Work

Structure of Plant Cell Walls: VIII. A New Pectic Polysaccharide

Year: 1978

Type: article

Abstract: This paper describes the isolation and characterization of rhamnogalacturonan II, a hitherto unobserved component of the primary cell walls of dicotyledonous plants. Rhamnogalacturonan II constitutes 3 to 4% of the primary cell walls of suspension-cultured sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) cells. Rhamnogalacturonan II is a very complex polysaccharide yielding, upon hydrolysis, 10 different monosaccharides including the rarely observed sugars apiose, 2-O-methylxylose, and 2-O-methylfucose. In addition, rhamnogalacturonan II is characterized by the rarely observed glycosyl interconnections of 2-linked glucuronosyl, 3,4-linked fucosyl, and 3-linked rhamnosyl residues. These glycosyl linkages have never previously been detected in primary sycamore cell walls. Evidence is presented which suggests that polysaccharides similar to rhamnogalacturonan II are present in the primary cell walls of the three other dicotyledonous plants examined.

Source: PLANT PHYSIOLOGY

DOI: 10.1104/pp.62.3.418

Authors: Alan G. Darvill, Michael McNeil, Peter Albersheim

Institution: University of Colorado Boulder

Language: English

Topic: Polysaccharides and Plant Cell Walls

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: U.S. Department of Energy

Award: G754964215