Studies of lectin-carbohydrate interactions by quantitative affinity chromatography: systems with galactose and ovalbumin as saccharidic ligand

The potential of affinity chromatography for characterizing lectin-carbohydrate interactions is investigated. First, the effect of galactose on the chromatographic behavior of Ricinus communis phytohemagglutinin on Sepharose 4B is used to establish that quantitative affinity chromatography on polysaccharide matrices affords an unequivocal means of characterizing the interactions of lectins with monosaccharides in solution. Second, a method of characterizing lectin-glycoprotein interactions by affinity chromatography is illustrated in an experimental study with Sephadex G-50 as affinity matrix for examination of the interaction between concanavalin A and ovalbumin. Third, although no general solution to the problem of ligand multivalency in quantitative affinity chromatography has been found, an experimental protocol has been devised for the situation in which the partitioning solute (lectin) is univalent.     

Purification and properties of pig kidney glutamate dehydrogenase.

Glutamate dehydrogenase from pig kidney has been purified to homogeneity by means of affinity chromatography on matrix bound Cibacron Blue F3G-A and gel chromatography on Sepharose 6B. The enzyme exhibits allosteric properties with the substrates alpha-ketoglutarate, ammonium, and NADH, respectively. GTP is a strong inhibitor which strengthened the cooperative interactions between the ammonium binding sites. ADP as an activator relieves the inhibition by GTP. Like glutamate dehydrogenase from bovine liver, glutamate dehydrogenase from pig kidney shows the ability of self-association, too. The sedimentation coefficient increases from 13.5 S at 0.07 mg protein/ml to 19.4 S at 1.32 mg protein/ml. In the sodium dodecylsulphate gel electrophoresis the enzyme migrates as a single band with a molecular-weight at 51000.     

Further probes into quantitative aspects of competitive binding assays: allowance for effects of antigen multivalency in immunoassays

Effects of antigen multivalency on procedures for the analysis of immunoassays are examined on the basis of a theoretical expression developed in the context of quantitative affinity chromatography [Nichol, L. W., Ward, L. D., and Winzor, D. J. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 4856-4860] but which is also pertinent to antigen-antibody interactions that may be described in terms of a single intrinsic association constant. Quantitative relationships are generated which provide the basis for more rigorous logit-log analyses of radioimmunoassays in which the antigen is multivalent, and an additional, theoretically superior, linear transform of the basic expression is developed. Simulated binding data for a tetravalent antigen system are then used to demonstrate the curvilinearity of the conventional Scatchard plot for such a system despite the homogeneity of binding sites, and the application of the various linear transforms involving logarithmic functions. Of particular interest in that regard is the observation that the traditional logit-log analyses yield linear plots with the predicted slope of unity even though antigen univalence is an implicit assumption in their application. Results obtained in a solid-phase radioimmunoassay of triiodothyronine are then presented to provide, for that system at least, experimental justification of the above-mentioned assumption that the antibody-antigen interactions may be described in terms of a single intrinsic association constant. Finally, an enzyme-linked immunoassay of ferritin is used to illustrate the possibility that a linear Scatchard plot may be obtained with a multivalent antigen under conditions where steric factors restrict participation of an antigen molecule to a single interaction with immobilized antibody.     

Hydrophobic agaroses: basis for a model of multivalent effector-receptor interactions.

An increase in the density of butyl residues bound to Sepharose 4B leads to an enhancement of the affinity of these gels for phosphorylase b in the presence of 1.1M ammonium sulfate. A Hill coefficient of 2.9 indicates that a minimum of ca. 3 binding sites is involved in the positive cooperative adsorption of this enzyme. Binding studies of phosphorylase b on butyl-Sepharose of a specific degree of substitution demonstrate that the affinity of the gel for this ligand decreases as a function of fractional saturation. A Hill coefficient of 0.44 indicates negative cooperativity as a result of multivalent binding. From these observations a multivalent, mobile receptor model is derived which can explain such characteristics of effector-receptor interactions as: positive and negative cooperativity, high binding constants and low dissociation rate constants. The application of this model to experiments taken from the literature on the binding of the multivalent effectors concanavalin A and cholera toxin to fat cells shows that the postulated mode of interactions is probably realized in nature.     

