Polysaccharides from mycelium of the fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cunninghamella japonica</Emphasis>

Preliminary data on the polysaccharide composition of mycelium of the fungus Cunninghamella japonica (synonymous with C. echinulata) grown by the method of submerged cultivation were obtained. Mild acidic hydrolysis of mycelium resulted in the formation of glucose, mannose, and galactose; while the treatment with acid under drastic conditions afforded glucosamine as a product of hydrolysis of chitin and chitosan, their total content was about 35%. Several polysaccharide fractions were isolated from mycelium by successive extraction with hot water, 2% aqueous NaOH, and 10% AcOH; their monosaccharide composition was characterized. The yield of chitosan extracted with AcOH was insignificant. Additional purification of the fraction obtained after extraction with alkali afforded polysaccharide which was a linear (1 → 3)-α-D-glucopyranan according to the data of NMR spectroscopy and the chemical methods of structural analysis. The presence of this polysaccharide, as well as a low content of chitosan and polyuronides, distinguishes the studied strain C. japonica from most of the known Mucorales.