Enzymic Dissociation of Zea Shoot Cell Wall Polysaccharides

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Abstract
The water-insoluble fraction, obtained after successive treatment of an insoluble fraction of a buffer-homogenate of Z. mays L. hybrid B73 .times. Mo 17 shoots with 3 M LiCl and hot water, was treated with .alpha.-amylase to remove starch. This fraction was subjected to sugar composition analysis and the major glycosidic linkages were determined. The water-insoluble fraction is apparently mainly composed of arabinoxylan, (1 .fwdarw. 3),(1 .fwdarw. 4-)-.beta.-D-glucan, xyloglucan, (1 .fwdarw. 4)-galactan, polygalacturonic acid and cellulose. The insoluble fraction also contained ferulic acid (.apprx. 440 .mu.g/50 mg dry wt), which was released from the fraction by treatment with aqueous NaOH. Novo Ban 120 from Bacillus subtilis was an appropriate enzyme source for selective dissociation of Zea shoot wall polysaccharides.