D-Galactosides of Polyols

Amongst the cyclic polyols, inositols are most widely distributed in the plant kingdom.234 Out of nine stereoisomers, myo-inositol has the most widespread metabolic significance.235 The derivatives of myoinositol are also widespread. In plants, myo-inositol plays an important role in the biosynthesis of hemicelluloses and oligosaccharides it also occurs as a storage product (phytic acid), a coenzyme for sugar-transport, a precursor of phosphoinositides, and esters of in-doleacetic acid.47,113,238 

The physiological functions of isofloridoside in algae have been shown to be (a) a carbohydrate reserve, and (b) a factor involved in controlling the osmotic balance in, for example, Ochromonas malha-men.st.s.242 244-247-249 Ochromonas is a green-brown alga that lacks a cell 

Distribution of Galactinol and the Raffinose Family of Oligosaccharides in the Leaves of Various Plants  

Fischer and coworkers2 8 elucidated the structure of galac-tinol (15) by chemical analysis. Senser and Kandler107 isolated it from 

The main, physiological role of galactinol has been demonstrated as that of a D-galactosyl donor in the biosynthesis of the raffinose family of oligosaccharides35 293,2 6-298 (see Section VII,5). The high concentra- 

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