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 appears to be of high sulfate content and appears to be similar to chondroitin sulfate found in a supernatant preparation from chick embryo cartilage. The presence in the microsomal fraction of both sulfotransferase activity and glycosaminoglycanpolymerizing activity, as well as chondroitin sulfate, suggests that sulfation in the cell may take place in close proximity to the location of glycosaminoglycan polymerization.