Variations in binding affinities of the peripheral nicotinic acetylcholine receptor can be attributed to endogenous acetylcholine

Equilibrium binding studies performed with fresh membrane fragments from Torpedo marmorata reveal a low affinity for [3H]acetylcholine with an equilibrium dissociation constant in the micromolar range and no indication of cooperative interactions. The low binding affinity is an artifact caused by the presence of endogenous acetylcholine and is not related to the active conformation of the receptor. Endogenous acetylcholine is identified by its interaction with acetylcholine esterase and choline kinase. It is present in presynaptic vesicles as shown in electron micrographs. Leakage of these synaptosomes is of the order of 300 pmol acetylcholine per g tissue as determined by means of binding studies performed with [3H]acetylcholine. In the absence of endogenous acetylcholine, equilibrium binding studies show a high affinity for [3H]acetylcholine and a slight cooperativity of sites (K1D = 30nM; K2D = 10nM). The addition of detergents, local anesthetics or alcohols to a further increase in affinity and to a decrease in cooperativity (K1D = 11nM; K2D = 5nM). No low-affinity binding can be detected in the micromolar range.     

Evaluation of equilibrium constants by affinity chromatography

Theoretical expressions are derived for affinity chromatography of systems comprising an acceptor A with one binding site for attachment to a functional group X on the column matrix and one site for interaction with a small ligand B that specifically affects its elution. From a general relationship covering all possible interactions between A, B and X simpler expressions are derived for affinity systems in which only two equilibria operate. Methods are suggested whereby these simpler systems may be characterized in terms of the two pertinent equilibrium constants and the concentration of matrix-bound constituent. The means by which the theory may be adapted to affinity chromatography of acceptors with multiple binding sites for ligand is also illustrated. Results of partition experiments on the Sephadex G-100-lysozyme-d-glucose system in acetate-chloride buffer (I=0.17m), pH5.4, are used to demonstrate the feasibility of evaluating quantitatively affinity-chromatography interactions. Values of 30m(-1) and 1.2x10(6)m(-1) are obtained for the equilibrium constants for the reactions of lysozyme with glucose and Sephadex respectively, there being only an occasional binding site in the polysaccharide matrix (approximately 1 in 10(5) glucose residues). In a second experimental study the phytohaemagglutinin from Ricinus communis is subjected to frontal chromatography on Sepharose 4B in the presence of different concentrations of d-galactose, the results illustrating some of the difficulties and limitations that are likely to be encountered in quantitative studies of affinity-chromatographic systems.     

Optimisation of conditions for the affinity chromatography of human enterokinase on immobilised p-aminobenzamidine. Improvement of the preparative procedure by inclusion of negative affinity chromatography with glycylglycyl-aniline.

The affinity chromatography of human enterokinase using p-aminobenzamidine as the ligand [Grant, D.A.W. & Hermon-Taylor, J. (1976) Biochem. J. 155, 243-254] has been reassessed and the optimal conditions for the synthesis and operation of the derivatised gel defined. Satisfactory adsorbants were only produced using high concentrations of both CNBr and spacer-arm in the initial coupling slurry. Under these conditions it seemed likely that the majority of the ligand in a sterically favourable position to bind enterokinase was on the external surface of the bead. Trypsin binding to the adsorbant was not so critically dependent on the synthetic conditions and correlated closely with the degree of substitution. Dilution of the adsorbant with unlabelled Sepharose 4B indicated that there was more than one binding site per enterokinase molecule. The highest affinity was presumably for the active site, with adsorption supported by secondary interactions with spacer-arm or gel matrix not necessarily on the same bead. Maximal resolution was obtained by prolonged washing of the gel after loading; two populations of intestinal aminopeptidase were identified. Substitution of aniline for p-aminobenzamidine abolished specific enterokinase adsorption and improved the purification procedure by further removal of onon-specifically adsorbed contaminants.     

Affinity chromatography of serine proteases on the triazine dye ligand Cibacron Blue F3G-A

The interaction between complement component factor B and the triazine dye ligand Cibacron Blue F3G-A coupled to a cross-linked agarose matrix (Blue Sepharose) was found to involve the Bb part of the molecule, and to be inhibited by benzamidine. Human, chicken and rainbow trout factor B which had bound to Blue Sepharose could subsequently be eluted with benzamidine. Other serine proteases (C2, factor II, factor IX, trypsin, chymotrypsin, proteinase 3) also bound to Blue Sepharose but only those belonging to the trypsin family could be eluted with benzamidine. Trypsin treated with the active-site inhibitor phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride did not bind to Blue Sepharose and pretreatment of Blue Sepharose with benzamidine did not influence binding of proteases. We conclude that trypsin-like serine proteases can be purified on Blue Sepharose and that the interaction of these serine proteases with Blue Sepharose involves the active site of the enzyme.     

