Structural differences in fructans elaborated by streptococcus mutans and Strep. salivarius.
D-Fructans synthesized from sucrose by cell-free systems of strains of Streptococcus mutans and Strep. salivarius have been shown by methylation and enzymatic studies to have different glycosidic linkages. The cold water-insoluble D-fructans from Strep. mutans strain BHT and JC-1 have inulin-type structures consisting beta-(2 leads to 1)-D-fructofuranosidic linkages, with average repeating units of 8 and 27 sugar residues, respectively, whereas the water-soluble fructan from Strep. salivarius strain HHT has a levan-type branched structure consisting beta-(2 leads to 6)-D-fructofuranosidic linkages with an average repeating unit of 9 sugar residues. The solubility properties of these fructants are discussed on the basis of the structural differences.
D005630:Fructans / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005632:Fructose / Q000032:analysis; D005947:Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012995:Solubility; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000378:metabolism*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000378:metabolism; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism
D005630:Fructans; D011134:Polysaccharides; D005632:Fructose; D013395:Sucrose; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D005947:Glucose