Biomacromolecules, Vol.8, No.6, 1802-1806, 2007
Enzymatic copolymerization to hybrid glycosaminoglycans: A novel strategy for intramolecular hybridization of polysaccharides
Hybrid glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) having an intramolecularly hybridized structure of hyaluronan-chondroitin (3a) and hyaluronan-chondroitin 4-sulfate (3b) have been synthesized via enzymatic copolymerization catalyzed by hyaluronidase (HAase). N-Acetylhyalobiuronate (GlcA beta(1 -> 3)GlcNAc)-derived oxazoline (1) was copolymerized with N-acetylchondrosine (GlcA beta(1 -> 3)GalNAc)-derived oxazoline (2a) by HAase catalysis at pH 7.5 and 30 degrees C, giving rise to copolymer 3a with M-n 7.4 x 10(3) in a 50% yield. Also, HAase-catalyzed copolymerization of monomer 1 with N-acetylchondrosine oxazoline having a sulfate group at C4 on GalNAc (2b) was carried out to produce copolymer 3b with M-n 1.4 x 10(4) in a 60% yield. The copolymer compositions were controllable by varying the comonomer feed ratio. These hybrid GAGs were successfully digested by the catalysis of hyaluronan lyase, clearly exhibiting that the products are not a blend of different homopolymers but an intramolecularly hybridized GAG.