A new study has recently discovered PNGaseL, a new, highly-specific, broad specificity enzyme. This very specific enzyme for glycan targets from all kingdoms of life. Dr. Lucy Crouch, a Sir Henry Dale Fellow at the University of Birmingham, carried out this pioneering research. It led to a monumental find. Taken together, these findings uncover PNGaseL’s impressive versatility for a variety of research applications. It has the potential to dramatically improve current glycobiological techniques.
PNGaseL was originally isolated from the bacterium Flavobacterium akiainvivens, and as of spring 2010 it is commercially available from Ludger. In contrast to its predecessors PNGaseF and PNGaseA, PNGaseL performs better at cleaving N-glycans from glycoproteins in a wider set of conditions. In order to find this enzyme, researchers had to employ bioprospecting methods. Their message focuses on the challenge of finding biological resources which can lead to commercially exploitable products.
The enzyme’s wide specificity means that it can interact with glycans derived from mammalian, insect, and plant-derived proteins at the same time. This new capability is an important step forward of previous enzymes developed in the field. After reviewing the findings, Dr. Crouch reflected on the significance of this study, saying,
“Our study exemplifies the successful translation of fundamental discovery biology into practical applications. Unlike its predecessors, PNGaseL exhibits a significantly broader substrate specificity, meaning it can target glycans from mammalian, insect and plant-derived proteins in parallel.”
This increased robustness expands the PNGaseL toolbox making it a standard for the glycobiology applications. For the latter, it provides researchers with more versatility in their analyses. Its capacity to integrate seamlessly into existing protocols positions it as a preferred choice for laboratories aiming to streamline their processes.
Dr. Crouch is excited to see how PNGaseL will drive research and industry initiatives, stating,
“We’re very excited by the potential for further discoveries in this space and the impact they may have on both future research and industry-led projects.”
As PNGaseL continues to make waves in the scientific community, researchers are thrilled by its potential. They hope its wide specificity will foster big leaps forward for deciphering the complexity of glycan structures and activity. This development exemplifies the ongoing efforts to translate basic biological discoveries into practical applications that can benefit both scientific inquiry and commercial endeavors.