title: A new colorimetric method to quantify β-1,3-1,6-glucans in comparison with total β-1,3-glucans in edible mushrooms.
abstract: Mushroom β-glucans are known for their activity as biological response modifiers and anticarcinogenic agents. β-1,3-1,6 Branched glucans with a triple helix tertiary structure are recognised as the most potent ones. In the present work, a colorimetric method for β-1,3-1,6-glucan quantification based on the dye Congo red is introduced. This method is specific for β-glucans with a triple helix. The β-1,3-1,6-glucan content of mycelia and fruiting bodies from various mushrooms was determined and compared with the total β-1,3-glucan content, measured by a fluorimetric method. The results show equal amounts of β-1,3-1,6- and total β-1,3-glucans in the analysed species but obvious differences between mycelia and fruiting bodies. On the average, 3% of mycelia and 8% of fruiting body dry mass consist of β-1,3-1,6-glucans. The average percentage of β-1,3-1,6-glucans in the total β-1,3-glucan content differs between mycelia (46%) and fruiting bodies (87%).
authors.affiliation: Kommunikation und Management chemischer Prozesse in der Industrie - Fachbereich C, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Gaußstrasse 20, 42096 Wuppertal, Germany. Electronic address: 429790@uni-wuppertal.de.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nitschke
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Modick
authors.forename: Ekkehard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Busch
authors.forename: Reimund Wantoch
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: von Rekowski
authors.forename: Hans-Josef
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Altenbach
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mölleken