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Methods in
Molecular Biology 2303
Kuberan Balagurunathan
Hiroshi Nakato
Umesh Desai
Yukio Saijoh Editors
Glycosamino-
glycans
Methods and Protocols
Second Edition
METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
Series Editor
John M. Walker
School of Life and Medical Sciences
University of Hertfordshire
Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK
Second Edition
Edited by
Kuberan Balagurunathan
Departments of Biology, Bioengineering, and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah,
Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Hiroshi Nakato
Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis,
MN, USA
Umesh Desai
Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery
and Development, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
Yukio Saijoh
Department of Neurobiology & Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology,
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Editors
Kuberan Balagurunathan Hiroshi Nakato
Departments of Biology Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development
Bioengineering, and Medicinal University of Minnesota
Chemistry Minneapolis, MN, USA
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Cover Caption: Drosophila ovary, one of the best model systems for the study of the stem cell niche where
glycosaminoglycans play major roles. Green color shows expression of Dally, a Drosophila glypican.
This Humana imprint is published by the registered company Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer
Nature.
The registered company address is: 1 New York Plaza, New York, NY 10004, U.S.A.
Dedication
v
Preface
It is fast becoming clear that glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are nature’s “go-to tools.” Nature
tends to use GAGs to bring protein ligands and receptors together, alter protein conforma-
tion, effect internalization of ligands into cells, stabilize proteins and signaling complexes,
prevent protein aggregation, and, quite simply, sequester cations and water. Interestingly,
each of the six types of GAGs, e.g., heparan sulfate, heparin, chondroitin sulfate, dermatan
sulfate, keratan sulfate, and hyaluronic acid, play these fundamental roles to different
extents. Thus, distinct GAGs have been found to play critical roles in numerous physiologic
or pathologic responses. For example, heparin is most associated with modulation of
hemostasis, whereas heparan sulfate, in its proteoglycan form, is associated with growth
and morphogenesis. Likewise, chondroitin sulfate is most associated with osteoarthritis. Yet,
GAGs contribute to many specific biologic responses such as neurogenesis, stem cell
differentiation, left-right axis induction, synaptic plasticity, and bacterial/viral infections
among others. Much remains to be understood about the role of GAGs in these processes;
specifically, the molecular and structural mechanisms at play, the selectivity of recognition,
and the therapeutic and diagnostic potential.
The first edition of this volume in 2015 brought together a range of scientific disci-
plines, including developmental biology, chemical biology, organic synthesis, structural
biology, biochemistry, cell signaling, drug discovery, stem cell biology, tissue engineering,
bioinformatics, and computational glycobiology, to understand and disseminate the value of
GAGs in biology. The volume proved to be very useful as judged by the number of down-
loads and citations. In this volume, we capitalize on the gains made earlier and offer more
than 30 new and significantly revised chapters that update the content as we understand
today. We continue to emphasize and expand upon prior knowledge on the structural
analysis of GAGs; chemical and enzymatic synthesis of GAGs; biophysical, biochemical,
and computational analysis of GAG–protein interactions; molecular, genetic, and imaging
approaches for understanding and manipulating GAG cell biology; biomedical applications
of GAGs; and molecular and genetic approaches involving animal models and organoids.
This volume also retains the primary goal of offering insight and guidance to
non-glycoscience researchers undertaking advanced experiments on GAGs. Considering
the difficulty experienced by many researchers with tools and techniques of the glycoscience
trade, we have made it a point to incorporate suggestions and technical notes/tips on
successful performance of experiments—one of our high priority areas. This should enhance
the value of this volume even more to the practicing researchers including graduate students
and postdoctoral fellows. At the same time, the sheer breadth of the field should also help
practicing GAGologist learn tricks of the trade in a related area, e.g., a synthetic chemist
learning biophysical analysis.
We also dedicate this volume to Professor Robert D. Rosenberg, a mentor to one of the
editors (KB) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who passed away on April
01, 2020. Professor Rosenberg was a stalwart in GAG studies, especially the antithrom-
bin–heparin system. Starting from purifying human antithrombin from plasma, his group
elucidated the mechanism of anticoagulation by heparin, derived the critical heparin
sequence that binds to antithrombin, led the isolation and characterization of GAG biosyn-
thetic enzymes, and elucidated the biosynthetic pathway of heparin anticoagulants. He was
vii
viii Preface
truly an exemplary mentor and researcher who trained numerous postdoctoral fellows and
enabled many of his trainees including physicians choose the field of GAGs as a primary
research topic in their career worldwide.
Overall, this volume should serve as a very useful experimental manual for cutting-edge
methodologies and practical tips to overcome barriers in understanding the chemistry and
biology of GAGs.
Dedication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Contributors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv
ix
x Contents
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 821
Contributors
xv
xvi Contributors
JIE SHI CHUA • Departments of Biology, Bioengineering, & Medicinal Chemistry, University
of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
LESLIE K. CORTES • Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA;
Scholar Rock, Cambridge, MA, USA
MAURICIO CORTES • Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA;
Cellarity, Cambridge, MA, USA
BRETT RONALD CUTLER • Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, College of
Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
ANDERS DAGA€ LV • Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life
Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
ANTHONY J. DAY • Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Faculty of Life Sciences,
University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
JOSÉ L. DE PAZ • Glycosystems Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones Quı́micas (IIQ),
cicCartuja, CSIC and Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
UMESH DESAI • Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Institute for Structural Biology,
Drug Discovery and Development, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA,
USA
TABEA DIERKER • Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life
Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
AMIT K. DUTTA • Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of
Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
HIDEO EGAWA • Department of Bioinformatics, Graduate School of Engineering, Soka
University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
ULF ELLERVIK • Department of Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
JANE R. ENGLER • Department of Neurological Surgery, Brain Tumor Research Center,
Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA,
USA
INGER ERIKSSON • Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life
Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
JOHN FAULKNER • Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology, Morsani College of
Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
BEATA FILIPEK-GÓRNIOK • Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for
Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
SIMON J. FOULCER • Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute,
Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
LEWIS J. FREY • Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Medical
University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
LI FU • Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute, Troy, NY, USA
DAVID GAILANI • Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt
University, Nashville, TN, USA
VARUN GARG • Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA;
Department of Bioengineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
FRANZ GOLLER • School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA;
Institute of Zoophysiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
EVELYNE GOUT • Université Grenoble Alpes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique,
and Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Institut de Biologie
Structurale, UMR 5075, Grenoble, France
Contributors xvii
THAO KIM NU NGUYEN • Faculty of Biology, VNU University of Science, Vietnam National
University, Hanoi, Vietnam
HADI TAVAKOLI NIA • Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston,
MA, USA
PEDRO M. NIETO • Glycosystems Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones Quı́micas (IIQ),
cicCartuja, CSIC and Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
MAHNAZ NIKPOUR • Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine,
Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
JONAS NILSSON • Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska
Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Laboratory of Clinical
Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
SHOKO NISHIHARA • Department of Bioinformatics, Graduate School of Engineering, Soka
University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan; Glycan & Life System Integration Center (GaLSIC),
Soka University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
FREDRIK NOBORN • Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine,
Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
CHRISTINE ORTIZ • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
HAYATO OTA • Department of Bioinformatics, Graduate School of Engineering, Soka
University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
PYONG WOO PARK • Division of Respiratory Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard
Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School,
Boston, MA, USA
SEUL-KI PARK • Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, Molecular Medicine
Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
SUNGJIN PARK • Department of Neurobiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
ALBERTO PASSI • Department of Surgical and Morphological Sciences, University of Insubria,
Varese, Italy
BHAUMIK B. PATEL • Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
NIRMITA PATEL • Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, VA, USA
MAURO S. G. PAVÃO • Laboratorio de Bioquı́mica e Biologia Celular de Glicoconjugados,
Programa de Glicobiologia – Instituto de Bioquı́mica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Hospital
Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil; Rua Professor Rodolpho Paulo Rocco, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do
Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
ANDREA PERSSON • Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine,
Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
JOANNA J. PHILLIPS • Department of Neurological Surgery, Brain Tumor Research Center,
Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA,
USA
KRISHNA MOHAN POLURI • Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology
Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India
VITOR H. POMIN • Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Research Institute of
Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
FABIENNE E. POULAIN • Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina,
Columbia, SC, USA
KRISTIAN PRYDZ • Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
xx Contributors
GAG Structures
Chapter 1
Abstract
Heparin, a glycosaminoglycan-based anticoagulant drug, is prepared as an extract of animal tissues.
