Methylation and acetolysis of extracellular D-mannans from yeast

Abstract

Methylation-fragmentation analyses were conducted on a series of extracellular, yeast α- D-linked mannans representing six different structural types. D-Mannans of low degree of branching were produced by Hansenula capsulata strains and by species related to H. holstii. The former consisted primarily of (1→2)- and (1→6)-linked D-mannosyl residues; the latter, of (1→2)-and (1→3)-linked D-mannosyl residues. Although the remaining structural types were highly branched, each gave distinct methylation-patterns indicative of (1→6)-linked backbones to which are appended non-(1→6)-linked side-chains. Acetolysis studies were correlated with the methylation analyses, and the correlation demonstrated that each branched polymer possesses side chains of heterogeneous length.