Glycosaminoglycans enzymic analysis

For the enzymic analysis of polysaccharide structure, the hydrolytic enzymes are the most useful, and little attention will be paid in this article to other types of enzyme. No consideration at all will be accorded enzymes acting on non-carbohydrate moieties. For diis reason, heteropolysaccharide-peptide and lipopolysaccharide complexes (such as those from bacterial cell-walls) are not discussed, as satisfactory treatment of these would also require mention of other types of enzyme, such as amidases for coverage of this subject, an authoritative text and several reviews - may be consulted. Other types of carbohydrate-containing macromolecule, such as glycosaminoglycans ( mucopolysaccharides ) and glycoproteins, for which it is relatively easy to restrict consideration to the polysaccharide portion, are discussed, but only with reference to their carbohydrate moieties. 

As the sensitive methods of detection of glycosaminoglycans are extended and applied, as methods are developed for investigating on a microscale proteoglycans, and as the systematic analysis of tissues, etc., is afforded the required, correctly directed emphasis and attention with improved techniques, it may be predicted that such goals may be realized. However, in order to gain the absolutely necessary understanding of the associated reactions of biosynthesis, interaction and function, and degradation, research attention must be extended to the eellular and enzymic processes on which many of these phenomena are dependent. 

Capillary electrophoresis has been applied to the analysis of enzymically glucosylated flavonoids and of monosaccharides from glycosaminoglycans, using UV detection and indirect laser-induced fluorescence detection, respectively, and the separation of the cyanogenic glycosides amygdalin and prunasin from their isomers has been achieved by a micellar capillary electrophoresis method. ... 

A review on methods for analysis of urinary glycosaminoglycans has covered electrophoresis of enzymically produced di- and oligosaccharides. Micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography, which is equivalent to capillary zone electrophoresis with a surfactant added to the carrier electrolyte, has been used with u.v. detection for the simultaneous determination of seven water-soluble vitamins including vitamin C and riboflavin phosphate. ... 

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