A fucosylated xyloglucan was isolated from the leaves of Hymenaea courbaril
by alkaline extraction, followed by ethanol precipitation and ion-exchange
chromatography. The isolated polysaccharide showed Glc:Xyl:Gal:Fuc in mola
r ratio of 8:5:2.5:1 and [alpha](D)(25) +40.5 degrees. Composition and link
age analyses, supported by NMR spectroscopic measurements, showed that the
polysaccharide has a glucan backbone which is highly substituted at O-6 wit
h D-xylopyranose residues, about a half of which are substituted at O-2 by
D-galactopyranosyl units. Some of the galactose residues are further substi
tuted by L-fucopyranose at O-2. The M-r, as determined by HPSEC, was 49,500
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