Polypeptide-polysaccharide conjugates produced by spontaneous non-enzymatic glycation.
A fundamental dogma has developed over the past 20 years that non-enzymatic glycation involving saccharide chains of greater than 3 to 4 residues is an extremely unlikely reaction. Our investigations using glycosaminoglycans have shown that, given sufficient time, polypeptide-polysaccharide conjugates form via the Schiff base-Amadori rearrangement mechanism. Further, even though these straight chain polysaccharides are relatively charged and sterically hindered, spontaneous glycation can also occur in vivo. A complete reinvestigation of all aldose terminating polysaccharides is required to elucidate this new class of macromolecules, which is likely to contain unusual polypeptide-polysaccharide combinations and functions.
Department of Paediatrics, McMaster University and Hamilton Civic Hospitals Research Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, L8V 1C3, Canada.
L
L
Berry
A K
AK
Chuen
M
M
Andrew
D000818:Animals; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000737:chemistry; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000737:chemistry; D006031:Glycosylation; D006493:Heparin / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry*; D011817:Rabbits; D012545:Schiff Bases / Q000737:chemistry
D000925:Anticoagulants; D006020:Glycopeptides; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D010455:Peptides; D011134:Polysaccharides; D012545:Schiff Bases; D006493:Heparin