Improved rapid method for the isolation, purification and identification of collagen glycosides

An updated method for obtaining purified glucosylgalactosyl hydroxylysine (Glc-Gal-Hyl) is presented. Marine sponge is subjected to alkaline hydrolysis followed by ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Identification is confirmed by consecutive mild acid hydrolysis of the extract to produce galactosyl hydroxylysine (Gal-Hyl) and hydroxylysine (Hyl). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPCL) with a sodium acetate-acetonitrile buffer and dabsyl chloride as the derivatizing agent demonstrated the purity of the extract and its hydrolyzates. Glc-Gal-Hyl is not commercially available but this easy and efficient method can provide large amounts of it for collagen metabolism studies.