On the nature of the cell wall constituents of Laminaria spp. Mannuronic acid.

THE nature of the cell wall constituents of the red and brown algae has been the subject of study in this laboratory for some time past [Haas and Hill, 1921; Haas, 1921; Russell-Wells, 1922; Haas and Russell-Wells, 1923, 1929]. The present investigation, which is concerned primarily with Laminaria spp., was undertaken with the object of throwing some light on the mode of occurrence within the plant of some of the substances which have from time to time been described as being obtained from this genus. The search for the source of the methylpentose, fucose, in particular, has involved the study of the products of hydrolysis of two cell wall constituents known respectively as fucoidin and alginic acid and the results obtained are described herein.