The molecular structures of some glucans from the cell walls of Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Extraction of the cell walls of Schizosaccharomyces pombe with dilute alkali at 4° yields a mixture of polysaccharides including galactomannan, (1?3)-a-d-glucan, and a branched (1?3)-ß-d-glucan. The alkali-insoluble residue contains a lightly branched (1?3)-ß-d-glucan, together with smaller amounts of an extremely highly branched (1?6)-ß-d-glucan. The properties of the three distinct ß-d-glucans are compared with those isolated from other yeasts. © 1977.