Elsinan structure degradation

Structure and Enzymatic Degradation of Elsinan, a New a-D-Glucan Produced by Elsinoe leucospila... 

In this paper, we describe the production, detailed structure, enzymatic degradation and isolation of novel oligosaccharides, and also derivatization, such as 3,6-anhydro-elsinan. Some of rheological properties and potential utilization of this glucan will also be discussed. 

For examination of detailed structural features, elsinan was subjected to partial, acid hydrolysis with 0.5 M sulfuric acid for 4 h at 85°. The degradation products were fractionated by a Charcoal column, followed by preparative, paper chromatography. Table II shows the results of the fractionation. 

Since elsinan has a unique structural feature, its digesta-bility and also methanism of the enzymatic degradation have attracted our attention. In the searches of enzymes capable of degrading this glucan, we became aware of susceptibility of elsinan to particular type of a-amylase, such as salivary and pancreas amylase. This prompted us to examine various amylolytic enzymes, and isolation of the degradation products. 

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