Biosynthesis of Heparin/Heparan Sulfate

Biosynthesis of Chondroitin Sulfate

A microsomal preparation from chick embryo cartilage has been shown to catalyze the incorporation of sulfate-36S from 3’-phosphoadenosine 5’-phosphosulfate-3% into microsomal glycosaminoglycan. This enzyme preparation is the same preparation that previously has been shown to catalyze the formation of chondroitin (nonsulfated) from sugar nucleotide precursors. The microsomal sulfate acceptor app...

Biosynthesis of Chondroitin Sulfate

The role of phospholipids in the activity of UDP-D-galactose:D-xylose galactosyltransferase (galactosyltransferase I) from embryonic chick cartilage was investigated. Phospholipase C treatment of particulate galactosyltransferase I caused inactivation of this enzyme to the extent of 60 to 70% as well as hydrolysis of 75 to 80% of the membrane phospholipids. Addition of phospholipid restored act...

Heparan Sulfate Biosynthesis

Heparan sulfate is perhaps the most complex polysaccharide known from animals. The basic repeating disaccharide is extensively modified by sulfation and uronic acid epimerization. Despite this, the fine structure of heparan sulfate is remarkably consistent with a particular cell type. This suggests that the synthesis of heparan sulfate is tightly controlled. Although genomics has identified the...

Biosynthesis of chondroitin sulfate. Organization of sulfation.

The potential relationship of an intact membrane organization for the synthesis of chondroitin and chondroitin 4-sulfate was examined after modification of a mouse mast cell microsomal system with the nonionic detergent, Triton X-100. The results indicated that Triton X-100 had no effect on the rate of polymerization but had a slight effect on the size of glycosaminoglycan chains. An "all or no...

Heparan Sulfate Biosynthesis – Clues from Knockout Mice