Pectic and Polygalacturonic Acids

Pectic and Polygalacturonic Acids.—The effects of cross-linking of pectic acid on the cation-exchange properties, on the binding of endo-polygalacturonase, and on the biodegradability have been examined.  

Poly(D-galacturonic acid) cross-linked with epichlorohydrin has been used in the purification of polygalacturonase by affinity chromatography.  

Starches.—A dextrin attached to macroporous agarose with the aid of butane-1,4-diol diglycidyl ether has been used as the affinity adsorbent in the purification of bovine pancreatic at-amylase. The determination of diverse substituents in starch derivatives by means of i.r. spectroscopy has been described.  

The conversion of starch into cyclohepta-amylose by soluble or immobilized cyclodextrin D-glucanotransferases and the ability of a-amylases to convert starch into some products by a non-hydrolytic (transglycosylation) pathway have been reported.The production of single-cell protein from starchy wastes has been discussed. 

The preparation of benzoylated car boxy met hylstarches has been reported. The relation between the conditions for carboxymethylation of starch and the properties of the resulting carboxymethylstarches has been investigated. The sodium salt of carboxymethylstarch is readily converted into the free-acid form, which could not be washed effectively because of swelling. The sodium salt of starch glycolate has been used as the substrate in an assay of a-amylase.  

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