5'-N-ethylcarboxamido [3H] adenosine binding sites of mouse P815 mastocytoma cell membranes: solubilization and partial purification by affinity chromatography

A 5'-N-ethylcarboxamido[3H]adenosine ([3H]NECA) binding site of mouse mastocytoma P815 cell membranes has been purified approximately 100-fold by affinity chromatography. This adenosine binding site, which has a similar specificity to that of the A2 adenosine receptor, was absorbed on NECA-linked Sepharose 6B and eluted with NECA. The adsorption of the [3H]NECA binding site to the affinity matrix was specifically blocked by NECA. The [3H]NECA binding site bound on the affinity matrix was also specifically eluted by NECA. This affinity matrix adsorbed approximately 90% of the digitonin-solubilized [3H]NECA binding activity applied, and after the gel was washed, 30-50% of the adsorbed binding activity could be eluted with 500 microM NECA with specific binding activity of 50-70 pmol/mg of protein. The affinity-purified [3H]NECA binding site retained the same ligand binding specificities as the original membrane preparation. The results indicate that the NECA-Sepharose Sepharose 6B should provide a powerful tool for the eventual purification of [3H]NECA binding sites of P815 cell membranes.     

Affinity chromatography of the D1 dopamine receptor from rat corpus striatum

The D1 dopamine receptor from rat corpus striatum has been purified 200-250-fold by using a newly developed biospecific affinity chromatography matrix based on a derivative of the D1 selective antagonist SCH 23390. This compound, (RS)-5-(4-aminophenyl)-8-chloro-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-methyl-1H-3-benz azepin-7-o l (SCH 39111), possesses high affinity for the D1 receptor and, when immobilized on Sepharose 6B through an extended spacer arm, was able to adsorb digitonin-solubilized D1 receptors. The interaction between the solubilized receptor and the affinity matrix was biospecific. Adsorption of receptor activity could be blocked in a stereoselective fashion [SCH 23390 greater than SCH 23388; (+)-butaclamol greater than (-)-butaclamol]. The elution of [3H]SCH 23390 activity from the gel demonstrated similar stereoselectivity for antagonist ligands. Agonists eluted receptor activity with a rank order of potency consistent with that of a D1 receptor [apomorphine greater than dopamine greater than (-)-epinephrine much greater than LY 171555 greater than serotonin]. SCH 39111-Sepharose absorbed 75-85% of the soluble receptor activity, and after the gel was washed extensively, 35-55% of the absorbed receptor activity could be eluted with 100 microM (+)-butaclamol with specific activities ranging from 250 to 450 pmol/mg of protein. The affinity-purified receptor retains the ligand binding characteristics of a D1 dopamine receptor. This affinity chromatography procedure should prove valuable in the isolation and molecular characterization of the D1 dopamine receptor.     

Solubilization and partial purification of GABAB receptor from bovine brain

gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)B receptor has been solubilized and partially purified by an affinity column chromatography. GABAB receptor was solubilized by 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS) in the presence of asolectin. The solubilized GABAB receptor was adsorbed on baclofen-coupled epoxy-activated Sepharose 6B. The affinity matrix adsorbed 80% of the solubilized [3H]GABA binding activity to GABAB receptor, and approximately 75% of the adsorbed activity could be eluted with 1 M KC1. GABAB receptor binding in the fraction eluted from affinity column was displaced by GABA, baclofen and 2-hydroxy saclofen in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the purified GABAB receptor showed approximately 2800-fold purification as compared with the original solubilized fraction and possessed the specific binding activity of 17.68 p mol/mg of protein. This binding consisted of a single binding site with a dissociation constant of 64.4 nM. The present results indicate that affinity column chromatographic procedures using baclofen-coupled epoxy-activated Sepharose 6B are suitable for the partial purification of GABAB receptor from cerebral tissues.     

Comparative studies of the binding of some ligands to human serum albumin non-covalently attached to immobilized Cibacron Blue, or covalently immobilized on Sepharose, by column affinity chromatography.

