Structural Features of an Anti-Diabetic Polysaccharide(TAP) from Tremella aurantia.

The structure of an anti-diabetic polysaccharide (TAP) obtained from the fruiting bodies of Tremella aurantia was investigated by methylation analysis, Smith degradation, partial acid hydrolysis, 13C-NMR spectrometry, and enzymatic digestion. The results suggested that TAP was composed of (1→3)-linked α-D-mannopyranosyl residues as a backbone, some of which were substituted at position 2 with (1→3)-linked β-D-xylopyranose side chains and with β-D-glucopyransyluronic acid at position 4 linked to terminal α-D-mannopyranose.