Heterologous gene expression in either (1) the
glycosylation-defective, mutant Chinese hamster ovary cell
line, Lec3.2.8.1, or (2) the presence of the α-glucosidase
inhibitor, N-butyldeoxynojirimycin facilitates
the trimming of N-linked glycans of glycoproteins to single
N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues with endoglycosidase
H (endo H). Both approaches are somewhat inefficient, however,
with as little as 12% of the total protein being rendered
fully endo H-sensitive under these conditions. It is shown
here that the combined effects of these approaches on the
restriction of oligosaccharide processing are essentially
additive, thereby allowing the production of glycoproteins
that are essentially completely endo H-sensitive. The preparation
of a soluble chimeric form of CD58, the ligand of the human
T-cell surface recognition molecule CD2, illustrates the
usefulness of the combined approach when expression levels
are low or the deglycosylated protein is unstable at low
pH. The endo H-treated chimera produced crystals of space
group P3121 or P3221, and unit cell
dimensions a = b = 116.4 Å, c
= 51.4 Å α = β = 90°, γ = 120°,
that diffract to a maximum resolution of 1.8 Å.