Solution conformation of glycosaminoglycans: assignment of the 300-MHz 1H-magnetic resonance spectra of chondroitin 4-sulphate, chondroitin 6-sulphate and hyaluronate, and investigation of an alkali-induced conformation change.

Complete assignments are given for the 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra at 300 MHz of chondroitin 4-sulphate, chondroitin 6-sulphate and hyaluronate in deuterium oxide solution, supported by spin decoupling and computer simulation. Coupling constants and chemical shifts are as expected from spectra of the model glycosides, methyl beta-D-glucopyranosiduronate, methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranoside and methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-galactopyranoside, when allowance is made for systematic influences on chemical shifts of interglycosidic linkages and sulphate substitution. As reported elsewhere, addition of alkali causes the hyaluronate spectrum to sharpen considerably. This is taken to indicate that segmental motion is enhanced by disruption of some system of inter-residue bonding on ionisation of hydroxy groups. Concomitant changes in chemical shifts are seen mainly for H-2 of the glucuronate residue, and the CH3 and H-2 of the acetamidodeoxyglucose residue. Similar effects are not seen for chondroitin sulphates, either in line widths or chemical shifts. Comparison of the spectra of hyaluronate, chondroitin sulphates, and the model glycosides, indicates that proton chemical shifts are sensitive to the conformation differences between the polysaccharides in alkaline solution, but do not detect the differences in neutral solution that are known from NMR relaxation to be present. The altered configuration and/or substitution pattern of the acetamidodeoxyhexose residue in hyaluronate compared with chondroitin sulphates appears to have a critical influence on overall conformation in both alkaline and neutral solution.