The enzymic degradation of porphyran

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Abstract
The [red] algal galactan, porphyran, was incubated with enzymes from a Cytophaga sp. and the products were examined. Only about 30% of the porphyran was recovered in the form of oligosaccharides, the remainder being of high molecular weight. Among the saccharides were D-galactose, 6-O-methyl-D-galactose, neoagarobiose, neoagarotetraose and oligosaccharides containing 6-O-methyl-D-galactose, the principal of which has been tentatively identified as 63-O-methylneoagarotetraose. Fragments containing sulfate also were isolated but not identified. Within the alternating sequence of the D- and L-forms of derivatives of galactose in porphyran, 6-O-methyl-D-galactose replaces D-galactose in a random manner.