Dynamics of hyaluronan oligosaccharides revealed by 15N relaxation

Complex carbohydrates are considered to be flexible biomolecules, yet few experimental techniques are available to characterize their dynamics. In this study, we investigate the potential of 15N relaxation to probe the dynamics of hyaluronan oligosaccharides by adapting approaches previously applied to proteins. Unlike the 13C nucleus, 15N provides considerably enhanced spectral resolution, allowing position-specific information to be measured even in the middle of oligomers as large as decasaccharides. Moreover, isotopic incorporation maintains the 1H-15N group as an isolated spin-pair, allowing relaxation experiments to be performed and interpreted at low concentrations. A methodology is described for calculating the Lipari and Szabo model-free parameters at specific positions in hyaluronan oligomers and is used to produce a dynamic representation for the hexasaccharide. In this model, the glycosidic linkages and acetamido rotamer were determined to deviate by 18 degrees and 24 degrees from their mean positions, respectively. This approach allows the dynamic structural characterization of hyaluronan and other nitrogen-containing carbohydrates. The resultant models provide crucial insights into the physical properties and biology of these flexible molecules, which are at present poorly understood.