Structure of a beta-galactan isolated from the nuclei of Physarum polycephalum

A sulfated and phosphorylated beta-D-galactan ([alpha]D+8degrees) was isolated from the nuclei of the acellular slime mould Physarum polycephalum. The polysaccharide was isolated from cesium chloride gradients during the preparation of ribosomal DNA and purified. The purified galactan contained 89% galactose, 2.5% phosphate and 9.6% sulfate groups and had an average degree of polymerisation of 560. Periodate degradation and permethylation studies indicated the presence of mainly (1 leads to 4)-, but also of (1 leads to 3)-, and (1 leads to 6)-linked galactose units with one branch every 13 units. These results suggested that the intranuclear galactan, apart from its higher sulfate content, is similar to the extracellular polysaccharide produced by P. polycephalum.