Interaction between Synthetic Polyglucose Sulphate and Biologically Active Basic Polypeptides and Proteins

Abstract

SYNTHETIC polysaccharides can be prepared from simple carbohydrates differing not only in molecular weight but also in degree of branching¹. From such polyglucoses, various charged derivatives can be prepared, for example, a series of sulphuric acid esters with different degrees of sulphonation. The synthetic polysaccharide derivatives provide a system of ‘macro-anions’ the composition, macromolecular and polyelectrolyte properties of which can be altered systematically. Interaction of other kinds of macro-anions with certain proteins and polypeptides had been found to: alter solubility and thus make possible development of new fractionation and preparative methods²; inhibit, often reversibly, a large number of enzymes³; and show some similarity to antigen–antibody precipitation.