Glycosylation is a novel TGFβ1-independent post-translational modification of Smad2

Smad2 is a crucial component of intracellular signaling by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta ). Here we describe that Smad2 is glycosylated, which is a novel for Smad2 post-translational modification. We showed that the Smad2 glycosylation was inhibited upon treatment of cells with 17 beta-estradiol, and was enhanced in cells in a dense culture as compared to cells in a sparse culture. The Smad2 glycosylation was not dependent on the C-terminal phosphorylation of Smad2, and was not affected by TGF beta 1 treatment of the cells. Smad2 was glycosylated at multiple sites, and one of the predicted sites is Serine110. Thus, Smad2 is glycosylated, and this post-translational modification was modulated by 17 beta-estradiol but not by TGF beta 1. (C) 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.