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A glucan molecule is a polysaccharide of D-glucose monomers[1] linked by glycosidic bonds.
Many beta-glucans are medically important.
Types
The following are glucans:
- cellulose, β-1,4-glucan
- Curdlan, β-1,3-glucan
- zymosan, β-1,3-glucan
- dextran, α-1,6-glucan
- glycogen, α-1,4- and α-1,6-glucan
- laminarin, β-1,3- and β-1,6-glucan
- lentinan, a strictly purified beta-1,6:beta-1,3-glucan from Lentinus edodes
- lichenin
- pleuran, β-1,3- and β-1,6-glucan isolated from Pleurotus ostreatus
- pullulan, α-1,4- and α-1,6-glucan
- starch, α-1,4- and α-1,6-glucan
(The α- and β- and numbers clarify the type of O-glycosidic bond.)
Properties
Properties of Glucans include resistance to oral acids/enzyme and water insolubility.
References
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Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 27 August 2008, at 22:44.
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