Heparosan, an Escherichia coli (E. coli) K5 capsular polysaccharide with the structure !4)-β-D-glucuronic
acid (1 ! 4)-β-D-N-acetylglucosamine (1!, corresponds to the precursor backbone in the Golgi-based
biosynthesis of heparin. Anticoagulant heparin is prepared in a one-pot synthesis using a chemically
prepared derivative of heparosan called N-sulfoheparosan (NSH), recombinant Golgi enzymes expressed
in E. coli, and the 3-phosphoadenosine-5-phosphosulfate (PAPS) cofactor.
1 Introduction
Kuberan Balagurunathan et al. (eds.), Glycosaminoglycans: Methods and Protocols, Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2303,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1398-6_1, © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2022
3
4 Li Fu and Robert J. Linhardt
Fig. 1 One-pot synthesis of heparin. (a) Conversion of heparosan to NSH. (b) One-pot conversion of NSH to
anticoagulant heparin with cofactor recycling
Table 1
Enzymes used in the one-pot synthesis of heparin
2 Materials
2.1 Combinational 1. 500 mM MES buffer: 500 mM MES, pH 7.0. Weigh 0.39 g
One-Pot Enzymatic 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES hydrate) and
Reaction transfer into a 4 mL centrifuge tube. Add 3 mL DI water to
dissolve completely. Adjust pH to 7.0 using 2% NaOH and
bring the volume up to 4 mL.
2. 50 mM MES buffer: 50 mM MES, pH 7.0. Mix 1 mL of
500 mM MES buffer into 9 mL DI water. Check pH and adjust
pH to 7.0 if necessary, using HCl or NaOH. Store at 4 C.
3. Solution S: Weigh 2 mg of purified NSH (see Note 1) and
dissolve into 2 mL of 50 mM of MES buffer in a 50 mL
Eppendorf centrifuge tube.
4. 3 mM PAPS: 3 mM PAPS. Weigh 1.5 mg of PAPS and dissolve
into 1 mL DI water completely. Store at 4 C.
6 Li Fu and Robert J. Linhardt
2.2 Strong Anion 1. 3 kDa molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) centrifugal unit
Exchange (SAX) (Amicon centrifugal filter units, Millipore).
Purification 2. Strong ion exchange spin column: 20 mL Vivapure Ion
of Bioengineered Exchange Q-Column (Sartorius).
Heparin 3. SAX calibration buffer: 50 mM NaCl. Dilute 2 mL of SAX
washing buffer in 18 mL of DI water.
4. SAX washing buffer: 500 mM NaCl. Dilute 10 mL of SAX
elution buffer in 30 mL of DI water.
5. SAX elution buffer: 2 M NaCl. Weigh 11.69 g NaCl and
dissolve into 100 mL of DI water.
3 Methods
3.1 Combinational 1. Add 4 mL of purified 2OST-1, C5-epi, and AST-IV each into
One-Pot Enzymatic solution S.
Reaction 2. Add 0.4 mL of purified 6OST-1, 6OST-3, and 3OST-1 into
solution S.
3. Add 2 mL of 3 mM PAPS and 50 mM PNPS each into
solution S.
4. Bring up the final volume to 20 mL, gently mix, transfer the
tube into 37 C immediately, and incubate overnight.
3.2 SAX Purification 1. After an overnight one-pot enzymatic reaction, boil the sample
of Bioengineered for 10 min, cooldown to room temperature, and filter through
Heparin 0.22 μm membrane.
2. Wash a 20 mL 3 kDa MWCO centrifugal unit with DI water to
remove glycerol.
3. Desalt the clarified permeate by loading into washed centrifu-
gal unit and centrifuge at 5000 g for 20 min, bring up the
volume back to 20 mL with DI water. Repeat the centrifuga-
tion steps 3–5 times to remove the salt and other low molecu-
lar weight substances.
8 Li Fu and Robert J. Linhardt
3.3 Enzymatic 1. Add 1 μL of the test sample into a 1.5 mL tube, add 5 μL
Digestion (10 mU) each of heparin lyase I, II, and III into the test sample,
bring up the volume to 100 μL using ammonium acetate
3.3.1 Disaccharide
buffer, and incubate at 35 C for 10 h to degrade heparin
Analysis
sample completely [23].
2. Load the resulting disaccharide solution into a YM-10 micro-
concentrator and centrifuge at 10,000 g for 10 min. Collect
the permeation, which contains disaccharide, and freeze-dry.
3. Dissolve the digested heparin disaccharides in DI water to a
concentration of 25–50 ng/μL for LC-MS analysis.
3.3.2 Tetrasaccharide 1. Add 5–10 μL of the test sample and 20 μL (40 mU) of heparin
Mapping lyase II into a 1.5 mL tube, bring up the volume to 100 μL with
ammonium acetate buffer, and incubate at 35 C for 10 h to
degrade heparin sample completely [23].
2. Freeze-dry the resulting tetrasaccharide for further LC-MS
analysis [24].
3.4 Analysis 1. Set the electrospray interface for LC-MS system in negative
Using LC-MS ionization mode with a skimmer potential of 40.0 V, a capil-
lary exit of 40.0 V, and a source temperature of 350 C, to
3.4.1 Disaccharide
obtain the maximum abundance of the ions in a full-scan
Analysis
spectrum (200–1500 Da). Use nitrogen (8 L/min, 40 psi) as
a drying and nebulizing gas.
One-Pot Enzymatic Synthesis of Heparin from N-Sulfoheparosan 9
3.4.2 Tetrasaccharide 1. Use the same LC-MS system as disaccharide analysis (step 1 in
Mapping Subheading 3.5) for tetrasaccharide analysis.