A comparative study of the ligand-binding properties of human serum albumin was performed by the technique of affinity chromatography with the protein attached to immobilized Cibacron Blue F3GA (Blue Sepharose), or covalently immobilized on Sepharose. The binding strength of octanoate, decanoate and dodecanoate is much weaker when human serum albumin is attached to immobilized Cibacron Blue, indicating that the binding sites for fatty acids are involved in the attachment of human serum albumin to immobilized Cibacron Blue. The results revealed additional alterations of the ligand binding when human serum albumin was attached to immobilized Cibacron Blue, involving sites outside of the binding domains of fatty acids. Thus the stereoselective binding of L-tryptophan was abolished, and the resolution of the warfarin enantiomers was impaired. However, the binding strength of warfarin and salicylic acid was rather close to the values observed with human serum albumin covalently immobilized on Sepharose. It is suggested that the availability of the binding sites for L-tryptophan, warfarin and salicylic acid is partially blocked by the complex between albumin and the dye without direct participation in the complex-formation. An alternative interpretation involves an allosteric mechanism brought about by complex-formation between serum albumin and the immobilized Cibacron Blue.     

Complete purification and characterization of alpha-3-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase encoded by the human blood group A gene

Human alpha-3-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase has been purified 27,000,000-fold from A1 plasma by (NH4)2SO4 fractionation and affinity chromatography on Sepharose 4B, anti-human group O plasma antibodies-Sepharose 4B, and Blue Dextran-Sephadex G-25. A modified procedure in the Sepharose 4B step was developed by batch adsorption and desorption experiments. Cibacron Blue F3G-A, the chromophore of Blue Dextran, was found to bind to the enzyme. UDP is an effective inhibitor of this binding. The pure transferase has an apparent molecular weight of 35,000 as judged by SDS-PAGE in the presence of a reducing agent. The specific activity is 16 pmol/min.ng enzyme, which is comparable to that (30 pmol/min.ng enzyme) of alpha-3-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase from porcine submaxillary glands [Schwyzer and Hill (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 2338-2355]. The apparent Km values for UDP-GalNAc, 2'-fucosyllactose, and lacto-N-fucopentaose I are 13, 270, and 350 microM, respectively. The reaction velocity was found to fall off again at high concentrations of oligosaccharide acceptor substrates. The apparent Ki values for UDP and UDP-galactose are 8.6 and 6.2 microM, respectively. The pure enzyme also catalyzes the transfer of galactose in alpha-linkage to 2'-fucosyllactose though the transfer rate of galactose is much lower than that of N-acetylgalactosamine.     

Importance of specific nucleotides in the folding of the natural form of the hairpin ribozyme

The hairpin ribozyme in its natural context consists of two loops in RNA duplexes that are connected as arms of a four-way helical junction. Magnesium ions induce folding into the active conformation in which the two loops are in proximity. In this study, we have investigated nucleotides that are important to this folding process. We have analyzed the folding in terms of the cooperativity and apparent affinity for magnesium ions as a function of changes in base sequence and functional groups, using fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Our results suggest that the interaction between the loops is the sum of a number of component interactions. Some sequence variants such as A10U, G+1A, and C25U exhibit loss of cooperativity and reduced affinity of apparent magnesium ion binding. These variants are also very impaired in ribozyme cleavage activity. Nucleotides A10, G+1, and C25 thus appear to be essential in creating the conformational environment necessary for ion binding. The double variant G+1A/C25U exhibits a marked recovery of both folding and catalytic activity compared to either individual variant, consistent with the proposal of a triple-base interaction among A9, G+1, and C25 [Pinard, R., Lambert, D., Walter, N. G., Heckman, J. E., Major, F., and Burke, J. M. (1999) Biochemistry 38, 16035-16039]. However, substitution of A9 leads to relatively small changes in folding properties and cleavage activity, and the double variant G+1DAP/C25U (DAP is 2,6-diaminopurine), which could form an isosteric triple-base interaction, exhibits folding and cleavage activities that are both very impaired compared to those of the natural sequence. Our results indicate an important role for a Watson--Crick base pair between G+1 and C25; this may be buttressed by an interaction with A9, but the loss of this has less significant consequences for folding. 2'-Deoxyribose substitution leads to folding with reduced magnesium ion affinity in the following order: unmodified RNA > dA9 > dA10 > dC25 approximately dA10 plus dC25. The results are interpreted in terms of an interaction between the ribose ring of C25 and the ribose and base of A10, in agreement with the proposal of Ryder and Strobel [Ryder, S. P., and Strobel, S. A. (1999) J. Mol. Biol. 291, 295-311]. In general, there is a correlation between the ability to undergo ion-induced folding and the rate of ribozyme cleavage. An exception to this is provided by G8, for which substitution with uridine leads to severe impairment of cleavage but folding characteristics that are virtually unaltered from those of the natural species. This is consistent with a direct role for the nucleobase of G8 in the chemistry of cleavage.     

