Comparison of the glycosaminoglycans isolated from the skin and head cartilage of Goulds arrow squid (Nototodarus gouldi)

The glycosaminoglycans from the skin and head cartilage of the squid Nototodarus gouldi have been isolated and characterised by constituent disaccharide and neutral sugar analysis, 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, anion exchange and size exclusion chromatography. The glycosaminoglycans from both tissues are chondroitin sulphate species. The skin consists principally of unsulphated but relatively highly glycosylated material. The chondroitin sulphate from the head cartilage is more highly sulphated, predominantly C-4,6diS (chondroitin sulphate E), with a higher molecular weight than the skin derived material but somewhat less highly glycosylated. To provide a standard for the assignment of the 13C NMR spectrum, C-4,6diS was chemically prepared from bovine tracheal chondroitin sulphate. This showed that it is not possible to distinguish between a mixture of the monosulphates, C-4S and C-6S, and the C-4,6diS by one-dimensional and simple two-dimensional 13C NMR techniques.