THE CELL-WALL GALACTAN OF CATENALLA-NIPAE ZANARDINI FROM SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA

The cell wall polysaccharide of Catenella nipae Zanardini collected fr om southern Australia was extracted and analysed by chemical and physi cal methods. Galactose and 3,6-anhydrogalactose were the major monosac charide constituents of this preparation in a molar proportion of 6: 4 , with minor amounts of xylose also present. No mono-O-methylgalactosy l residues were detected. The high sulphate ester content (ca. 30% as SO3Na) and gelling in the presence of Ca2+ are indicative of a carrage enan type of polysaccharide. Infrared and C-13-NMR spectroscopy establ ished that the dominant component of the extracted polysaccharide prep aration is iota (iota)-carrageenan.