A (1/ar3)-α-D-glucan isolated from the fruit bodies of lentinus edodes

An alkali-soluble glucan, [α]D + 258° (M sodium hydroxide), was isolated from the fruit bodies of Lentinus edodes. On the basis of methylation analysis, periodate oxidation, and fragmentation analysis by partial acid-hydrolysis. this glucan was shown to have a slightly branched structure composed of (1 → 3)- and (1 → 4)-linked, α-D-glucopyranose residues in the ratio 5.3:1. The glucan was partially degraded by amylolytic enzymes. Get filtration of the glucans degraded by alpha amylolysis or by Smith degradation suggests that (1 → 4)-α-Dranose residues are not interspersed randomly, but are present in the regions not far from the non-reducing ends.