POLYSACCHARIDES OF ALGAE .48. POLYSACCHARIDE COMPOSITION OF SEVERAL CALCAREOUS RED ALGAE - ISOLATION OF ALGINATE FROM CORALLINA-PILULIFERA P-ET-R (RHODOPHYTA, CORALLINACEAE)

The polysaccharide composition of several calcareous red algae of the family Corallinaceae, namely, Alatocladia modesta (Yendo) Johansen, Bo ssiella compressa Kloczcova, B. cvetacea (Postels et Ruprecht) Johanse n, Corallina frondescens Postels et Ruprecht, C. piluilifera Postels e t Ruprecht, Corallina sp., Haliptylon splendens Kloczcova, Clathromorp hum nei nereostratum Lebednik and Lithothamnion phymatodeum lz (Foslie ) Foslie from different regions of Northwestern Pacific has been inves tigated. Glucose, galactose, xylose, and uronic acids were shown to be the main monosaccharide components of biomass of all the samples, whe reas 3,6-anhydrogalactose was not detected. It was suggested that thes e monosaccharides are the constituents of floridean starch, sulfated x ylogalactan, and a polyuronide. The corresponding polysaccharides were isolated from C. piluilifera a Postels er Ruprecht. Floridean starch was characterized as an amylopectin-like branched a-D-glucan by amylol ysis, C-13-NMR spectrum, and iodine complex formation. Xylogalactan wa s found to contain galactose, xylose, and sulfate in a molar ratio of about 2.3:1:1 and practically devoid of 3,6-anhydrogalactose both befo re and after treatment with alkali. The polyuronide was proved to be a lginic acid according to its monosaccharide composition and C-13-NMR s pectrum; 1-->4-linked beta-D-mannuronic acid (M) and alpha-1-guluronic acid (G) residues (M/G 0.7) were shown to be arranged in blocks as in alginates of brown seaweeds. Hence, the corralinean algae differ cons iderably from other red seaweeds in their polysaccharide composition. The most interesting feature is the presence of alginates, which were regarded previously as specific components of brown seaweeds and sever al bacteria.