Carbohydrates and carbohydrate esters of ferulic acid released from cell walls of Lolium multiflorum by treatment with cellulolytic enzymes

Abstract

41% of the cell walls from mature leaf blades of Lolium multiflorum were digested by treatment during 14 days with C 1 enzyme (cellulase) which had been purified by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. Cellobiose was the main sugar released from the walls, together with some glucose and higher oligosaccharides. Considerable amounts of carbohydrate esters of ferulic and p-coumaric acids were also released. When the C 1 enzyme was further purified by isoelectric focusing, only 8% of the cell walls were digested. Purified C x (CM-cellulase) containing β-glucosidase digested 51% of the cell walls in 16 hours: the major component detected in the soluble products was glucose together with some β (1 → 4)-xylobiose, xylose and arabinose. Higher oligosaccharides and carbohydrate esters of ferulic and p-coumaric acids were also present. It was shown that these acids were present in the cell walls mainly in the trans-configuration.