Chondroitin sulfate-protein carbohydrate sequence

Fio. 4. structure of the carbohydrate sequence of the chondroitin sulfate-protein linkage region (the sulfate group on the galactosamine residue is omitted). 

A number of other problems pertaining to the biosynthesis of dermatan sulfate could be mentioned, but since this entire area is still a matter of speculation rather than actual knowledge, only one additional question will be pointed out. It has been indicated by preliminary experiments that at least the immediate sequence of amino acids surrounding the carbohydrate-protein linkage in dermatan sulfate from skin is different from that found in the chondroitiii sulfate-protein of bovine nasal cartilage (Stern and Rod6n, 1969). It wall therefore be of interest to study the acceptor specificity of the xylose transfer reaction, since tw o different xylcffiyltransferases could conceivably be involved in the formation of dermatan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. 

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