A specific glyco-6-0-sulphatase has been purified to homogeneity from Fluvohacteriurn heparinurn. The enzyme hydrolyses the 6-0-sulphates of 2-deoxy-2-sulphamido-6-0-sulpho-~-glucose (GIcNS-~S), 2-acetamido-2-dcoxy-6-0-sulpho-~-glucose (GlcNAc-6s) and 2-amino-2-deoxy-6-0-sulphato-u-glucose .The activity was purified 2100-fold by successive chromatography on CM-Sepharose CL-6B, Sepharose CL-4B, hydroxyapatite and blue-Sepharose CL-6B. Sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a protein of relative molecular mass 64000. Four novel assays were developed using 3sS-labelled and I4C-labelled monosaccharides.The purified enzyme was free of all other known heparin-degrading enzymes. In particular this was the first resolution of the 6-0-sulphatase from the sulphamidase. Optimal activity was a t pH 7.5. Enzyme activity was virtually unaffected by Na' and K + ions. Enhancements of activity of 12% and 30% were effccted by Mgz+ and CaZt ions respectively. Inorganic phosphate and sulphate (both 0.005 mol dm-3) inhibited activity by 48% and 50% respectively. The K, value for the free amino substrate GlcN-6S was 1.35 mmol dm-3. In contrast the K,,, values for the GlcNAc-6S and GlcNS-6S were 54 pmol dm-3 and 16 pmol dm-3 respectively.The growth of Fluvohacteriurn liepurinurn on heparin is accompanied by the production of enzymes capable of degrading heparin, heparitin sulphate and the chondroitin sulphates. The existence of 0-sulphatase and sulphamidase enzymes was suggested by Korn and Payza [l].Linker and coworkers found N and 0-sulphated monosaccharides and oligosaccharides in digests of heparin [2] and heparitin sulphate [3]. Dietrich [4] reported that 2-deoxy-2-sulphamido-6-0-sulpho-o-glucose (GlcNS-6s) was a substrate for both the C'arrespondence to M. W. McLean, Department or Biochemistry. University of Aberdeen, Marischal College, Aberdeen, Scotland AB9 1 AS Ahhreviutions. GlcNCbz, 2-[(benzyloxycarbonyI)amino]-2-dcoxy-D-glucose; GlcN-6S, 2-amino-2-deoxy-6-0-sulpho-u-glucose; GlcNS6s. 2-deoxy-2-sulphamido-6-0-sulpho-~-glucose; GlcNAc-6S, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-6-0-suIpho-~-glucose; GlcNS, 2-deoxy-2-sulphamido-D-glucose; GlcN, 2-amino-2-deoxy-~-glucose; GalN-6S, 2-amino-2-deoxy-6-0-sulpho-~-galactose; GalNAc-6S, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-6-#-sulpho-u-galactose; SDS ; Ad,5glycuronidase, glycuronidase for (4-deoxy-rx-~-threo-hex-4-cnopyranosyluronic acid)-( 1 +4)-2-deoxy-2-sulphamido-6-0-sulpho-D-glucose, dUA+GlcNS-6S (EC 3.2.1. -); 2-0-sulphatasc for (4-deoxy-2-#-sulpho-a-~-~~~~~-hex-4-enopyranosyluronic acid)-( 1 4 4 ) -2-deoxy-2-sulphamido-6-0-sulpho-~-glucose, dUA-2S+GlcNS-6S (EC 3.1.6. -); 6-0-sulphatase for 2-deoxy-2-sulphamido-6-0-sulpho-D-glucose (EC 3.1.6.11) and 2-acelamido-2-deoxy-6-0-sulpho-~-glucose (EC 3.1.6. -); 2-deoxy-2-sulphamido-~-glucose sulphamidase (EC 3.1 0.1 .I); 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-6-0-sulpho-~-galactosc 6-0-sulphatase (EC 3.1.6. -); 3-0-sulphatase for 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-0-sulpho-D-glucose; 2-deoxy-2-sulpharnido-3-0-sulpho-~-glucose sulpharnidase and the 6-0-sulphatase. These enz...