2 PECTIC POLYSACCHARIDES FROM KIWIFRUIT CELL-WALLS

From kiwifruit cell wall material treated with endopolygalacturonase, two polysaccharide fractions were isolated and purified using ion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography. One of the fractions was shown to be a polysaccharide composed of 32% galacturonic acid, 15% rhamnose, 18% arabinose, and 35% galactose. This polysaccharide is considered to be a rhamnogalacturonan-type polysaccharide, probably rhamnogalacturonan I. The second fraction, of lower molecular weight, was a homogalacturonan composed of 81% galacturonic acid, 6.7% glucose, 2.8% mannose, 1.7% arabinose and 0.5% fucose.