1 → 4(Fucα1 → 6)GlcNAcβ1 → N‐Asn‐peptide(NAc) gave a labeled product in 40% yield. Analysis by 500‐MHz 1H‐NMR spectroscopy indicated the transferred fucose (Fuc) residue to be α1 → 3‐linked to the Asn‐bound GlcNAc. Further proof was provided by one‐dimensional and two‐dimensional 1H‐NMR analysis of the incubation mixture, after incubation with β‐N‐acetylhexosaminidase. The established carbohydrate structure image proves the existence of a novel α1 → 3‐fucosyltransferase with the ability to effect difucosylation of the Asn‐bound GlcNAc in N‐glycans.