Hyaluronan Lyase: Proteins and Enzymes

Hyaluronan Lyase from Streptococci agalactiae is highly specific towards hyaluronan and shows much weaker activity towards unsulfated chondroitin sulfate. The enzyme activity is Ca²⁺ dependent. During digestion, the enzyme moves processively along the hyaluronan chains, continuously releasing disaccharide units as it travels. Unlike hyaluronidases, Hyaluronan Lyase digestion of its substrate creates a double bond at the non-reducing terminus of the product; therefore, the digestion progress can be followed by UV spectrometry and the enzyme can be used for hyaluronan quantification. The enzyme is a major pathogenic factor for S. agalactiae which causes serious, often fatal, neonatal infections.