电泳亲和色谱技术分离蛋白质

亲和色谱利用亲和配体与目标组分间的特异性结合作用实现对目标组分的纯化,该分离方法分辨率高,在生物物质的分析和分离领域得到日益广泛的应用［１］。亲和色谱在分离过程每一步操作中,液相主体中的溶质分子必须经过一系列扩散过程才能进入到固定相颗粒孔内完成吸附或...     

Suppression of Kinetic AMP Cooperativity of Fructose-1,6-Bisphosphatase by Carbamoylation of Lysine 50

Selective treatment of pig kidney fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase with cyanate leads to the formation of an active carbamoylated derivative that shows no cooperative interaction between the AMP-binding sites, but completely retains the sensitivity to the inhibitor. By an exhaustive carbamoylation of the enzyme a derivative is formed that has a complete loss of cooperativity and a decrease of sensitivity to AMP. It was proposed that the observed changes of allosteric properties were due to the chemical modification of two lysine residues per enzyme subunit [Slebe et al. (1983), J. Protein Chem. 2, 437–443]. Studies of the temperature dependence of AMP sensitivity and the interaction with Cibacron Blue Sepharose of carbamoylated fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase derivatives indicate that the lysine residue involved in AMP sensitivity is located at the allosteric AMP site, while the lysine residue involved in AMP cooperativity is at a distinct location. Using [¹⁴C]cyanate, we identified both lysine residues in the primary structure of the enzyme; Lys50 is essential for AMP cooperativity and Lys112 appears to be the reactive residue involved in the AMP sensitivity. According to the fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase crystal structure, Lys50 is strategically positioned at the C1–C2 interface, near the molecular center of the tetramer, and Lys112 is in the AMP-binding site. The results reported here, combined with the structural data of the enzyme, strongly suggest that the C1ndash;C2 interface is critical for the propagation of the allosteric signal among the AMP sites on different subunits.     

Determination of binding constants of lipopolysaccharides of different structure with chitosan

The interaction of endotoxins--lipopolysaccharides (LPS) different in degree of the O-specific chain polymerization--with 20- and 130-kD chitosan was studied using the competitive binding of LPS with the complex of chitosan-anionic dye (tropaeolin 000-2) and the direct binding of (125)I-labeled LPS with chitosan immobilized on Sepharose 4B. The interaction of 20-kD chitosan with LPS was non-cooperative, and immobilization of the polycation on Sepharose resulted in its binding to (125)I-labeled LPS with a positive cooperativity. The interaction of LPS possessing a long O-specific chain with 130-kD chitosan was characterized by negative cooperativity. Binding constants of LPS with the polycation and the number of binding sites per amino group of chitosan were determined. The interaction affinity and stoichiometry of the LPS-chitosan complexes significantly depend on the LPS structure and concentration in the reaction mixture. The increase in the length of carbohydrate chains of LPS results in increase in the binding constants and decrease in the bound endotoxin amount.     

Interactions of contractile proteins with free and immobilized cibacron Blue F3GA.

Differential binding of contractile proteins from skeletal muscle to Cibacron Blue F3GA-Sepharose affinity columns provides the basis for a new purification technique. Myosin subfragments bind at low ionic strength and are eluted by high salt (e.g., 1.5 m NaCl). Myosin light chain 2 also binds at low ionic strength, whereas light chain 1 is only partially retarded and light chain 3 does not bind. Myosin's marginal solubility in the low-salt buffers required for binding renders it unsuitable for Blue Sepharose chromatography. Neither G-actin nor F-actin bind. Crude preparations of myosin subfragment-1 or light chains undergo significant purification upon Blue Sepharose chromatography. Nee free chromophore inhibits the ATPase activities of myosin and actomyosin at micromolar dye concentrations, whereas the binding of subfragment-1 to actin (in myofibrils) and the tension of glycerinated fibers are inhibited at millimolar dye concentrations. The dye binds at multiple sites on myosin, and inhibits its actomyosin ATPase both competitively and uncompetitively.     

