Purification of heparinase and heparitinase by affinity chromatography on glycosaminoglycan-bound AH-Sepharose 4B.

Heparinase and heparitinase were separated from an extract of Flavobacterium heparinum, induced with heparin by using column chromatography on hydroxylapatite. As the heparinase preparation contained chondroitinases B and C, chondroitinase B was removed by rechromatography on a hydroxylapatite column. Chondroitinase C was then eliminated by column chromatography on O-phosphono("phospho")-cellulose. The heparinase preparation thus obtained was free from sulfoamidase for 2-deoxy-2-sulfoamino-D-glucose (GlcN-2S), sulfatase for 2-amino-2-deoxy-6-O-sulfo-D-glucose (GlcN-6S), as well as delta 4,5glycosiduronase for the unsaturated disaccharides obtained from heparin. The remaining sulfatase for 4-deoxy-alpha-L-threo-hex-4-enopyranosyluronic acid 2-sulfate (delta UA-2S) in the heparinase preparation was removed by affinity chromatography with dermatan sulfate-bound AH-Sepharose 4B coated with dermatan sulfate. The heparitinase preparation separated by column chromatography on hydroxylapatite was purified by affinity chromatography with heparin-bound AH-Sepharose 4B coated with heparin. Sulfatase for 2-amino-2-deoxy-6-O-sulfo-D-glucose (GlcN-6S) and delta 4,5glycosiduronase for the unsaturated disaccharides obtained from heparin were removed by this chromatography. Sulfatase for 4-deoxy-alpha-L-threo-hex-4-enopyranosyluronic acid 2-sulfate (delta UA-2S) remaining in the heparitinase preparation was finally removed by column chromatography on hydroxylapatite. The recoveries of the purified preparations of heparinase and heparitinase were estimated to be 39 and 50%, respectively, from the crude enzyme fractions obtained by the first column chromatography on hydroxylapatite. The purified heparinase and heparitinase were free from all enzymes that could degrade the sulfated unsaturated disaccharides produced from heparin with heparinase.