Enzymic Dissociation of Zea Shoot Cell Wall Polysaccharides

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Abstract
The water-insoluble cell wall fraction obtained after successive treatments of an insoluble fraction of a buffer-homogenate of Zea shoots with 3 M LiCl, hot water and .alpha.-amylase, was subjected to dissociation by enzymes. Treatment of the water-insoluble fraction with the purified B. subtilis (1 .fwdarw. 3),(1 .fwdarw. 4)-.beta.-D-glucan 4-glucanohydrolase dissociated cell wall fragments (5.1% of the water-insoluble fraction) which were characterized in detail. Structural analyses of the fragment oligosaccharides revealed blocks of more than 3 contiguous (1 .fwdarw. 4)-linkages and regions consisting of 2 or more contiguous (1 .fwdarw. 3)-linkages. The Zea shoot .beta.-D-glucan may be represented as a folded structure. The presence of contiguous (1 .fwdarw. 3)-linkages in the .beta.-D-glucan offers potential sites for enzyme attack and may account for the generation of specific products released by the endogenous endo-.beta.-D-glucanase in autolysis and/or polymer modification process in Zea shoot cell walls.