2. Calibrate the LC-MS system with Eluent A. For sample testing,
the gradient is set as solution A for 2 min, followed by 0–30%
linear gradient Eluent B from 2 to 40 min. Set flow rate as
150 μL/min.
3. Inject tetrasaccharide standards first to make quantification
calibration curves. Linearity was assessed based on the amount
of tetrasaccharide and the peak intensity in extracted ion chro-
matogram (EIC).
4. Inject the digested test sample (tetrasaccharides) and quantify
based on the established calibration curves.
3.5 NMR 1. Take about 100 μL (~1 mg) of a test sample and freeze-dry.
Spectroscopy 2. Redissolve the dried test sample in 100–200 μL D2O.
3. Repeat above deuterium exchange (steps 1 and 2) twice to
remove most H2O from the test sample.
4. Dissolve deuterium exchanged test samples into 450 μL of
D2O and transfer the solution to NMR micro tubes for NMR
analysis.
5. Tune and shim the Bruker Advance II 600 MHz spectrometer
to have optimal conditions.
(a) 1D 1H-NMR experiment conditions: wobble sweep
width of 12.3 kHz, acquisition time of 2.66 s, and relaxa-
tion delay of 8 s at 298 K.
(b) 2D 1H-13C HSQC experiment conditions: 32 scans,
sweep width of 6.15 kHz, acquisition time of 0.33 s, and
relaxation delay of 0.90 s.
6. Process the NMR data using Topsin software.
3.6 Molecular Weight 1. Set a sample injection volume of 20 μL and a flow rate of
Determination 0.6 mL/min in the HPLC system.
2. Maintain TSK-GEL G3000PWxl size exclusion column at
40 C with a column heater.
10 Li Fu and Robert J. Linhardt
3.7 In Vitro 1. Analyze the anti-IIa and anti-Xa activities using BIOPHEN
Anticoagulant Activity ANTI-IIa and ANTI-Xa (Two-Stage Heparin Assay) kits fol-
Measurement lowing the instruction provided.
4 Notes
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful for funding from the National Institutes of
Health in the form of grants # DK111958 and CA231074.
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Chapter 2
Abstract
Solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and, in particular, chemical shift perturbation
(CSP) titration experiments are ideally suited for mapping and characterizing the binding interface of
macromolecular complexes. 1H-15N-HSQC-based CSP studies have become the method of choice due to
their simplicity, short-time requirements, and minimal working knowledge of NMR. CSP studies for
characterizing protein–glycosaminoglycan (GAG) interactions can be challenging due to binding-induced
aggregation/precipitation and/or poor quality data. In this chapter, we discuss how optimizing experi-
mental conditions such as protein concentration, choice of buffer pH, ionic strength, and GAG size, as well
as sensitivity of NMR instrumentation can overcome these roadblocks to obtain meaningful structural
insights into protein–GAG interactions.
Key words Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Chemical shift perturbation, Protein–ligand inter-
actions, Glycosaminoglycan, Dissociation constant, Heparan sulfate, Heparin
1 Introduction
Kuberan Balagurunathan et al. (eds.), Glycosaminoglycans: Methods and Protocols, Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2303,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1398-6_2, © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2022
13
14 Prem Raj B. Joseph et al.
2 Materials
2.1 Protein NMR experimental conditions that enable titrations at low protein
Concentration concentrations will substantially increase the probability of acquir-
and NMR Titrations ing quality data, considering high concentration can lead to aggre-
gation/precipitation. Availability of high-field NMR instruments
equipped with cryoprobes and gradient accessories has significantly
improved the scope and complexity of experiments including the
ability to work at low protein concentrations. For instance, we have
16 Prem Raj B. Joseph et al.
Fig. 1 Mapping of chemokine-heparin oligosaccharide binding interface using NMR chemical shift pertubation
data. (a) A section of a 1H-15N HSQC spectrum showing heparin oligosaccharide binding-induced chemical
shift changes in a chemokine. The unbound and final bound peaks are in black and red and the intermediate
Solution NMR Spectroscopy for Characterizing Protein–Glycosaminoglycan. . . 17
R47
180
R47
86.5
15Nε
(ppm)
R6B H18
R6B R60 R67
85.5
R6 R6
15N
R47 R47 220
86.5
H33 δ1N δ2
8.5 8.1 7.7 7.3 6.9 8.5 8.1 7.7 7.3 6.9
ΝΗ
1Hε (ppm) ε1 ε2
N2 tautomer
240 Nδ1-Hε1
B
NH – CαH – CβH2 – CγH2 – CδH2 – CεH2 – NζH3+
Nδ1-Hε1
32.0
K21 260
K21 8.0 7.5 7.0
1H (ppm)
(ppm)
32.5 K65
K45
K49
15N
K61 K60
33.0
K29
33.5
7.5 7.0 7.5 7.0
1H (ppm)
Fig. 2 (a) Overlay of the Nε-Hε of selective 1H-15N HISQC spectra of Arg side chains in the free (black) and
heparin-bound (red) forms in different CXCL8 mutants. Arrows represent the connection between free and
bound peaks. A schematic of Arg side chain and NεH that is detected in the spectra is encircled. (b) The 1H-15N
HISQC spectra of CXCL1 Lys side chains in the free (left) and heparin-bound (right) forms. A schematic of Lys
side chain and NH3+ that is detected in the spectra is encircled. (c) Overlay of 1H-15N HMQC spectra of His side
chains in the free (black) and heparin-bound (red) forms. The Nε2 tautamer of His side chain is shown in the
inset.The spectra were adapted from refs. 16–18
Fig. 1 (continued) peaks are shown in cyan, blue, and green. Note the selective perturbation of a subset of
amino acids indicated by an arrow. (b) A representative plot of CSP vs. GAG/chemokine concentration (in molar
ratio), which allows calculation of the dissociation constant (Kd). (c) A histogram of the CSP as a function of
chemokine sequence. Dotted line indicates the cutoff for residues to be considered perturbed. (d) A surface
plot of the chemokine showing residues (blue) that are significantly perturbed on GAG binding
18 Prem Raj B. Joseph et al.
2.2 Choice of GAG NMR studies are generally carried out using commercially available
for NMR Titrations size-defined heparin oligosaccharides. Therefore, we discuss our
strategy on the basis of our experience using heparin oligosacchar-
ides. Our discussion is applicable to heparan sulfate and all other
GAGs. Most biophysical and structural studies reported in litera-
ture have also used unfractionated or size-fractionated heparin
oligosaccharides. Heparin oligosaccharides are available in various
sizes from a disaccharide to a 26mer from specialized vendors like
Iduron.
