Isolation and Characterization of a Xyloglucan from Gobo (Arctium lappa L.)

A xyloglucan was isolated from the 24% KOH extract of gobo (edible burdock, Arctium lappa L.). A methylation analysis and enzymic degradation studies on the polysaccharide showed that gobo-xyloglucan was built up predominantly of repeating-oligosaccharide units of hepta-(Glc: Xyl=4: 3), nona- (Glc: Xyl: Gal: Fuc=4: 3: 1: 1) and deca- (Glc: Xyl: Gal: Fuc=4: 3: 2: 1) saccharides in an approximate molar ratio of 14: 12: 5, which are the typical structural units of dicot xyloglucans.