The molecular structures of a glucan and a galactan synthesised by prototheca zopfii

Abstract When the unicellular organism Prototheca zopfii was grown on a malt-agar medium, a mixture of polysaccharides was synthesised which could be subsequently extracted from the dried cells with hot water and hot alkali. The major polysaccharide was a galactan which had a branched structure with main chains of (1→6)-linked D -galactopyranose residues, and ≈ 10% of side chains containing terminal D -galacto-furanose residues. A glycogen-type polysaccharide and a (1→4)-linked mannan were also produced.