Structure of polygalactosamine produced by Aspergillus parasiticus

The structure of polygalactosamine purified from the culture fluid of Aspergillus parasiticus AHU 7165 was studied. Partial acid hydrolysis of this polysaccharide, in which 55 to 65% of the monosaccharide residues were N-unsubstituted, gave a series of galactosamine oligosaccharides (dimer to hexamer) in a good yield. From the data on analyses of the polysaccharide and its oligosaccharides by gel filtration, periodate oxidation, methylation, and proton NMR measurement, the polysaccharide was characterized as a linear chain of alpha (1-4)-linked galactosamine residues. The N-unsubstituted galactosamine residues are probably distributed in a random fashion over the polysaccharide chain.