Characterization of Mucoprotein in Bovine Skeletal Muscle

SUMMARY Mucoprotein was isolated from bovine skeletal muscle by extraction with CaCl 2 , and characterized. The results indicate that chondroitin sulfate is the sole mucopolysaccharide present in bovine skeletal muscle. It is linked to a protein that contains the same carbohydrate prosthetic grouping, regardless of method of isolation. This carbohydrate portion contains glucuronic acid, glucosamine, and galactose. It appears that virtually all of the mucopolysaccharide is protein bound. The mucoprotein is acted upon by hyaluronidase, papain, and lysozyme. The complex was non‐heat‐coagulable, a property typical of glycoproteins. A commercial preparation of chondroitin sulfate from bovine tracheal cartilage was also studied. It was found to contain a mucoprotein complex which was similar to that isolated from bovine skeletal muscle.