Structural study of fucoidan from the brown seaweed Hizikia fusiformis

Abstract

We investigated the structure of fucoidan from Hizikia fusiformis. Using DEAE-Sepharose column chromatography, fucoidan was fractionated into four groups. F4, main fraction of fucoidan, contained 38 % (w/w) of ester sulfate and had the simplest sugar component (L-FUC: D-Gal=7:3). The structure of F4 was discussed using de-sulfation, 2D-NMR and methylation analysis and proposed as [→3)-α-L-Fucp-(1→3)-α-L-Fucp-(l-→3) -α-L-Fucp-(l-→3)-α-L-Fucp-(l-→]4 R n R=α-L-Fucp- (l→4)-α-L-Fucp-(1→(50 %a) or α-D-Galp- (l→4)-α-D-Galp-(l-→(50%a). 58 % in molar ratio of the hydroxyl group is sulfated.