Hyaluronic acid synthesis in a cell-free system from rat fibrosarcoma

A transplantable rat fibrosarcoma (in both ascites and solid forms) has been shown to contain and synthesize large amounts of hyaluronic acid. A particulate hyaluronic acid synthesizing system has been isolated from the solid fibrosarcoma and some characteristics of the enzyme system are detailed. The enzyme complex transferred GlcUA or GlcNAc from UDP-GlcUA or UDP-GlcNAc at a rate of approximately 60 nmole/hr/mg protein to extend hyaluronic acid chains by approximately 45,000 daltons.