Extracellular polysaccharides from suspension-cultured sycamore cells

Abstract

Three polysaccharides have been isolated from the culture medium of suspension-cultured sycamore cells (Acer pseudoplatanus L.). A pectinic acid which contains 67% of galacturonic acid residues has been shown to have features in common with other pectins, with arabinose, galactose, and rhamnose as constituent sugars. Methylation and partial hydrolysis have indicated that the arabinogalactan is similar to those from coniferous woods in containing a highly branched framework of D-galactopyranose residues mutually joined by (1 → 3) and (1 → 6) linkages with the majority of side chains terminated by L-arabinofuranose residues. A fucoxyloglucan has been shown by methylation and enzymic hydrolysis to possess a structure similar to those of the so-called seed 'amyloids' with a cellulose-like (1 → 4)-linked β-D-glucan chain with side chains terminated by L-fucopyranose and D-xylopyranose residues.