Acquisition of structural information on glycosaminoglycans by using mass spectrometry

Structural complexity and heterogeneity of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) have troubled biochemists in the research field for many years, thereby the progress of its functional research has long been delayed. Recently, rapid progress in mass spectrometry (MS), especially a tandem MS that can perform MS/MS (MSn) experiments, has lead to its increasing use for structural studies of GAGs. By using MS, though still under research, it is becoming possible to obtain information on not only molecular weights of GAG oligosaccharides but also position of sulfation, epimerization of a uronic acid, and more detail on the oligosaccharide sequence. Further refinement of MS methodology is expected to accelerate biochemical research of GAGs as well their medical applications.