Diversity and versatility of plant seed xyloglucan

Abstract

We demonstrate the diversity and versatility of plant seed xyloglucan by taking the examples of xyloglucans from the seed of Tamarindus indica and of Detarium senegalense Gmelin. The primary structure of plant seed xyloglucans is similar being composed of cellulose backbone. The flour obtained from Tamarindus indica and Detarium senegalense Gmelin seeds is consumed daily as a food additive but it is reported that those two xyloglucans reveal different physiological effects on the human body. Three types of monomers are available for xyloglucan. Thus the physiological function may be due to the higher order structure, which is specified by the sequence of different monomer types. Light scattering and small-angle X-ray scattering is the major tool for investigating the structure of xyloglucan in solution. We will introduce briefly the methodology for the structural analysis of xyloglucan in solution. The analyzed results of light scattering and small-angle X-ray scattering indicate that Detarium senegalense Gmelin has a branched structure whereas Tamarindus indica consists essentially of linear polysaccharide.