CONSTITUTION OF A DEGRADED POLYSACCHARIDE FROM WHEAT BRAN

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Abstract
Graded acid hydrolysis of a soluble wheat bran hemicellulose containing L-arabinose (50%), D-xylose (38.5%), and D-glucuronic acid (9.0%) preferentially removed the L-arabinose giving an insoluble acidic polysaccharide in approximately 25% yield by weight. Methylation studies, periodate oxidation data, and hypoiodite end group estimations showed that the degraded polysaccharide was composed of repeating units of 7-8 D-xylopyranose residues joined by β,1 → 4 linkages. To this repeating unit, one D-glucuronic acid unit was attached by a 1 → 2 glycosidic bond. The cellulolytic enzyme of Myrotheciumverrucaria, which is specific for β,1 → 4 glycosidic linkages, hydrolyzed the degraded polysaccharide although it had no effect on the parent hemicellulose