Biosynthesis of Soil Polysaccharides: I. Glucose and Alfalfa Tissue Substrates

Abstract Glucose, galactose, mannose, arabinose, xylose, rhamnose, fucose, ribose (trace), uronic acid, and five unidentified sugars were chromatographically separated from hydrolysates of polysaccharides extracted from soil which had been incubated with glucose‐1‐C‐14 or C 14 ‐alfalfa tissue. All sugars in the polysaccharide became labeled during the incubation period, but glucose, galactose, and mannose contained more carbon‐14 than other sugars. Xylose was present in greatest concentration. Concentrations of glucose, galactose, mannose, arabinose, and rhamnose were similar.