Abstract
The released polysaccharide from the halophilic cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica GR02 was separated into two main fractions byanion-exchange chromatography. The major fraction consisted of glucose,fucose, mannose, arabinose and glucuronic acid. Judging from thechromatography on Sepharose 2B, the major fraction was not furtherfractionated, and its apparent molecular weight was above 2.0 × 106 Da.The minor fraction consisted of rhamnose, mannose, fucose,glucose, galactose and glucuronic acid, with traces of arabinose.Methylation and GC-MS spectrometry analyses of the major fractionrevealed the presence of 1-linked glucose, 1,3-linked glucose, 1,3-linkedfucose, 1,4-linked fucose, 1,3-linked arabinose, 1,2,4-linked mannose,1,3,6-linked mannose, 1-linked glucuronic acid and 1,3-linked glucuronicacid residues. The major fraction was thought to originate from capsularpolysaccharide. The released polysaccharides, obtained from cultures atdifferent age of culture, showed no striking variations in themonosaccharide composition and the relative proportions of themonosaccharides. However, the proportions of galactose and rhamnose inthe released polysaccharides, obtained from cultures under different salinity,were significantly different. The released polysaccharide also exhibitedgelling properties and strong affinity for metal ions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bar-Or Y, Shilo M (1987) Characterization of macromolecular flocculants produced by Phormidium sp. strain J-1 and by Anabaenopsis circularis PCC 6720. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 53: 2226-2230.
Borowitzka MA (1988) Algal growth media and sources of algal cultures. In Borowitzka MA, Borowitzka LJ (eds), Micro-algal Biotechnology. Cambridge U.P., Cambridge: 456-465.
Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Analyt. Biochem. 72: 248-254.
De Philippis R, Margheri MC, Pelosi E, Ventura S (1993) Exopolysaccharide production by a unicellular cyanobacterium isolated from a hypersaline habitat. J. appl. Phycol. 5: 387-394.
De Philippis R, Vincenzini M (1998) Exocellular polysaccharides from cyanobacteria and their possible applications. FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 22: 151-175.
Drews G, Weckesser J (1982) Function, structure and composition of cell walls and external layers. In Carr NG, Whitton BA (eds), The Biology of Cyanobacteria. Blackwell, Oxford: 333-357.
Dubois M, Gilles KA, Hamilton JK, Rebers PA, Smith F (1956) Colorimetric method of determination of sugars and related substances. Analyt. Chem. 28: 350-356.
Fischer D, Schlösser VG, Pohl P (1997) Exopolysaccharide production by cyanobacteria grown in closed photobioreactors and imobilized using white cotton toweling. J. appl. Phycol. 9: 205-213.
Forni C, Telo FR, Caiola MG (1997) Comparative analysis of the polysaccharides produced by different species of Microcystis (Chroococcales, Cyanophyta). Phycologia 36: 181-185.
Galambos JT (1967) The reaction of carbazole with carbohydrates. I. Effect of borate and sulfamate on the carbazole color of sugars. Analyt. Biochem. 19: 119-132.
Garozzo D, Impallomeni G, Spina E, Sturiale L (1998) The structure of the exopolysaccharide from the cyanobacterium Cyanospira capsulata. Carbohydr. Res. 307: 113-124.
Gloaguen V, Morvan H, Hoffmann L (1995) Released and capsular polysaccharides of Oscillatoriaceae (Cyanophyceae, Cyanobacteria). Alg. Studies 78 (Arch. Hydrobiol. Suppl. 109): 53-69.
Hakomori S (1964) A rapid permethylation of glycolipid, and polysaccharide catalysed by methylsulfinyl carbanion in dimethyl sulfoxide. J. Biochem. 55: 205-208.
Helm RF, Huang Z, Edwards D, Leeson H, Peery W, Potts M (2000) Structural characterization of the released polysaccharide of desiccation-tolerant Nostoc commune DRH-1. J. Bact. 182: 974-983.
Li P, Liu Z, Ge H, Sheng R, Sheng H (2000) Effects of salinity and nutritional limitation on the growth and exopolysaccharide production of Aphanothece halophytica. J. Nanjing Univ. (Nat. Sci) 36: 585-591 (in Chinese).
