Mono- and bidimensional 500 MHz 1H-NMR spectra of a synthetic pentasaccharide corresponding to the binding sequence of heparin to antithrombin-III: evidence for conformational peculiarity of the sulfated iduronate residue.

1H-NMR spectra of the synthetic pentasaccharide (N-sulfate-6-0-sulfate-alpha-D-glucosamine) 1----4 (beta-D-glucuronic acid) 1----4 (N-sulfate-3,6-di-0-sulfate-alpha-D-glucosamine) 1----4 (2-0-sulfate-alpha-L-iduronic acid) 1----4 (N-sulfate-6-0-sulfate-alpha-D-glucosamine), corresponding to the active site of heparin for antithrombin (AT-III), have been resolved at 500 MHz and assigned by mono- and bidimensional techniques. Vicinal proton coupling constants of the D-glucosamine residues are similar to those in the regular sequences of heparin, indicating that the 4C1 conformation of the ring, and preference for the g,g conformation of the sulfated hydroxymethyl groups of these residues are neither affected by the unique 3-0-sulfo group nor by sequence effects. By contrast, an unusually large coupling between H-2 and H-3 of the sulfated L-iduronic acid residue suggests a greater departure from the 1C4 conformation of this residue. when present in the binding sequence to AT-III than in the regular sequences. Such a departure, leading to different orientation and spacing of essential sulfate groups, may have implications for high-affinity binding to AT-III.