2.3 NMR Sample The protein must be isotopically labeled with 15N for characterizing
Preparation binding interactions using 1H-15N HSQC titrations. Isotopically
labeled proteins are overexpressed in E. coli grown in minimal
media using 15NH4Cl as the sole nitrogen source. Since the growth
characteristics of E. coli in minimal media is somewhat
Solution NMR Spectroscopy for Characterizing Protein–Glycosaminoglycan. . . 19
3 Methods
3.1 Experimental Prior knowledge of the protein, including behavior of the protein in
Design solution, dimerization and oligomerization properties (including
Kd), its GAG-binding properties including binding-induced oligo-
merization and precipitation issues would be useful. Using the right
protein concentration is a critical parameter for successful titration.
A major problem is binding-induced precipitation, especially at
high protein concentrations typically used in NMR studies. We
propose an initial concentration of ~200 μM and, in the event of
precipitation, alter pH/salt conditions and/or reduce the protein
concentration. For chemokines, we carried out titrations on sam-
ples anywhere between 50 and 150 μM, and occasionally at lower
concentrations. In principle, lower concentrations will require lon-
ger data acquisition times, and therefore, whenever possible, we
strongly recommend using spectrometers with cryoprobes.
We propose that the initial experiments are carried out in low
ionic strength buffers, which could lead to stronger binding,
20 Prem Raj B. Joseph et al.
3.2 NMR Titrations CSP experiments involve collecting a series of HSQC spectra by
and Data Analysis adding GAG aliquots until essentially there are no binding-induced
changes in protein chemical shifts. We suggest collecting a mini-
mum of 6–8 spectra, which includes those of the free protein,
around 50% fraction bound population, and at saturation. More
data points around 50% bound population helps in better defining
the binding isotherms for accurate calculation of the dissociation
constant. Using stock solutions of ~10 mM heparin oligosacchar-
ides minimizes errors in protein concentration due to dilution.
Prior knowledge of an estimate of binding affinity can be useful in
selecting the starting protein concentration and amount of GAG to
be added.
NMR data processing and analysis can be carried out using
NMRpipe, NMRview, Sparky, or instrument-specific Bruker and
Varian software [19–21]. Most processing and analysis script and
programs for data fitting are available in the respective software
websites. Binding affinity of protein–GAG interactions can vary by
orders of magnitude (nM to mM) and, accordingly, kinetics (espe-
cially off rate, koff) can vary by many orders. The kinetics of binding
are classified as slow, intermediate, and fast exchange on the NMR
timescale, which can influence the nature and quality of the spectra
[14]. If binding occurs in the slow exchange regime, spectra will
contain separate peaks at the chemical shifts of the free (δP) and
GAG-bound (δPL) protein. As the ligand is titrated into the protein,
the peak intensity at δP will decrease and of the peak at δPL will
increase. If binding occurs in the fast exchange regime, spectra will
contain a single set of peaks at the population-weighted average
chemical shifts. As the ligand is titrated into the protein, the peak
position will move from δP to δPL. If binding is in the intermediate
exchange regime, peaks are exchange-broadened resulting in poor
quality spectra.
The CSP experiments are best performed under the fast
exchange regime as assigning chemical shifts of the GAG-bound
form is straightforward as shown in Fig. 1a, b. However, in the
intermediate and slow exchange regimes, assigning chemical shifts
of all the residues in the GAG-bound form may not be possible as
the information on the direction and magnitude of the individual
peak movements are missing. In particular, this will be the case if
the binding residues are in the crowded region of the spectrum
and/or undergo large chemical shift changes. Therefore, it may be
Solution NMR Spectroscopy for Characterizing Protein–Glycosaminoglycan. . . 21
4 Notes
References
Abstract
Studies of synthesis, turnover, and secretion of macromolecules in cell culture are carried out to address
mechanisms of cellular and physiological importance. Culture systems have been developed to mimic the
in vivo situation as much as possible. In line with this aim, epithelial and endothelial cells have been grown
on filters for more than three decades. Growing such cells on permeable support allows for nutrient uptake
via the basolateral membrane of tight epithelial monolayers, from a medium reservoir underneath the filter.
While this basolateral medium reservoir resembles the blood supply, the apical medium reservoir resembles
the organ lumen. Growing the cells in a polarized manner allows for studies of differential transport and
localization of apical and basolateral proteins and of endocytic and secretory transport at both sides of the
epithelium. Here we describe how metabolic labeling of proteoglycans (PGs) with 35S-labeled sulfate
enables analysis of synthesis of different types of PGs, with respect to size, glycosaminoglycan (GAG)
chain length, and charge. We also describe protocols for studies of intracellular PG sorting, in the apical and
basolateral direction in polarized epithelial cells, in the absence and presence of inhibitors of synthesis and
transport.
Key words Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), Proteoglycans (PGs), Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK)
epithelial cells, Golgi apparatus
1 Introduction
Kuberan Balagurunathan et al. (eds.), Glycosaminoglycans: Methods and Protocols, Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2303,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1398-6_3, © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2022
25
26 Kristian Prydz and Ravi Adusumalli
2 Materials
2.1 Filters, Cell Filters of various materials and pore sizes for cell culture are com-
Lines, and Equipment mercially available. For the experiments described here are mostly
for Polarized Culture polycarbonate filters with an area of 4.7 cm2 and a pore size of
0.4 μm used (Costar Corning Transwell 3412).
The cell lines used in the experiments referred to are MDCK I,
MDCK II, and CaCo-2. The culture conditions used: MDCK I and
MDCK II: DMEM, supplemented with 5% FCS, 1% penicillin/
streptomycin (P/S); CaCo-2: DMEM, supplemented with 20%
FCS, 1% P/S, 10 μg/ml insulin, 1% nonessential amino acids.
The method of filter growth would apply to most epithelial cell
lines.
Before seeding of cells, the filters are transferred to holders in
autoclaved glass Petri dishes (Duroplan, diameter 14 cm, height
2.5–3.0 cm). When confluent monolayers have formed, the filters
are transferred back to the original six-well plates.
2.3 Reagents Heparitinases I, II, and III purchased from Grampian Enzymes,
for Enzymatic Aberdeen, Scotland. Stock solutions of 2 mU/μl of each enzyme
and Chemical are diluted to a final concentration of 0.01 mU/μl in a 5 mM Hepes
Degradation buffer, pH 7.0 with 1 mM CaCl2, and 50 mM NaCl, with addition
of Glycosaminoglycan of bovine serum albumin (BSA) to 0.05% before use.
(GAG) Chains Chondroitinase ABC (cABC) purchased from Amsbio, Abing-
don, UK, is diluted to a final concentration (indicated in Methods -
Subheading 3) in cABC buffer: 33 mM Tris–HCl and 33 mM
sodium acetate, pH 8.0.
Nitrous acid (HNO2) reagent for HS degradation is the super-
natant made from mixing of 0.5 M H2SO4 and 0.5 M Ba(NO2)2
followed by centrifugation.
3 Methods
Several types of filter support for cell culture are available. Early
experiments use “homemade” equipment, where nitrocellulose
filters are autoclaved and placed in holders made for the purpose
[15]. The studies referred to in the Introduction are mostly carried
out with Costar Corning Transwell polycarbonate, fitting in
six-well plates, but other dimensions are also available. MDCK
cells require 4–6 days on filter, depending on the cell seeding
density, to establish a confluent and tight epithelial monolayer
(Fig. 1). The growth conditions chosen must allow for optimal
growth of the epithelial cells seeded onto the filters [16] (see
Note 1).
