Evidence is presented indicating that initiation of glycogen synthesis in Agrobacterium tumefaciens does not require the presence of alpha(1,4)-linked glucans. Crude cell extracts incubated with ADP-glucose (Glc) were able to form alpha(1,4)-linked glucans despite the fact that cells used for extract preparation displayed a genotype that prevented synthesis of Glc-containing sugar nucleotides a...

Selected methods for yeast cell disruption were evaluated to establish their suitability for cell wall preparation in the process of β-glucan isolation. The effect of different disruption methods on contents of total saccharides, β-glucans and proteins in the produced cell walls preparations was analyzed. The degree of cell wall purification from intracellular components was established on the ...

The aim of the presented study was to assess the exposure of poultry workers to airborne microorganisms, endotoxins and β-glucans during different stages of the chicken production cycle in 3 commercially-operated poultry houses. Personal and stationary sampling was carried out to assess exposure to both viable and total microbial aerosols. The stationary measurements of PM10 were performed to e...

SCOPE Arabinoxylan is one of the most commonly consumed dietary fiber. Immunomodulation by arabinoxylan is documented but the mechanisms by which these immune-effects are accomplished are unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS By applying reporter cell lines for Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and Dectin-1, we demonstrated that arabinoxylan interacts with Dectin-1 receptors and not with TLRs. Arabinoxylan a...

Several studies have suggested that debranching enzymes (DBEs) are involved in the biosynthesis of amylopectin, the major constituent of starch granules. Our systematic analysis of all DBE mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana demonstrates that when any DBE activity remains, starch granules are still synthesized, albeit with altered amylopectin structure. Quadruple mutants lacking all four DBE protei...

Periplasmic cyclic beta-glucans of Rhizobium species provide important functions during plant infection and hypo-osmotic adaptation. In Sinorhizobium meliloti (also known as Rhizobium meliloti), these molecules are highly modified with phosphoglycerol and succinyl substituents. We have previously identified an S. meliloti Tn5 insertion mutant, S9, which is specifically impaired in its ability t...

Hemicelluloses are polysaccharides in plant cell walls that have beta-(1-->4)-linked backbones with an equatorial configuration. Hemicelluloses include xyloglucans, xylans, mannans and glucomannans, and beta-(1-->3,1-->4)-glucans. These types of hemicelluloses are present in the cell walls of all terrestrial plants, except for beta-(1-->3,1-->4)-glucans, which are restricted to Poales and a few...

Disadvantages of the regulatory pyrogen test to assure safety of the end-product Human Serum Albumin (HSA) for parenteral use call for the implementation of an alternative test. In the current study, 16 HSA batches were assayed for pyrogens in parallel with the Rabbit Pyrogen Test, conventional and endotoxin-specific LAL assay and monocyte activation test (MAT). It was found that all HSA batche...

β-glucans exhibited in cell walls of several pathogens as bacteria or fungi are sensed by pathogen recognition receptors such as scavenger receptors present in antigen presenting cells, i.e., macrophages. β-glucans obtained from Shiitake mushrooms were chemically characterized. A β-glucan supplemented diet was assayed for 30 days in rabbits aiming to characterize the immune response elicited in...

Antitumor mAb bind to tumors and activate complement, coating tumors with iC3b. Intravenously administered yeast beta-1,3;1,6-glucan functions as an adjuvant for antitumor mAb by priming the inactivated C3b (iC3b) receptors (CR3; CD11b/CD18) of circulating granulocytes, enabling CR3 to trigger cytotoxicity of iC3b-coated tumors. Recent data indicated that barley beta-1,3;1,4-glucan given orally...