Crystal structure of polysaccharides

This article, which is the fourth in the current series,1 presents a bibliographic account of the crystal structures of polysaccharides that have been published during 1977-1979. Several comprehensive reviews on the structures of glycosaminoglycans,2-5 bacterial capsular polysaccharides,3 4,6 starch,7-9 and cell-wall polysaccharides,10 and on... 

Marchessault, Robert H., and Sun-dararajan, Pudupadi R., Bibliography of Crystal Structures of Polysaccharides (1967-1974), 33,387-404... 

This article is the third in the current series on the bibliography of crystal structures of polysaccharides.1,2 In the past decade, many advances in the methods for building theoretical models were witnessed, not only for the conformational analysis of isolated chains, but also for the subsequent or simultaneous packing of the chains in the crystallographic lattice. Many complex polysaccharides, having disaccharide to hexasaccharide repeating units, are now being studied. 

Study of the crystal structure of polysaccharides, particularly of cellulose, has provided the main use for polarized infrared radiation in connection with carbohydrate spectra. Since this is another technique whereby band assignments can be made, the basic steps involved will be described in a simplified manner with reference to a polymer sample having uniaxial orientation. This is a common type of orientation, characteristic of fibers,... 

Although the x-ray method has been very useful in the determination of crystal structure of polysaccharides, additional methods such as electron diffraction and electron mciroscopy coupled with selective enzymology are needed for understanding the behaviour of fungal polysaccharides in the native cell walls. Because the cell wall components are often crystalline, diffraction contrast methods of electron microscopy could prove valuable in future fine structure studies.(70)... 

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