Carrageenans in the gametophytic and sporophytic stages of Chondrus crispus |
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Authors: | E. L. McCandless J. S. Craigie J. A. Walter |
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Affiliation: | (1) Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada;(2) Atlantic Regional Laboratory, National Research Council of Canada, 1411 Oxford Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
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Abstract: | Summary The morphologically similar sporophytic and gametophytic plants of Chondrus crispus Stackhouse were examined and it was shown that the former contain -carrageenan. The gametophytes contain - and two additional carrageenans which are KCl-soluble and may comprise up to 25% of the total carrageenan. After alkaline modification, these KCl-soluble components were separated into a gel and a soluble carrageenan. The gel was indistinguishable from -carrageenan and presumably was derived from -carrageenan while the KCl-soluble fraction possessed a unique infrared spectrum easily distinguished from alkali-modified -carrageenan. This appears to represent a third carrageenan in the gametophytes.Our observations suggest that the biologically separate plants of C. crispus exhibit distinctive patterns of sulfation of their galactans. The sporophytes add SO42- at C2 of the precursor, whereas the gametophytes appear to add it principally at the available C4 positions. Both types of plant are capable of sulfating at C6 of the 4-linked galactose unit.Issued as NRC No. 13119. |
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