Li T, Wu C, Zhang Y (1982) Studies of gas chromatographic analysis of saccharides and alditols: Some improvements in the analysis of acetylated aldononitriles by gas chromatography. Fenxi Huaxue (Chinese J. analyt. Chem.) 10: 272-276 (in Chinese).
Liu Z, Lin H (1993) A species of microalga with useful and developable prospects-Aphanothece halophytica. Haihuyan Yu Huagong (Sea-lake Salt & Chemical Industry) 22: 16-19 (in Chinese).
Lloyd AG, Dodgson KS (1959) Infrared spectra of carbohydrate sulphate esters. Nature 184: 548-549.
Mehta VB, Vaidya BS (1978) Cellular and extracellular polysaccharides of the blue-green alga Nostoc. J. exp. Bot. 29: 1423-1430.
Moore BG, Tischer G (1964) Extracellular polysaccharides of algae: effects on life-support systems. Science 145: 586-587.
Morris GA, Li P, Puaud M, Liu Z, Mitchell JR, Harding SE (2001) Hydrodynamic characterisation of the exopolysaccharide from the halophilic cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica GR02: a comparison with xanthan. Carbohydr. Polym. 44: 261-268.
Nicolaus B, Panico A, Lama L, Ramano I, Manca MC, De Giulio A, Gambacorta A (1999) Chemical composition and production of exopolysaccharides from representative members of heterocystous and non-heterocystous cyanobacteria. Phytochemistry 52: 639-647.
Panoff JM, Priem B, Morvan H, Joset F (1988) Sulphated exopolysaccharides produced by two unicellular strains of cyanobacteria Synechocystis PCC 6803 and 6714. Arch. Microbiol. 150: 558-563.
Ramus J (1977) Alcian-blue: a quantitaive aqueous assay for algal acid and sulfated polysaccharides. J. Phycol. 13: 345-348.
Rinaudo M, Milas M(1978) Polyelectrolyte behaviour of a bacterial polysaccharide from Xanthomonas campestris: comparison with carboxymethylcellulose. Biopolymers 17: 2633-2678.
Saulnier L, Brillouet JM, Joseleau JP (1988) Structural studies of pectic substances from the pulp of grape berries. Carbohydr. Res. 182: 63-78.
Smestad Paulsen B, Vieira AAH, Klaveness D (1992) Structure of extracellular polysaccharide produced by a soil Cryptomonas sp. (Cryptophyceae). J. Phycol. 28: 61-63.
Sutherland IW (1985) Biosynthesis and composition of Gramnegative bacterial extracellular and wall polysaccharides. Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 39: 243-270.
Sutherland IW (1994) Structure-function relationships in microbial exopolysaccharides. Biotech. Adv. 12: 393-448.
Sweeley CC, Bentley B, Makita M, Wells WW (1963) Gas-liquid chromatography of trimethysilyl derivatives of sugars and related substances. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 85: 2497-2507.
Vincenzini M, De Philippis R, Sili C, Materassi R (1990) Studies on exopolysaccharide release by diazotrophic batch cultures of Cyanospira capsulata. Appl. Microbiol. Biotech. 34: 392-396.
Vincenzini M, De Philippis R, Sili C, Materassi R (1993) Stability of molecular and rheological properties of the exopolysaccharide produced by Cyanospira capsulata cultivated under different growth conditions. J. appl. Phycol. 5: 539-641.
Wang WS, Tischer RG (1973) Study of the extracellular polysaccharide produced by a blue-green alga Anabaena flos-aquae A-37. Arch. Microbiol. 91: 77-81.
Yopp JH, Tindall DR, Miller DM, Schmid WE (1978) Isolation, purification and evidence for a halophilic nature of the blue-green alga Aphanthece halophytica Frémy (Chroococcales). Phycologia 17: 172-178.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Li, P., Liu, Z. & Xu, R. Chemical characterisation of the released polysaccharide from the cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica GR02. Journal of Applied Phycology 13, 71–77 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008109501066
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008109501066