Form-first Conference the Determination of the Structure of "dextrans" Isolated from Cane Sugar

The structure of dextrans elaborated by various bacteria have been the subject of detailed research in the last 25 years. Jeanes et a1 (1954) described the application of sodium metaperiodate oxidation procedures in determining the structure of dextrans elaborated by 96 strains of bacteria. They concluded that the structures varied from essentially linear polymers with glucose units joined through 1-6 linkages to highly branched polymers composed of as little as 50 per cent 1-6 linkages. Weigel et a1 (1966), using more sophisticated structural procedures, have confirmed some of the structures obtained by Jeanes. Nicholson and Lilienthal (1959) used potassium metaperiodate oxidation to determine structures of dextrans isolated from synthetic media and sugar-cane juices. Hawes (1970) and Leonard (1972) isolated and purified dextrans from cane juices. Both authors found a significant difference in the structure determined by periodate oxidation and methylation analysis. This paper discusses the use of several complementary methods for determination of the structure of polysaccharides isolated from cane sugars produced from deteriorated cane. The effects of different methods of solubilizing polysaccharides on the results of periodate oxidation of those polysaccharides are also discussed.