Tight junctions
Fig. 1 Growth of polarized epithelial cells on filter supports. A schematic representation of a confluent
epithelial cell monolayer grown on a filter in the well of a well-plate. The cells on the filter are joined by
tight junctions, which limit intercellular passage. This allows for separate harvest of apical and basolateral
media at the end of labeling experiments
3.1.1 Protocol for Growth 1. (a) Plating of epithelial cell type of interest (for instance,
and Continuous Metabolic MDCK) on filter support. For Transwell filters fitting in
Labeling with 35S-Sulfate six-well plates, transfer the filters to holders in an autoclaved
glass Petri dish (diameter 14 cm, height 2.5–3.0 cm) with
90 ml DMEM, supplemented with 5% FCS and 1%
Pen-Strept. Then add 1.5–2.0 million cells in 1.6 ml of the
same medium onto each filter. Leave in incubator at 37 C with
5% CO2 until confluent (3–4 days for MDCK cells).
(b) Add 2.6 ml DMEM (as in a) to each well of the six-well
plate. Then add 1.5–2.0 million cells in 1.6 ml of the same
medium onto each filter. Change medium every day until cells
are confluent (3–4 days for MDCK cells).
2. Add 2 ml RPMI 1640 without sulfate, supplemented with 2%
fetal calf serum (FCS) and 0.3 mCi/ml 35S-sulfate to each well
of a suitable six-well plate. Transfer the filters with cells to be
labeled to the wells of the six-well plate with a forceps. Remove
the apical growth medium and replace this with 1.2 ml of the
sulfate-depleted medium before placing the filter onto the rim
of the well to avoid pressure from below. Such pressure could
lead to cell detachment. Incubate at 37 C and 5% CO2 for the
desired incubation time. Typical incubation times are 16–24 h
(see Note 2).
3. Harvest apical and basolateral media into separate tubes.
4. Centrifuge down eventual loose cells in the media (particularly
the apical media often contain some loose cells). Transfer
medium supernatants to new tubes.
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help it. Yet she wronged you not. She always spoke of you with
true respect And said you were my wife, she but a slave. Then you
went forward. After that she bowed To Natural law and called
herself my wife. But her proud spirit would not brook restraint,
Nor act the puppet part of Consort Queen. When I and
Sanctimonious sought to force This part undignified upon her, she
Left me and sought the refuge of her home. I claimed her back,
but Bernia’s Prince refused To yield his sister up; and so our
Church And State divorced her, made her an outcast And left, of
course, the child to be my care. Merani, you so kind, with heart so
large, Will understand and will forgive the King. Oh! sorry fate.
How long must I sham on? How long must I approve what I
detest, And be a slave? What! sign my son’s death warrant? Never!
I will not murder my own child. Thank goodness he escaped, and
yet, alas! If they should catch young Fortunatus and Arrest
Vulnar, the law will hang these men As murderers of the
policeman Grett; And I shall sign approving warrant, I, The father
of Vergli whose life they saved. Was ever man more sorely tried
than I? Oh! sorry, sorry fate to be a King.”
Enter Larrar: “Sire, there is most important news arrived.” (Reads)
“‘Three masterly arrests have just been made— Of Vulnar, Scrutus
and young Fortunatus. One of their followers turned traitor and
Betrayed the hiding place where Vergli lurked. Young Fortunatus,
though entrapped himself, Managed to send a warning to Vergli;
He and Vulnar and Scrutus stood their ground And held the
entrance to their chief’s retreat. Fearing that Vergli would refuse
to fly And leave the others to their fate, the youth Resorted to a
subterfuge, saying Vergli must meet them on the Bawn co Pagh,
Whither they were retiring. He knew well That once on Bawn co
Pagh, the citadel And fortress of Vulnar, Vergli was safe And
midst a band of men true to his cause; But for this cunning
message here detailed, Vergli would have returned to aid his
friends And been entrapped and made a prisoner. E’en as it was
the others might have fled, But had they done so would have
doomed Vergli; And so they fought it out and thus gained time,
But were at length o’ercome and captive made.’ The name of him
who worked this clever ruse By which this mountain hiding place
was found, Is Judath, who feigned fealty to their cause But turned
informer and betrayed them all.”
King Hector (aside): “Curses upon him. Black-souled son of Hell,
Monster of foul and base iniquity.” (To Larrar) “So, so, they’ve
caught the three who murdered Grett; Now will the law avenge
itself, the mob Wreak its all-fathomless resentment on The men
whom Judath has so deftly nailed. And I, yes I, must bow with
smothered love Crying within my bosom to my soul, And sign the
rights of these men to fair life Away into the black abyss of wrong.
Larrar, what piteous fate e’er made me King?”
Larrar. “Not fate, Sire. You can cast the title off And just become an
ordinary man. Children like dolls, the grown-up child likewise
Makes you its doll and pays you for your trouble. What are you,
Sire, but the paid servant of A government of nondescript
creation? You do its work and call yourself a King. I am your
servant, but you in your turn Are mine, because I am part of that
state Which pays the piper to pipe forth its tune. Vergli would
have the King part of the State, The chairman, so to say, one with
real pow’r. Paid, but a real King, not a mere cypher To whom men
bow, although but to a slave. Were you a real King you could
speak your mind And guide your peers and people to be fair, Or
influence them to espouse the right. I say not Kings should be all
absolute, But they should be Chairmen of the State. At least this is
the creed preached by Vergli And long ago his words converted
me, I am at heart an Evolutionist.”
King Hector (aside): “And I, too. Who would be the farce I am?” (To
Larrar) “Larrar, you are presuming. Have a care, Kings’ waiting-
men are servants, too, you know; A waiting groom and waiting
lord are paid. If I’m a puppet, all who wait on me Are puppets,
too! What shall we call the thing Which this queer puppet-mixture
has evolved? Merry-go-round or Humbug spinning round? I think
the latter, ’tis more suitable; For Humbug is in the ascendant now
And Sham the Idol of Society, And over all King Hector spreads
his wings; Shall they be free wings or their pinioned stumps?”
[He walks towards the Castle, musing.
SCENE II.
On the ramparts of Bawn co Pagh Castle. Vergli and Verita, the
latter in male attire, are pacing up and down conversing earnestly.
Vergli (passionately): “And they are captives, while I stand here
free! Alas! ’tis terrible. What can I do? Isola, you a captive and
condemned, Vulnar likewise and faithful Scrutus, too?
Condemned to die for giving me my life! Shades of Iniquity!
Horrible fact! Isola, whom I love, condemned to death, Vulnar,
whose home protects this wanderer, Scrutus, who was the first to
stand by me, All doomed to die, all doomed to die for me.”
[He sobs.
