A structural analysis of the polysaccharide from Kallymenia berggrenii J Ag

The polysaccharide extracted from Kallymenia berggrenii was found to be a non-gelling partially sulphated and partially methylated galactan with a structure reasonably closely related to other polysaccharides which have been extracted from seaweeds in the order Cryptonemiales. The polysaccharide contained L-galactose, approximately 25% 3,6-anhydro-L-galactose, of which approximately 1/3 was the 2-O-methyl ether, approximately 6% of 6-O-methyl-D-galactose and 1% of 2-O-methyl-D-galactose. Sulphate esters were most likely present at most if not all available hydroxyl groups, including the 3-position, and the variety of sulphate substitution could indicate that sulphation was occurring almost randomly.