Uncovering protein glycosylation dynamics and heterogeneity using deep quantitative glycoprofiling (DQGlyco).

Potel CM., Burtscher ML., Garrido-Rodriguez M., Brauer-Nikonow A., Becher I., Le Sueur C., Typas A., Zimmermann M., Savitski MM.

Protein glycosylation regulates essential cellular processes such as signaling, adhesion and cell-cell interactions; however, dysregulated glycosylation is associated with diseases such as cancer. Here we introduce deep quantitative glycoprofiling (DQGlyco), a robust method that integrates high-throughput sample preparation, highly sensitive detection and precise multiplexed quantification to investigate protein glycosylation dynamics at an unprecedented depth. Using DQGlyco, we profiled the mouse brain glycoproteome, identifying 177,198 unique N-glycopeptides-25 times more than previous studies. We quantified glycopeptide changes in human cells treated with a fucosylation inhibitor and characterized surface-exposed glycoforms. Furthermore, we analyzed tissue-specific glycosylation patterns in mice and demonstrated that a defined gut microbiota substantially remodels the mouse brain glycoproteome, shedding light on the link between the gut microbiome and brain protein functions. Additionally, we developed a novel strategy to evaluate glycoform solubility, offering new insights into their biophysical properties. Overall, the in-depth profiling offered by DQGlyco uncovered extensive complexity in glycosylation regulation.

DOI

10.1038/s41594-025-01485-w

Type

Journal article

Publication Date

2025-06-01T00:00:00+00:00

Volume

32

Pages

1111 - 1126

Total pages

15

Keywords

Glycosylation, Animals, Humans, Mice, Brain, Proteomics, Glycopeptides, Glycoproteins, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Proteome

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