D/L-hybrid galactans from red seaweeds: Do they really exist?

MARINA CIANCIA; ALBERTO S. CEREZO

Handbook of Carbohydrate Polymers

Nova Science Publishers

Lugar: Nueva York; Año: 2010; p. 355 - 391

Several points concerning the presence in red seaweeds of galactans with cooccurrence of carrageenan and agaran structures (DL-hybrid galactans) are addressed: a.        Analysis of D- and L-galactose enantiomers and their methylated and cyclic derivatives. Spectroscopic, enzymatic and chemical methodologies. b.       Systems of galactans, in which the presence of D- and L-galactose has been determined (DL-galactan systems). c.        The possible deviant structures of carrageenans and agarans in “DL-hybrid” galactans. d.       The isolation of “pure” carrageenans and agarans from DL-galactan systems. e.        The formation of molecular complexes between carrageenans, agarans and carrageenan/agarans. f.         DL-hybrid galactans or molecular complexes: Evidences in favor of each hypothesis.