Cosmc is an essential chaperone for correct protein O-glycosylation.

Wang Y, Ju T, Ding X, Xia B, Wang W, Xia L, He M, Cummings R. Cosmc is an essential chaperone for correct protein O-glycosylation.. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010;107(20):9228–33.

Abstract

Cosmc is a molecular chaperone thought to be required for expression of active T-synthase, the only enzyme that galactosylates the Tn antigen (GalNAcalpha1-Ser/Thr-R) to form core 1 Galbeta1-3GalNAcalpha1-Ser/Thr (T antigen) during mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis. Here we show that ablation of the X-linked Cosmc gene in mice causes embryonic lethality and Tn antigen expression. Loss of Cosmc is associated with loss of T-synthase but not other enzymes required for glycoprotein biosynthesis, demonstrating that Cosmc is specific in vivo for the T-synthase. We generated genetically mosaic mice with a targeted Cosmc deletion and survivors exhibited abnormalities correlated with Tn antigen expression that are related to several human diseases.
Last updated on 03/06/2023