Isolation and structural characterization of rhamnogalacturonan ll-borate complex from Pinus densiflora

Abstract

A boron-containing pectic polysaccharide was isolated from Driselase digests of akamatsu (Pinus densiflora) cell wall. The boron-containing polysaccharide was purified by successive column chromatography of Cosmosil C18 OPN, DEAE Sepharose FF, and Superdex 75. The complex had 0.12% (w/w) boron (B) and 11B-NMR spectroscopy showed the complex to be the tetrahedral diester form of boron. The sugar composition and glycosyl linkage analyses showed that the sugar portion of the complex was rhamnogalacturonan-II (RG-II). The boron-attached glycosyl residue was identified to be 2-O-Me-xylose-containing apiosyl side chain in RG-II. These results established that the location of borate in the cell wall is conserved among dicots, gramineous monocots, and coniferous gymnosperm. © The Japan Wood Research Society 1999.