XYLOGLUCAN FROM XYLEM-DIFFERENTIATING ZONES OF CRYPTOMERIA-JAPONICA

Xyloglucan was isolated from xylem-differentiating zones of Cryptomeri a japonica. Endo-1,4-beta-glucanase digestion of the xyloglucan gave a series of oligosaccharides. These oligosaccharides were purified by g el permeation chromatography and normal-phase HPLC. Glycosyl-residue c omposition and glycosyl-linkage composition analyses, H-1 NMR spectros copy and FAB-mass spectrometry of the oligosaccharides showed that the xyloglucan was composed of five kinds of oligosaccharide. These oligo saccharides are commonly found in xyloglucan from dicot plants and are characterized as XXXG, XXLG, XXFG, XLLG and XLFG. These results sugge st that xyloglucan from gymnosperms has similar structure to that of d icots. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.