Kabushiki Kaisha Hayashibara Seibutsu Kagaku Kenkyujo

Director-gen. of the Tea Experiment Station, Ministry of Agriculture and

Other

Toyo Soda Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Meito Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Misaki, Akira

Akira Misaki

Koji Yokobayashi

Yoshiaki Sone

Tadashi Ikeda

Yoichi Tsuburaya

Shigeo Takaya

Toshio Miyake

Masakazu Mitsuhashi

Hideo Nagae

Kanou Takeuchi

Mikihiko Yoshida

Hideki Miyachi

Mariko Kakuta

Mineo Nakayama

Takao Kato

Disclosed is a novel beta-D-glucan derived from a microorganism of the genus Aureobasidium. The beta-D-glucan exhibits physiological activities such as an activity of accelerating excretion of heavy metals, anticholesteremic-activity, and an antioncotic-activity via the cellular immune system.

Beta-D-glucan, and its production and uses

A novel beta-1,3-glucan (ganoderan) is produced by culturing a microorganism of genus Ganoderma. Ganoderan is composed of a backbone structure of beta-1,3-linked D-glucopyranose residues bearing, at some of the C-6 positions, side chains of single beta-1,6-linked D-glucopyranose residue, and, at some of the C-2 positions, side chains of another type wherein 2-4 D-glucopyranose residues are linked via beta-1,4-linkage. Hydrogenation of ganoderan leads to the formation of a polyol-type ganoderan. Intact- and polyol-type ganoderans both having a strong antioncotic activity. They are usable in chemicals, food products, pharmaceuticals, etc.

Beta-glucan

Described is a polysaccharide polyol derived from Volvariella volvacea, which is comprised of the following three types of recurring units. ##STR1## wherein D-Glu is D-glucopyranosyl residue, each number represents the linkage position, X is HOCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.2 OH)--O--CH(CH.sub.2 OH)--O--[Formula A] or D-glucopyranosyl and Y is --CH.sub.2 --CH(CH.sub.2 OH)--O--CH(CH.sub.2 OH)--O-- or D-glucopyranosyl, at least a part of X in the recurring units II and III is that of formula A, and, the average number of III is about 4-12 and the average number of the sum II and III is about 16-23, per 100 of the sum of I, II and III. The polysaccharide is prepared by extracting Volvariella volvacea with an aqueous alkali solution and oxidizing and then reducing the soluble fraction to cut parts of C--C bonds of side chains. The polysaccharide is useful and an anti-tumor agent.

Polysaccharide polyol

.beta.-1,3-glucanpolyol derived from .beta.-1,3-glucan produced by a .beta.-1,3-glucan-producing strain of the genus Pestalotia, said glucanpolyol having an intrinsic viscosity [.eta.] of about 1 to about 10 and comprising a main chain having as repeating units .beta.-1,3-glucopyranose units of the following formula

.beta.-1,3-Glucanpolyol, process for preparation thereof, and

A glucan which is characterized by repeating units of [3)--Glc--(1.fwdarw.4)--Glc--(1.fwdarw.4)--Glc--(1.fwdarw.] wherein Glc represents alpha-D-glucopyranose residue. Said glucan may be prepared by cultivating a microorganism of the genus Elsinoe capable of producing said glucan on a nutrient medium to produce said glucan and separating and recovering said glucan.

Glucan and a process for the production thereof using Elsinoe

A glucan which is characterized by repeating units of [3)-Glc-(1.fwdarw.4)-Glc-(1.fwdarw.4)-Glc-(1.fwdarw.] wherein Glc represents alpha-D-glucopyranose residue. This glucan may be prepared by cultivating a microorganism of the genus Elsinoe capable of producing this glucan on a nutrient medium to produce this glucan and separating and recovering this glucan. This glucan may be used, for example, in the form of a film for packaging film material.

Glucan polysaccharide

A culture medium composed of necessary sources and tap water is sterilized, inoculated under strains of the genus Streptococcus and then cultivated under aeration and agitation. Subsequent to the cultivation, the resultant was subjected to water-washing and sieving to obtain crude glucan. The crude glucan is then dissolved in NaOH solution and centrifuged. The recovered filtrate is neutralized with HCl and then the insolubilized glucan was collected by centrifugation. After repetition of the procedures, the collected glucan is washed with water thoroughly until no chloride ion is detected in the waste water and then dried to form white purified glucan powder.

Process for the removal of sucrose from a sugar mixture

A culture medium composed of carbon source, nitrogen source and minerals was sterilized at 120.degree. for 15 minutes, inoculated with strains of the genus Streptococcus and then cultivated at 35.degree. C for 72 hours under aeration and agitation. Subsequent to the cultivation, the resultant was subjected to water-washing and sieving to obtain crude glucan. The crude glucan was then dissolved in NaOH solution and centrifuged. The recovered filtrate was neutralized with HCl and then the insolubilized glucan was collected by centrifugation. The collected glucan was washed with water thoroughly until no chloride ion was detected in the waste water and then dried to form white purified glucan powder.

Growing community of inventors

Nishinomiya, Japan

Akira Misaki