Analysis of glycosaminoglycans with polysaccharide lyases.

Polysaccharide lyases are a class of enzymes useful for analysis of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and the glycosaminoglycan component of proteoglycans (PGs). These enzymes cleave specific glycosidic linkages present in acidic polysaccharides and result in depolymerization. The lyases are derived from a wide variety of pathogenic and nonpathogenic bacteria and fungi. This class of enzymes includes heparin lyases (heparinases), heparan sulfate lyases (heparanases or heparitinases), chondroitin lyases (chondroitinases), and hyaluronate lyases (hyaluronidases), all of which are described in this unit. Two protocols describe depolymerization of GAGs, and two support protocols describe assays to confirm and quantitate the activity of heparin and chondroitin ABC lyases.