%0 Journal Article %T A glucan from active dry baker s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae): A chemical and enzymatic investigation of the structure %A DRAGANA ZLATKOVIC %A DRAGICA JAKOVLJEVIC %A DJORDJE ZEKOVIC %A MIROSLAV M. VRVIC %J Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society %D 2003 %I Serbian Chemical Society %X The structure of a polysaccharide consisting of D-glucose isolated from the cell-wall of active dry baker s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was investigated by using methylation analysis, periodate oxidation, mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, and enzymic hydrolysis, as a new approach in determination of structures. The main structural feature of the polysaccharide deduced on the basis of the obtained results is a linear chain of (1->3)-linked b-D-glucopyranoses, a part of which is substituted through the positions O-6. The side units or groups are either a single D-glucopyranose or (1->3)-b-oligoglucosides, linked to the main chaing through (1->6)-glucosidic linkages. The low optical rotation as well as the 13C-NMR and FTIR spectra suggest that the glycosidic linkages are in the b-D-configuration. %K active dry baker s yeast %K Saccharomyces cerevisiae %K polysaccharides %K glucan %K structure %K chemical and enzymatic methods %U http://www.shd.org.yu/HtDocs/SHD/Vol68/No11/V68-No11-03.pdf