Trans-cyclosulfamidate mannose-configured cyclitol allows isoform-dependent inhibition of GH47 α-d-mannosidases through a bump–hole strategy

Class I inverting exo-acting α-1,2-mannosidases (CAZY family GH47) display an unusual catalytic itinerary featuring ring-flipped mannosides, (3)S(1) → (3)H(4)(‡) → (1)C(4). Conformationally locked (1)C(4) compounds, such as kifunensine, display nanomolar inhibition but large multigene GH47 mannosidase families render specific “isoform-dependent” inhibition impossible. Here we develop a bump-and-hole strategy in which a new mannose-configured 1,6-trans-cyclic sulfamidate inhibits α-d-mannosidases by virtue of its (1)C(4) conformation. This compound does not inhibit the wild-type GH47 model enzyme by virtue of a steric clash, a “bump”, in the active site. An L310S (a conserved residue amongst human GH47 enzymes) mutant of the model Caulobacter GH47 awoke 574 nM inhibition of the previously dormant inhibitor, confirmed by structural analysis of a 0.97 Å structure. Considering that L310 is a conserved residue amongst human GH47 enzymes, this work provides a unique framework for future biotechnological studies on N-glycan maturation and ER associated degradation by isoform-specific GH47 α-d-mannosidase inhibition through a bump-and-hole approach.