Verita. “Not so, Vergli. Fret not. They fight for Truth, Of which you
are the representative; They die that you may live to win that prize
And give it, from them, to posterity. Vergli, live to reward their
sacrifice, Live to see triumph—that for which they’ll die I know I
echo dear Isola’s thoughts, Do you not feel them hov’ring round
you now?”
Vergli. “Yes, they steal round me, gently kissing me, Bidding me be
a hero not a cur. Dearest Isola, I shall work for you And win the
Right we both desire so much. To go to you, to die by your dear
side, That is the wish of Vergli’s yearning heart; To live for you, to
win the Truth you love, Shall be the duty done for you and Right.”
Verita. “Spoken as heroes speak, noble Vergli, Your answ’ring
words will cheer Isola’s heart; They’ll flood with light her prison’s
lonely cell And bring her happiness and restful peace. Now will I
start for Infantlonia. There! The sun is sinking, all is red and gold,
The colours flood the far off western sky. Red is Blood’s sign, but
Gold’s the sign of Truth, And Martyr’s blood shall win Truth’s
victory.”
[She bids Vergli farewell and goes.
Vergli (solus): “Mine be the task to wake a sleeping world And force
it to espouse the cause of Truth. Merani, Mother! Dost thou hear
thy son? Thy dear lips taught him Truth. Thy noble words Live all
unfading in his Memory. Thou art not dead. Thy life is with me
now. I am thyself, I am thy property. What I do that thou doest,
Mother mine, My voice is but the echo of thy own. And you, Isola,
your thought hovers near Mixing with ours, making mine doubly
strong. Oh! Thought amalgamate with subtle force, Flood me with
pow’r to think and to express And to enforce it on Humanity.
Thought, mighty Thought, essence of God Divine, Wax great and
multiply. Attain the Truth.”
[He enters the Castle of Bawn co Pagh.
SCENE III.
In the exercising ground of the Prison of Holdfast. Vulnar,
Fortunatus and Scrutus are at exercise. The first two have halted
and are engaged in conversation. It is the day before their trial.
Vulnar. “This I assume is the last chance I’ll have To speak to you,
Isola. Without doubt The verdict will be Guilty, sentence Death.
My lawyer tells me that the angry wave Of that most fickle Judge,
Public Opinion, Is rabid for our instant execution! We are, in fact,
condemned before being tried; A wave of anger has possessed the
land, Fostered, encouraged by the powers that be. Ah! well, t’will
soon be o’er. I fear not death, To die beside you is enough for me.
Vulnar asks not a better fate, indeed, But to be faithful to the very
end— To Love, to Justice and to mighty Truth, All three the
seraphs of a perfect Life. Forgive me, Isola, for breathing love, But
I have loved you faithfully and well. To feel you feel this and
forgive Vulnar, Would make his last days peaceful and content.
He could not help his love, it came on him Long long ago when he
was yet a boy; He loved this love and hugged it very tight, And
nurtured it, until it grew so strong He knew no mortal pow’r could
sever it; The sapling had become, in fact, an oak— An oak
impervious to ev’ry storm. Kind Isola, I know that you forgive And
do not blame Vulnar for loving you.”
Isola. “Why do men love me thus? What is the spell Which makes
them love with such unselfish love? Oh! Vulnar, could I blame you
for such love? Rather, I thank you for your brave devotion. Kind
Vulnar, loving friend of Escanior, ’Tis good, indeed, to have so
true a friend; If it to you is joy to have loved me, Believe me, ’tis a
joy to me, Vulnar. I would not sell your love for all the world; I
would not barter it for Life itself. Such love in man is so
uncommon, rare, To own a gem so rare is wealth, indeed. Yes,
Death is nigh, that death men fear so much. Why do they fear it, if
their God is good? Why fear to go to what is loving, kind? If God is
as a father, they should laugh And clap with joy their hands at
sight of Death. This they do not, but fear it fearfully. Why?
Because they have made an untrue heav’n; A cruel hell, a hydra-
headed God Whom they call Good and yet fear to approach,
Whom they adore and yet seek to evade! Small wonder seeing
they are human and This God is most inhuman. Oh! fair Truth
Prevail, prevail, come quickly and prevail. Well, Vulnar, Life is fair
and Life is Life— To us who know that Thought can never die And
is the soul of Life, we fear not Death; Because we feel ’tis but an
open door Where Life rejoins the Thought which cannot die, And
starts afresh upon Life’s pilgrimage. I will not say farewell, we’ll
meet again, You and my fair-haired, blue-eyed Escanior; We’ll
meet, our forceful thought attracting us To be together. Yes, to be,
to be.”
Warder (approaching): “Time’s up for exercise. Back to your cells.
Silence. No further speaking is allowed.”
[All re-enter the prison.
SCENE IV.
In the Palace of Sham, the Infantlonian residence of the Ardrigh.
Sanctimonious and Conception sit together in the study of His
Graciousness.
Conception. “Your Graciousness, I’ve thought of everything. None
but the Prince of Bernia and that jade Whom they call Verita,
possess the fact That Isola is Fortunatus, too. Charged with
conspiracy, both are in gaol; There they shall stop till Isola is
dead. His Majesty has no suspicion, has he?”
Sanctimonious. “No, none, Conception. We’ll take care of that, I and
Sirocco, the Prime Minister. Now that Vulnar and his accomplices
— Scrutus and Fortunatus—are condemned, The danger of
detection is quite nil. I trust to you, of course, to keep the truth
Barred in the prison till they are no more. ’Tis fortunate they led
their own defence, And that Isola scorned to plead her sex And so
secure a respite for herself. Yes, Fortunatus, you shall hang,
indeed, And I’m revenged on Lady Isola!”
Conception (starting): “Your Graciousness, the Prince of Scota’s
there Staring at you with all his might and main, Where did he
spring from? Is’t a shadow wraith? God! how his features mirror
Isola’s.”
Sanctimonious (testily): “’Tis but a child. He often stays with me,
Comes for instruction. Plays in the Garden. Nothing to fear from
him. A mere, mere child. How now, my son, what stops you in
your play?”
Prince Bernis. “A voice called me. I thought it was Mamma’s.
‘Bernis,’ it said, ‘Come, darling, come here quick!’ I ran so fast. I
thought it was Mamma.”
[Enter Prince Bernis’s nurse by same window as he had entered.
Nurse. “Fie, Bernis! Fie! I’ve called you sev’ral times.”
Prince Bernis. “I thought it was Mamma and ran in here.”
Nurse. “Hush! Do not speak of Lady Isola. Make salutation to His
Graciousness, Then come with me, we must be going home.”
Sanctimonious. “My blessing on you, Prince. Be a good boy. Come
again soon and have a game of play.” [Exit Prince Bernis and
Nurse. (To Conception) “’Tis fortunate he is a little child And
would not understand what I was saying.”
Conception (uneasily): “I hope he did not, but his eyes were wide,
They seemed to me to be Isola’s eyes.”
Sanctimonious. “Tut! tut! you are a fool, Conception. The Prince of
Scota is a baby still.”
Conception. “Some babies are too sharp, your Graciousness.
