Studies on the protein-bound chondroitin sulphate of bovine cortical bone.

A fraction containing chondroitin sulphate, isolated from bovine cortical bone under mild conditions, was separated by ion-exchange chromatography into three fractions with apparent homogeneity on electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation. Two of these appeared to consist of chondroitin sulphate bound to a glycoprotein ;core' that had similarities to the bone sialoprotein described previously. The differences in composition of the two fractions were considered to be due to variation in the number or lengths of the polysaccharide chains. The presence of xylose and the alkali-lability of the bond between protein and polysaccharide suggested the presence of a xylosylserine linkage. The third fraction had the properties of a relatively pure chondroitin sulphate which contained a small amount of peptide. These fractions differed considerably from the protein-polysaccharide complexes of epiphysial and other cartilages, and their relevance to the possible role of glycosaminoglycans is discussed.