Polyglucan

Polyglucan is any polysaccharide that contains glucan units. Specifically, polyglucan's are a structural polysaccharide. The basic polyglucan unit consists of a long linear chain of several hundred to many thousands D-glucose monomers attached with a type of covalent bond called, glycosidic bonds.[1] The point of attachment is O-glycosidic bonds, where a glycosidic oxygen links the glycoside to the reducing end sugar. Polyglucans naturally occur in the cell walls of bacteria. Bacteria produce this polysaccharide in a cluster near the bacteria's cells. Polyglucan's are a source of beta-glucans. Structurally, beta 1.3-glucans are complex glucose homopolymers binding together in a beta-1,3 configuration.[2]

  1. ^ Glosbe. English Dictionary. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  2. ^ Longevie. Polyglucan.