Curdlan: A bacterial gel-forming β-1, 3-glucan

The gel-forming β-1, 3-glucan ([α]D +18 ° in 0.1 n NaOH) of A lcaligenes faecalis var. myxogenes 10C3, mutant K, has been shown by methylation and periodate oxidation studies to be a β-1, 3-d-glucan. Hydrolysis of the methylated glucan yields predominantly 2, 4, 6-tri-O-methyl-d-glucose, which suggests that the glucan is an essentially linear molecule consisting entirely or mainly of 1 → 3-linked d-glucose residues. The amount of periodate reduced (0.04 m per mole of anhydroglucose unit) by polysaccharide supports the above conclusion. The degree of polymerization of the polysaccharide calculated from formaldehyde release by reduction followed by periodate oxidation, is approximately 135 glucose units. The low specific rotation of the polymer and absorption at about 890 cm−1 in the infrared region indicate the β-configuration.