Heteroglycans

Structure of hyaluronic acid from glucuronic acid (left) and N -acetylglucosamine (right)

Heteroglycans or heteropolysaccharides are polysaccharides ( multiple sugar ), which in contrast to homoglycans from more than a single type of monomeric simple sugar are constructed, such as xanthan gums , hyaluronic acid , heparin and other mucopolysaccharides ( glycosaminoglycans ). Heteroglycans predominantly consist of two different, alternating monosaccharides and can therefore be regarded as a polymeric disaccharide . Hyaluronic acid, for example, is made up of alternating glucuronic acid and N -acetylglucosamine building blocks (see figure).

properties

The most important heteroglycan group of glycosaminoglycans fulfills a variety of functions in nature, for example as a structural substance and component of the extracellular matrix ( animal connective tissue , chondroitin , heparan sulfate , hyaluronic acid), as a component of the blood for coagulation ( heparin ), of cell membranes (heparan sulfate) and in cartilage tissue Keratan sulfate).

Some heteroglycans from bacteria :

• Acetane from Acetobacter xylinum
• Alginate from Azotobacter vinelandii
• Amylovoran from Erwinia amylovora
• Arabinogalactan from Mycoplasma sp.
• Galactoglucopolysaccharides from Achromobacter sp. , Agrobacterium radiobacter , Pseudomonas marginalis , Rhizobium sp. and Zooglea sp.
• Gellan from Aureomonas elodea and Sphingomonas paucimobilis
• N -acetylheparosan from Escherichia coli
• Hyaluronic acid from Streptococcus equi
• Kefiran from Lactobacillus hilgardii
• Stewartan from Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii
• Succinoglycan from Alcaligenes faecalis var myxogenes , Sinorhizobium meliloti
• Xanthan from Xanthomonas campestris
• Welan from Alcaligenes sp.

Some heteroglycans from algae :

• Agarose from Gelidium sp.
• Agaropectin from Gelidium sp.
• Alginate
• Carrageenan from the carrageenan algae

Some heteroglycans from plants :

• Arabinogalactan from the Siberian larch
• Arabinoglucan from the Siberian larch
• Carubin from the carob tree
• Guaran from the guar bean
• Karaya made from stink trees
• Konjac from the devil's tongue

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Entry on heteropolysaccharide (heteroglycan) . In: IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the “Gold Book”) . doi : 10.1351 / goldbook.H02812 Version: 2.1.5.