Poly 3-glucoses

The production of D-glucose-1-phosphate as an intermediate does not seem to be necessary in other polysaccharide syntheses. Cane sugar (sucrose, saccharose), for example, is converted by the action of the enzyme dextran saccharase into dextran, a poly(glucose), with fructose as by-product. Another product of saccharose is levane, a poly(fructose) produced by the action of the enzyme levane saccharase through release of glucose. 

Starch grains also contain an isomeric poly(glucose), amylopectin, that is quite variable and much less soluble in warm water containing starch grains. This substance introduces another key concept in polymer science that was recognized by Haworth, Meyer and Mark. Glucose is not just bifunctional, it is polyfunctional. Amylopectin has been shown to be a highly branched macromolecule of maltose (Fig. 2.13). 

Figure 1 )S-Poly(L-malate) released into the culture medium during plasmodial growth of P. polycephalum. (a) Effect of the nutrient (o-glucose) on the growth of plasmodia (— —), and the production of )S-poly(L-malate) (—O—). Growth conditions are otherwise as indicated in Table 1 footnote 2. (b) Content of )S-poly(L-malate) (— —) and l-malate (—O—) in the culture medium during growth of strain M3CVIII under conditions indicated in Table 1 footnote 2. Inoculation on day 0. Growth termination on day 4.

Allcock, H. R., and Kwon, S., Covalent linkage of proteins to surface-modified poly(organophosphazenes) Immobilization of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and trypsin, Macromolecules. 19, 1502, 1986. 

Some antigens, such as type 3 pneumococcal polysaccharide, EPS and other polymeric substances such as dextrans (poly-D-glucose) and levan (poly-D-fructose) can induce antibody synthesis without the assistance of TH cells. These are known as T-independent (Ti) antigens. Only one class of immunoglobulin (IgM) is synthesized and there is a weak memory response. 

Other compounds identified in caramels are di-D-fructose and poly(glycosyl) dianhydrides (DFAs). DFAs were found in caramels prepared from D-fructose, D-glucose, and sucrose. The analysis was done after derivatization as TMS (per-0-trimethylsilyl) derivatives or as TMS-oxime (per-O-trimethylsilyl oxime) by... 

Even among nonlinear polymers, many of the materials of interest are composed of a preponderance of bifunctional units with only a minority of polyfunctional units. This applies to vulcanized rubber where no more than about 1 or 2 percent of the isoprene units are cross-linked. It also applies to the amylopectin fraction of starch which consists of chains composed of an average of about 20 glucose units, these chains being connected to one another by trifunctional units to yield an irregular branched array to wool consisting of poly-... 

Kenausis G, Taylor C, Katakis I, Heller A. 1996. Wiring of glucose oxidase and lactate oxidase within a hydrogel made with poly(vinyl pyridine) complexed with [Os(4,4 -dimethoxy-2,2 -bipyridine)2Cl]. J Chem Soc Faraday Trans 92 4131-4136. 

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