Heparinase II from Flavobacterium heparinum. Action on chemically modified heparins

Five chemically modified heparins were derived from native pig mucosal heparin (pig heparin Is). These were de-N-sulphated heparin (heparin IH), N-acetylheparin (heparin IA), de-N/O-sulphated heparin (heparin IVH), de-O-sulphated heparin (heparin IVs) and de-O-sulphated N-acetyl-heparin (heparin IVA). Their structures were studied by 13C-NMR spectroscopy at 90.56 MHz. Native heparin and the derivatives were incubated with Flavobacterium heparinase II at 25 degrees C. The progress of degradation was followed by the delta A235 and the final composition examined by gel filtration with Bio-Gel P-4. Native heparin (Is) was readily degraded by heparinase II and, with the exception of heparin IVH for which degradation was negligible, the chemically modified derivatives were also degraded. Approximately 90% of the saccharides from heparins Is, IA, IVs and IVA were disaccharides and tetrasaccharides. For heparin IH, which was degraded more slowly, the proportion was 65%. Heparins Is, IVs and IVA underwent initial rapid degradation. The digestion of heparin Ia proceeded rapidly after an initial lag phase. The undegraded polymers produced similar elution profiles from Bio-Gel P-4. Following the action of heparinase II on heparins Is, IA, IVs and IVA, the elution profiles revealed a major peak of disaccharides and minor peaks of higher oligomers. The profile of heparin IH revealed a greater proportion of intermediate-molecular-mass saccharides. Our results demonstrate a broad specificity for heparinase II. It is capable of lysing both N-acetylated and N-sulphated heparins independent of O-sulphation. Heparinase II will also degrade heparin derivatives that are non-N-substituted provided that they are O-sulphated.