The persistence length of hyaluronic acid: An estimate from small-angle X-ray scattering and intrinsic viscosity

Abstract

Measurement of small-angle X-ray scattering from a sample of hyaluronic acid of high molecular weight in 0.05 m HNO 3 gave persistence length plots which agreed in form with theory and led to apparent persistence lengths of from 4 to 6 nm. Similar measurements in 0.2 m NaCl gave plots which deviated somewhat in form from theoretical expectation, but which could be interpreted to give a persistence length of 4 nm in this solvent. Data for intrinsic viscosity [η] as a function of molecular weight were in reasonable agreement with the Yamakawa-Fujii treatment of [η] for the worm-like chain model for a persistence length of about 4 nm in both 0.5 m NaCl and 0.1 m HCl, perhaps slightly higher in the latter. The values of persistence length estimated from [η] depend somewhat on the choice of chain parameters and the method of correction of experimental data to unperturbed solvent conditions. Experimental data for the sedimentation coefficient, while less definitive, were consistent within experimental uncertainty with the same parameters of the worm-like chain model. These calculated results are in substantial agreement with the values derived from small-angle X-ray scattering. A fraction of hyaluronic acid of low molecular weight in 0.05 m HNO 3 gave an estimated molecular weight of 2.7 × 10 4 and a radius of gyration of 8 nm, in reasonable agreement with expected values based on the worm-like chain model for a persistence length of about 4 nm.