Properties of Gracilaria agars

Data are presented concerning an investigation into the diversity, abundance, production and respiration of the oligochaete fauna in the eutrophic, polymictic Lake Zbechy and in a melioration canal in the Wielkopolska Region, an area of intensive agriculture. It was found that in the canal the average biomass of oligochaetes was about four times higher than in the lake. Oligochaetes expend 1.1–4 times more energy in respiration than in tissue production. Species diversity and species number are positively correlated, while the correlation between diversity and abundance is negative.     

Enzymic cleavage of the α-linkages in agarose,to yield agaro-oligosaccharides

An α-agarase was isolated from a Gram-negative marine bacterium that liquefies agar. The enzyme was purified by chromatography on diethylaminoethyl-cellulose (HO^? form) buffered at pH 7.2. The purified enzyme specifically cleaves (1 →3)-α-L-linkages in agarose, yielding a homologous series of agaro-oligosaccharides. Agarotetraitol and agarohexaitol were characterized.