The polysaccharide components present in the scape of Muse paradisiaca (ban
ana) were fractionated into water-soluble (WSP), EDTA-soluble (EDTA-SP), al
kali-soluble (ASP) and alkali-insoluble (AISP) polysaccharide fractions [An
janeyalu, Jagadish and Raju (1997) Glycoconj. J. 14, 507-512. The EDTA-SP w
as further fractionated by iso-amyl alcohol into EDTA-SPA and EDTA-SP-B. Th
e homogeneity of these two polysaccharides was established by repeated prec
ipitation with iso-amyl alcohol, gel-filtration chromatography and sediment
ation analysis. The polysaccharides were characterized by monosaccharide co
mposition analysis, methylation linkage analysis, iodine affinity, ferricya
nide number, blue value, hydrolysis with alpha -amylase, gold-electron micr
oscopy and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. Data from all of these studies s
uggest that EDTA-SP-A is a branched amylose-type alpha -D-glucan and that E
DTA-SP-B is a highly branched amylopectin-type polymer. The nature of the b
ranching patterns of these polysaccharides suggests that they are unique to
M. paradisiaca.