STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF WATER-SOLUBLE PECTINS FROM MUNG BEAN HYPOCOTYLS

Physicochemical and enzymic approaches were used to characterize highl y methylated pectins isolated from mung bean hypocotyl cell walls. You ng cell walls were particularly rich in rhamnogalacturonan-1-like poly saccharides, the galacturonic units of which might be fully methylated . Short, smooth, homogalacturonan blocks separated these hairy regions . The homogalacturonans included acidic and highly methylated blocks, the structures of which have been investigated through computer simula tions. Such complex carbohydrates were also detected in the older part s of the hypocotyls but to a lesser extent. Mature cells were characte rized by the presence of pure, sparsely methylated homogalacturonan wi th randomly distributed methyl groups.