Abstract
The chemical structure of the polysaccharide which functions as an endogenous substrate in germinating conidia of Cochliobolus miyabeanus was studied. When the germinating conidia were extracted with 1 N NaOH, 30% KOH and 4 N acetic acid successively, the acetic acid-extractable polysaccharide (I) was the only one that decreased after the completion of germ-tube formation. Gas liquid chromatograms of the acid or enzymic hydrolysates of I and the infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the methylated I indicated that I is composed of only β-linked glucose (β-glucan). I consists of 129 β-linked glucosyl residues which are composed of β-1, 3- and β-1, 6-linked glucosyl residues in the ratio of 5 : 2, and β-glucosyl branched units connected through C6 or C3 of the main chain glucan and non-reducing termini exist in the ratio of one residue to seven glycosyl residues.