However, you know best. I am a fool.”
Sanctimonious. “To-morrow they will die, I wish ’twas o’er. I shall
not freely breathe till their breath’s gone.”
Conception (rising): “Sharp on the stroke of eight they’ll die to-
morrow. Your Graciousness may eat in peace at nine.”
Sanctimonious. “Well spoken, man. Unparalleled Conception.”
[Exit Conception.
SCENE V.
In a condemned cell in the Prison of Holdfast. Fortunatus is seated
at a small wooden table writing. Close to him a warder sits
reading.
Fortunatus (writes): “When these words reach you, Hector, o’er the
tide Which leads from Death to Life I shall be moving. This
Thought, which now inhabiting my brain Sends forth to you this
message, will have sped Forward to mingle with Escanior’s. Yet
e’er it leaves its human canopy, It wafts you the last words of
Isola. These are they ‘Be you just and merciful, Become a king in
deed rather than name, Work with your people and for them,
Hector; Let King mean brother, treat all men as such. Sweep from
the statute book all useless law, All law which harrows progress,
or degrades. See to it that the young shall learn the Truth, Learn
to be useful, moral, just and kind— To give to every living thing
that breathes The right which Nature gives it, Happiness. Train up
the youth to say “Thou shalt not kill,” To say it and to practise it
as well. Abolish War and raise up Arbitration. See that each child
is taught a trade, or shewn How to use hands given for work and
use. See that all men have opportunity To work and win the fruits
of honest toil. Let all work be Co-operative and Give unto woman
what you give to man. Let principles of Fair Play animate All laws
and regulations of the State; Let Reason guide their framing, not
the lust Of gold, or greed, or selfishness. Be fair. Let it be ordered
“Privilege shall die, Just laws alone rule o’er the Destinies Of
Man and beast.” Crush Cruelty to earth. See to it that the base,
ignoble crime Cursed Vivisection, be swept clean away— Totally
abolished, treated as a crime, And stains no more the fame of our
dear land.’ One last word, Hector. Watch o’er our Bernis, Make
him a hero not a bauble prince; Let him be what Isola bore him
for, To be an honest and an upright man. And with this last word
let me bid you rise And call unto your side your first-born son,
Give him the right to be that which he is— The Prince of Scota and
your rightful heir. Farewell, Hector! For Right and Truth I die, See
to it that I do not die in vain.”
Warder. “Will you not take some rest? The hour grows late. I
counsel you, young Fortunatus, sleep.”
Fortunatus, rising, lies down on his bed. Then he turns on his back,
puts his hands behind his head and looks up at the ceiling,
mentally saying: “Bernis, my darling, be Isola’s child. Good-bye,
my little man. Be kind. Be true. Use thought to think right things,
be just, be brave; Be mother’s child, reflection of Isola.”
[Sleeps
SCENE VI.
The Palace of Dreaming in Infantlonia. King Hector tosses restlessly
in his bed and mutters to himself: “Grey dawn is coming, bringing
in its hand Death for the three who saved my son from death,
And I have signed the warrant for their deaths— I, the lone King
of poor Saxscoberland. Oh! Isola, had you been by my side, Had
you been reigning jointly with me now As you declared you had
the right to reign, Such foul injustice never had been done. Isola,
noble Isola, divorced, Driven from Hector’s side by unjust law,
Come to me, drive away the imp Remorse Which grinning sits
before me, mocking me.”
Enter Prince Bernis (in his nightdress, peeping in): “Papa, mamma
is calling. I heard her. Who is Isola? Is it mamma, papa?”
Hector (springing up): “What brings you here, my child? Bernis,
what is’t? By all the Gods! What is it, Bernis boy?”
Prince Bernis. “Mamma called me to come here. I have come.
Where is mamma? Is mamma Isola? Nurse calls her Lady Isola,
papa; But, yesterday, I heard His Gaysiousness Say ‘Isola was
Fortunatus.’ Who? Papa say, who is Fortunatus, and How can he
be my dear mamma, Isola?”
Hector (seizing the boy and staring at him): “He said that
Fortunatus was Isola? Speak, Bernis, did His Graciousness say
that?”
Prince Bernis. “Oh! yes, papa. Conception said it, too. I heard the
Ardrigh and Conception say it. Tell me, papa, where is mamma
and why Is she called Fortunatus by them both, And nurse calls
her the Lady Isola?”
King Hector (dressing hastily): “Oh! God Almighty, I shall be too
late. ’Tis twenty-nine miles to the prison gates. They die at eight.
’Tis now far after six. Almighty God! How reach Holdfast in time?
Oh! for the pow’r to flash the word ‘Reprieved’ Into the hands of
Holdfast’s Governor. Surely the Universe holds property Able to
send forth silent messages.” (To the child) “Run back to bed, my
darling, run, Bernis; Papa is going to try to save Mamma. No. I
can’t take you, run to bed, Bernis. Almighty God! can I get there
in time?”
[He rushes from his room.
End of Act V.
ACT SIXTH.
SCENE I.
Early morning in the condemned cell where Isola lies sleeping. In
one corner of it a warder sits, with his head sunk on his chest,
asleep. The first sign of day dawn is stealing through the barred
window.
Isola (gradually awaking, says dreamily): “’Tis somewhat hard my
rugged, earthy couch, Yet the brown heather nurtures Liberty. I’d
rather nestle in its arms, than lie Cushioned and canopied on regal
couch.” [Wakes more fully, and starts up into a sitting posture,
as consciousness and remembrance return. “’Tis neither, though.
Memory has returned. Morning is breaking on my last one here.
In a few hours my deathless Counterpart Will meet once more my
loved Escanior. Escanior! I am coming, Escanior! They sought to
part us. We shall meet again.” (She looks at the dim light in the
cell, and says): “’Tis a lone scene. A dreary aspect. Cold.” [Shivers.
“Bare walls, grey dawn, a flick’ring light at play A drowsy gaoler,
with his sleeping head, Nodding upon his almost soulless breast.
What is he but a thing mechanical, The tool of icy and unfeeling
law? Law, sacred law! No matter how unjust. An idol to be viewed
with veneration! Yes, Death is nigh, nigh unto Isola. It has no
terror for her, still she fain Would turn aside its grip from dear
Vulnar, And faithful Scrutus, too, if possible. Why should they die
for saving Hector’s son? Hector, awake! Save them, preserve their
lives. What is their crime? Did they not save Vergli, Half-brother
of our little Bernis? Hark! Far off I hear a clock tower tolling six.
Just two hours more. Bernis, awake? My child. Bernis, arouse
your father, bid him save, Bid him give Scrutus and Vulnar their
lives. It matters not for me, but for these two, Bernis awake him,
bid him think of them. My little boy, make haste. Time glides
along; It waits for no one, peasant, peer, or king.”
[Enter another gaoler, the drowsy one starts up.
Gaoler. “The pastor’s here. Would you converse with him? And let
him shrift your soul from coal black sin? What will you have to
eat? Name your desire, And I will see it is attended to. You must
be hungry, aye, and thirsty too, For two whole days food has not
passed your lips, Nor water either. Are you not famishing?”
