Enzymic degradation of keratosulphates

1. A multienzyme system capable of degrading keratosulphates to yield galactose, N-acetylglucosamine and sulphate was found in the liver extract of a marine gastropod, Charonia lampas. 2. During the degradation, neither oligosaccharides nor sulphated sugars were produced. 3. It is suggested that the degradation could be attributed to the concerted action of beta-galactosidase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and a sulphatase (sulphohydrolase), tentatively designated keratosulphatase. 4. Two forms of keratosulphatase (I and II) were separated by DEAE-Sephadex column chromatography. Both forms could release all the sulphate from keratosulphates and neither appeared to be identical with glycosulphatase or chondrosulphatase, both of which are also present in Charonia lampas. 5. beta-Galactosidase and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase could degrade keratopolysulphate to a greater extent in the presence of keratosulphatase than in its absence. 6. It is suggested that keratosulphate was first desulphated by the action of keratosulphatase, and the desulphated polymer was then degraded to galactose and N-acetylglucosamine by the action of beta-galactosidase and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase. 7. beta-Galactosidase alone released a small amount of galactose from shark cartilage keratopolysulphate, but beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase alone did not release N-acetylglucosamine. This indicates that unsulphated galactose residues occupy all the non-reducing terminal positions in keratopolysulphate chains.