Green algae, polysaccharides from

The alkali-resistant material from the cyst walls of the green alga Acetahularia mediterranea was studied by X-ray and other physical methods. The predominant, structural polysaccharide was found to be cellulose I. The stalk and cap walls of the alga contain poly[(l—>4)-/3-D-Manp]. It is possible that the change from mannan to cellulose in Acetahularia is paralleled by a transition from the diploid to the haploid stage. 

In algae, an example is found in the sulfated polysaccharide spirulan, isolated from the blue-green alga Spirulina platensis, composed of two types of disaccharide repeating-units, O-rhamnosyl-acofriose (3-0-methylrhamnose) and 0-hexosyluronic-rhamnose.226... 

A polysaccharide from the green marine alga Ulva lactuca inhibited the reproduction of many human and avian influenza viruses. Acid hydrolysis of this polysaccharide revealed the presence of arabinose, xylose, rhamnose, galactose, mannose and glucose in ratio of 1 1 9 5 2 5 16, respectively along with an unidentified sugar [218]. 

Mao, W., Zang, X., Li, Y., and Zhang, H. (2006). Sulfated polysaccharides from marine green algae Ulva conglobata and their anticoagulant activity. J. Appl. Phycol. 18,9-14. 

Hayakawa, Y., Hayashi, T., Lee, J. B., Srisomporn, P., Maeda, M., Ozawa, T., and Sakuragawa, N. (2000). Inhibition of thrombin by sulfated polysaccharides isolated from green algae. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1543,86-94. 

Sulfated polysaccharide antibiotic of unknown struct. Composed of two types of repeating disaccharide units O-rhamnosylacofriose and O-hexuro-nosylrhamnose (aldobiuronic acid). Characterised as the Ca deriv. Calcium spirulan, to which CAS no. refers. Isol. from the blue-green alga Spirulina platensis. Antiviral agent. Amorph. powder, (as Ca deriv.). [a]o +14.7 (c, 0.6 in H2O) (Ca deriv.). 

Polysaccharide composed of partially sulfated Rha, Xyl and glucuronic acid. Isol. from cell walls of marine green algae Uha spp., cf. rigida and Uha lacterca. Shows cytotoxic props. 

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