Fortunatus. “Ask the wild bird, deprived of Liberty, And caged
inside a narrow prison cell, Either to eat of seed or drink of water!
I am not hungry friend, I need no food, Nor do I need the pastor’s
aid to shrive My soul of some imaginary sins. Let me be left in
peace. ’Tis all I ask, And when the hour arrives for me to die, I’ll
leave this cage ever so joyfully.”
Gaoler. “You’re a queer lot, you evolutionists. I would not like to
die, at all, at all, And without eating, or a steadying dram To keep
the nerves together. Think of it! It is to me incomprehensible.
Queer fish indeed these evolutionists.”
Isola (musingly to herself): “Hector might wake. My voice may have
reached him, Those thoughts of mine might possibly strike home!
Somehow I feel he’ll wake and send reprieve. Send it, yes, but will
it arrive in time? I’ll claim the privilege of dying first. Each
moment saved is precious. Dear Vulnar, Your staunch fidelity to
me and Truth, Merits not death, but Honour, Liberty. And you,
too, Scrutus, you so faithful. No, You do not merit such a
punishment. Hector! Art coming? Give these men their lives.”
SCENE II.
On the scaffold. An immense crowd is assembled outside the prison
of Holdfast. The three prisoners have been pinioned, and have
reached the spot of execution.
Fortunatus (to the hangman): “I claim the privilege of dying first,
Being the youngest of us three condemned, So man, make me
your first experiment, And take your time, don’t hurry, be
composed. Tut man, don’t tremble! What is there to fear? Learn
from young Fortunatus how to die. Adjust the rope. There! Steady.
Hark! I hear. [Listens. ’Tis the far echo of a horse’s feet, Surely,
yes surely, both will now be saved, I feel it, bless thee Hector, Vic
——”
A tremendous roar is heard outside. The words “Reprieve,
Reprieve, the King himself! The King!” suddenly penetrate to the
scaffold. A minute later and the King hurries thereon.
King Hector. “Reprieved! Governor hear! They are reprieved!”
[Staring at the group. “Two only here? Where is young
Fortunatus?”
The Hangman. “Dead, Sire! The word ‘reprieve’ reached me too
late, The sound arrived just as I pulled the bolt. His last words
were ‘Bless thee Hector, Victory!’ I heard them uttered as he fell
below, His death was speedy, instantaneous.”
Hector, laying both hands on Vulnar’s shoulder and bowing his
head on them, sobs out: “Isola! Isola! too late! too late! Oh! Isola
forgive. I rode my best. I rode not as a King, but as a man Whose
heart was bursting to reach you in time. I rode the horse you used
to love so well. The chestnut Saladin. He cleft the air, He seemed
to fly like arrow from the bow. He did his utmost. I did mine. Alas!
Fate was against us. Fate inexorable.”
The Governor of Holdfast prison exclaiming to himself: “Isola!
Fortunatus, Isola? By all the gods! This is a pretty pass. [To a
Warder. Haste man! Cut down young Fortunatus. See. Quick!
bear the body to my private rooms. Explain the situation to my
wife. Tell her to lay Isola on the bed. Apprise her that the King is
here. The King! A pretty pass! A tragedy indeed!”
Vulnar (to the hangman): “Unpinion me and Scrutus. Do it sharp,
man.” [A pause. Turning to the King and taking his hand: “Oh!
sire, grieve not, you did your very best. Would I had died first, and
saved Isola. I never dreamed of a reprieve. Brave heart! She died
to give me life. She died for Truth. Sire, see to it she did not die in
vain. Her last words, ‘Bless thee Hector. Victory!’ Shall ring into
your soul and make you just, Oh! yes, they shall. Her name will
gain the day, Isola dead, shall win bright Victory.”
King Hector (still sobbing): “Take me to Isola. Isola! I tried to save
thee, but I came too late. I strove with human might to be in time,
The human heart was beating in my breast. All royal mummery
had left my side, It was the man and not the King that strove,
Though Kings can feel, they are just human beings, Albeit
barbaric customs make them dolls. And I, I loved thee Isola. I did.
Who could help loving one so kind, so true?” (To Vulnar) “Vulnar,
where is she? Take me to her side, I tried to save her, but I came
too late.”
[Sobs.
Vulnar (linking the King’s arm in his and signing to the Governor,
standing close by, to lead forward): “Come, sire, I’ll take your
Majesty to her. Take comfort thinking how she blest you, sire;
Mourn not for her, she died as she had lived, With valiant heart
beating for others’ woes. Death had no terrors for her, sire,
indeed, It cannot claim the soul of Isola, Her deathless Thought,
that which made her a pow’r, Lives on and will live on eternally.
Doubtless ’tis roving with Escanior’s, She loved him, loved no
other all her life, I, his old Comrade, testify to this, I who e’er
worshipped where her feet have trod. And yet she’ll hover round
you sire again, And influence your heart to make the Cause, For
which she died, triumphant everywhere. She claimed to reign with
you, see to it Sire That her loved voice shall wake this world
again.”
They follow the Governor to his private apartments, and this latter
and Vulnar silently stand aside as the King enters the one in
which Isola has been laid.
King Hector (solus): “Yes, she is dead. Isola, thou art gone, That
which o’ertakes all men has come to thee. Vulnar spoke rightly,
when he said that thou, Dead should ne’erless obtain the Victory.
Yes, thou hast won it. Here, I swear to thee, All thou did’st die for
shall be realised, Right shall prevail, and Men shall own their
own, There shall be no more disinherited. Saxscober’s
Constitution shall become The constitution of a people free, And I
will be their real, not dummy King, Their brother worker, their
companion. While Life is left to me to work, I’ll work, I’ll make
Saxscoberland a dreamland scene, It shall reflect thy dream dear
Isola, Its face shall be the mirror of thy soul. Vergli shall aid me.
My first act shall be To do him justice and proclaim him heir; Our
little Bernis shall not act the thief, He shall be what thou sought’st
to keep the child, A human being, not a puppet slave. He shall be
his brave mother’s substitute, In him already shines thy deathless
soul. Isola, thou hast won, I swear it, Love. Thy death has won
Saxscober’s Liberty,”
He bends over and kisses her forehead. Then leaves the room.
Meeting Vulnar outside, he says: “Vulnar, I leave her body in your
care. Treat her as you would treat a reigning Queen. She shall
reign over fair Saxscoberland In deed, in fact, in true reality. Unto
the other nations of our Erth Her message shall be borne and shall
prevail, The bright example of Saxscoberland Shall move the
smaller fry to imitate, A bright example has its magnetism, And
draws men to solicit its embrace. Hector is clasping Isola’s. No
force Shall ever tear it from his grasp. No fear! I leave you, Vulnar.
Do your part. I go. My share in Evolution has begun. With Vergli I
will lead its sacred cause, With him will realize Isola’s dream.”
[He wrings Vulnar’s hand, and calling the Governor to him walks
away by his side.