Structure of Glycosaminoglycans

Most of the polysaccharides of interest in this text are termed glycosaminoglycans, polymers that contain an amino sugar in the repeat unit. Glycosaminoglycans that are abundant in mammalian tissues include hyaluronan, chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, keratan sulfate, and heparin-heparan sulfate (see Table 2.4). Most of these glycosaminoglycans, 

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Fig. 19 Structures of glycosaminoglycans (A) chondroitin-4-sulfate (B) heparin sulfate (C) dermatin sulfate (D) hyaluronic acid (E) chondroitin-6-sulfate (F) keratin sulfate. 

This article, which is the fourth in the current series,1 presents a bibliographic account of the crystal structures of polysaccharides that have been published during 1977-1979. Several comprehensive reviews on the structures of glycosaminoglycans,2-5 bacterial capsular polysaccharides,3 4,6 starch,7-9 and cell-wall polysaccharides,10 and on... 

Gandhi, N. S. and Mancera, R. L. (2008). The structure of glycosaminoglycans and their interactions with proteins. Chem. Biol. Drug Des. 72, 455 489. 

The ICD of the dyes bound to saccharides through an ionic coupling or hydrophobic interaction may remain a conflicting problem. The side-chain chromophores covalently bound to saccharides permit CD bands in the far or near ultraviolet region. These side-chain chromophores can exhibit CD and thus provide more definitive information on the conformation of saccharide moieties. Thus, acetamide CD has been observed to reflect polymer secondary structure of glycosaminoglycans, which are the connective-tissue proteoglycans. 

Figure 5 Biosynthesis and structure of glycosaminoglycans. Synthesis u GlcAT-l. The repeating disaccharides of heparin/HS, CS, and DS are shown.

Derivatives.—The structure of glycosaminoglycans, their binding properties with intra- and extra-cellular and cell surface components, and their biosynthesis have been reviewed. Electron microscopic studies of both intact and partially degraded proteoglycans from bovine nasal cartilage substantiate currently accepted models of proteoglycan structure. ... 

Figure 6.14. Structures of glycosaminoglycans A, hyaluronic acid B, chondroitin-6-sulfate C, dermatm sulfate D, keratm sulfate E, heparan sulfate F, heparin sulfate.

Among the other classical methods of structure determination, two were used with success and are responsible for most of our present knowledge of the chemical structure of glycosaminoglycans. 

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