A chondroitinase that degrades only chondroitin sulphate B was isolated from Flavobacterium heparinum, and separated from a constitutive chondroitinase AC also present in extracts of F. heparinum. The enzyme acts only on chondroitin sulphate B, producing oligo- and tetra-saccharides, plus an unsaturated 4-sulphated disaccharide (deltaDi-4S). The oligosaccharide fraction (mol. wt. 3000) is susceptible to chondroitinase AC, producing mainly deltaDi-4S. The chondroitinase B is distinguished from chondroitinase AC by several properties, such as the effect of certain metal ions, temperature for optimal activity, and susceptibility to increasing salt concentrations. The enzyme is induced in F. heparinum by all the chondroitin sulphates, as well as by the disaccharides prepared from the chondroitins. The mechanism of induction of the enzyme and the structure of chondroitin sulphate B are discussed in relation to these results.
