Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology > Vol.6 No.10, October 2015

Masakuni Tako^1,2*, Makie Tamanaha¹, Yoshiyuki Tamashiro¹, Shuntoku Uechi¹

¹Department of Subtropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan.
²Health and Longevity Science Research Laboratory, Integrated Innovation Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan.

Ulvan, rhamnan sulfate, was extracted from the edible green seaweed, Ana-aosa (Ulva pertusa), which is grown on the coast of the Okinawa Islands. The yield of ulvan was 8.5% (W/W), and the total carbohydrates, uronic acid and sulfuric acid and ash contents were 67.3%, 23.8%, 19.7% and 22.6%, respectively. L-Rhamnose, D-xylose and D-glucose residues were identified by liquid chromatography, and their molar ratio was 4.0:0.1:0.3. D-Glucuronic and L-idulonic acid residues were also identified in molar ratio of 1.0:0.2. The NMR (13C and 1H) and methylation analysis revealed terminal β-D-glucruonic acid, terminal α-L-idulonic acid, 1,3-linked α-L-rhamnose, 1,4-linked α-L-rhamnose, 1,2,4-linked α-L-rhamnose, 1,3,4-linked α-L-rhamnose, 1,2,3,4-linked α-L-rhamnose and 1,3,4-linked β-D-xylose. The sulfate groups were attached at the C-2 and C-3 positions of the 1,4-linked α-L-rhamnose as well as C-3 of the 1,4-linked β-D-xylose residues. The chemical structure of the ulvan from Ulva pertusa was determined.

Ulva pertusa, Ulvan, NMR Analysis, Methylation Analysis, Chemical Structure

Tako, M. , Tamanaha, M. , Tamashiro, Y. and Uechi, S. (2015) Structure of Ulvan Isolated from the Edible Green Seaweed, Ulva pertusa. Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology, 6, 645-655. doi: 10.4236/abb.2015.610068.