Modifications of bovine prothrombin fragment 1 in the presence and absence of Ca(II) ions. Loss of positive cooperativity in Ca(II) ion binding for the modified proteins.

Chemical modification of bovine prothrombin fragment 1 according to the procedure of D. J. Welsch and G. L. Nelsestuen (1988) [Biochemistry 27, 4946-4952 and ealier papers] provided a series of fragment 1 derivatives in which various nitrogen-containing side chains were N-acetylated and/or N-2,4,6-trinitrophenylated. In addition the des-[Ala-1,Asn-2]- and des-[Ala-1,Asn-2,Lys-3]-fragment 1 derivatives were prepared by limited enzymatic hydrolysis of fragment 1 using cathepsin C and plasmin, respectively. Quantitative studies on the Ca(II) binding of these proteins have been accomplished using 45Ca(II) equilibrium dialysis. Binding of these fragment 1 derivatives to phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylcholine (PS/PC) vesicles (25:75) in the presence of Ca(II) ions has been studied using the light-scattering technique. Acylation of the 5 lysine residues of fragment 1 by the action of acetic anhydride (500-fold molar excess) in the presence of 75 mM Ca(II), pH 8.0, results in loss of positive cooperativity in Ca(II) binding (Scatchard plot) and an increase in the number of Ca(II) ions bound. The Ca(II)-dependent PS/PC binding of the acylated protein is reduced. Removal of 2 and 3 residues from the amino terminus likewise leads to loss of positive cooperativity in Ca(II) binding and reduced binding affinity to PS/PC vesicles. The important role of the amino-terminal 1-10 sequence is discussed. We conclude that positive cooperativity in Ca(II) binding is not a prerequisite for the Ca(II)-dependent binding of bovine prothrombin fragment 1 to PS/PC vesicles.     

A study of the interaction between cartilage proteoglycan and link protein.

The interaction between proteoglycan and link protein extracted from bovine articular cartilage (15-18-month-old animals) was investigated in 0.5 M-guanidinium chloride. The proteoglycans, radiolabelled as the aggregate (A1 fraction), were fractionated by two 'dissociative' density-gradient centrifugations (A1D1D1) followed by a rate-zonal centrifugation (S1) to yield an A1D1D1S1 preparation. At least 65% of these proteoglycans were able to bind to hyaluronate, but only 52% were able to bind to link protein as assessed by chromatography on Sepharose CL-2B. Over 80% of the [3H]link-protein preparation, radiolabelled as the aggregate, was able to interact with proteoglycan as assessed by chromatography on Sepharose CL-4B. Equilibrium-boundary-centrifugation studies performed at low link-protein concentrations (2.42 x 10(-9) M-5.93 x 10(-8) M) were analysed by Scatchard-type plots and indicated a Kd of 1.5 x 10(-8) M and a stoichiometry, n = 0.56, i.e. approx. 56% of those proteoglycans capable of binding to link protein had a strong site for link protein if a 1:1 stoichiometry were assumed. However, experiments performed at higher link-protein concentrations (3.5 x 10(-7) M and 8 x 10(-7) M) yielded stoichiometry values which were link-protein-concentration-dependent. Non-equilibrium binding studies using chromatography on Sepharose CL-2B and rate-zonal centrifugation yielded apparent stoichiometries between 0.6 and 7.5 link-protein molecules per proteoglycan monomer as a function of increasing link-protein concentration. It was concluded that a proportion of the proteoglycan molecules had a strong site for binding a single link protein (Kd 1.5 x 10(-8) M) and that at high link-protein concentrations a weaker, open-ended, process of link-protein self-association nucleated upon the strong link-protein-proteoglycan complex occurred. Hyaluronate oligosaccharides appeared to abolish a proportion of this self-association (as observed by Bonnet, Dunham & Hardingham [(1985) Biochem. J. 228, 77-85] in a study of link-protein-hyaluronate-oligosaccharide interactions) so as to leave a link protein:proteoglycan stoichiometry of 2. It is not clear whether this second link-protein molecule binds directly to the proteoglycan or to the first link protein.