Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
11:49
Sequencing of Plant Wall Heteroxylans Using Enzymic, Chemical (Methylation) and Physical (Mass Spectrometry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) Techniques
Published on: March 24, 2016
On-line separation and characterization of hyaluronan oligosaccharides derived from radical depolymerization
Xue Zhao1, Bo Yang, Lingyun Li
1Department of Food Science and Technology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
Carbohydrate Polymers
|June 18, 2013
Summary
This study details how hydroxyl radicals damage the polysaccharide hyaluronan. A new method identifies resulting oligosaccharides, offering a way to detect oxidative damage to hyaluronan.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Carbohydrate Chemistry
- Oxidative Stress
Background:
- Hydroxyl radicals cause significant damage to carbohydrates in biological and industrial settings.
- Oxidation of polysaccharides like hyaluronan leads to structural changes and functional impairment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the radical depolymerization of hyaluronan induced by hydroxyl radicals.
- To develop a method for isolating and identifying oligosaccharide products from this oxidative process.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Fenton Chemistry to generate hydroxyl radicals for reacting with hyaluronan.
- Employed ion-pairing reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (IP-RP-HPLC) coupled with tandem electrospray mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for analysis.
Main Results:
- Successfully isolated and identified non-sulfated hyaluronan oligosaccharides resulting from oxidative depolymerization.
- Determined the sequences of saturated oligosaccharides with varying saccharide unit numbers.
Conclusions:
- Established a simple and effective 'fingerprinting' protocol for detecting oxidative damage to hyaluronan.
- This method aids in understanding the biological consequences of reactive-oxygen radical-mediated hyaluronan depolymerization.
