Hydroxyproline-containing structural glycopeptide fractions from subacute inflammation connective tissue.

Hydroxyproline-containing structural glycopeptide fractions were isolated from collagenase-digested neutral salt-insoluble collagen of five-day sponge-implant connective tissue of the rat. The glycopeptide fractions characterized migrate as a single, strongly anionic band on disc gel electrophoresis at pH 9.5, are eluted on gel filtration as a small molecular weight peak, approximately 2000, and are resolved into thirteen glycopeptide fractions by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Amino acid analyses of some of these fractions indicate a similarity in composition, the principal ones being aspartic and glutamic acids, serine, glycine, alanine, valine, proline and hydroxyproline. Three neutral carbohydrates, glucose, mannose and xylose, in different relative proportions and hexosamine are also present in the fractions. Amino-terminal amino acid determinations indicate a microheterogeneity of the glycopeptides. The electrophoretic behaviour and non-diffusibility of the small molecular weight glycopeptides suggest an intimate association between acidic hydroxyproline-containing peptides and carbohydrate components of developing connective tissue.