Aspergillus Polysaccharide

Extraction of the common black mold Aspergillus niger removes an intracellular polysaccharide which is a linear chain of D-glucypyranose units joined alternately by a-1— and a-1— 5 bonds 125). 

In commercial production, enzymes from a strain of Leuconostoc mesente-roides are used to synthesize dextran from sucrose, water, essential minerals, and vitamins (see under Synthesis, below). The native dextran so obtained is then carefully hydrolyzed to the proper molecular-weight average and recovered by fractional precipitation from solution with methanol (1 8). 

The composition, particularly the molecular weight, is affected by the temperature of the medium, concentrations of sucrose and fructose, and by the addition of primers, such as low-molecular-weight dextrans or maltose ISO). Periodate techniques (p. 700) have been particularly valuable for rapid analyses of these substances. 

Friberg, W. Graf, and B. Aberg, Acta Pharmacol. Toxicol. 9, 220 (1953). 

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The spores of Aspergillus sydowi contain an enzyme system that converts sucrose into a fructan having a structure comparable to that of inulin. The polysaccharide is cleaved by )8-D-(2 1)-fruc-tanases, whereas it is unaffected by /3-D-(2 6)-fructanases. Oligo-... 

Pectinase Pectinesterase Pectinlyase Polygalacturonase Pectolytic Enzymes Cleavage of Plant (a-1,4) Polysaccharides Aspergillus Niger Disintegration of Plant Tissue. Reduction of Macerate Viscosity. Improved Extracta-bility of Juice-bound Flavours... 

Bonnin, E. et al., Aspergillus niger 1-1472 and Pycnoporus cinnabarinus MUCEL 39533, selected for the biotransformation of ferulic acid to vanillin, are also able to produce cell wall polysaccharide-degrading enzymes and feruloyl esterases, Enzyme Microb. Technol, 28, 70, 2001. 

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