ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A DIFERULOYL ARABINOXYLAN HEXASACCHARIDE FROM BAMBOO SHOOT CELL-WALLS

Hydrolysis of bamboo shoot cell-walls with Driselase (a fungal enzyme preparation) released a diferuloyl arabinoxylan hexasaccharide. The structure of the diferuloyl oligosaccharide was determined to be 5,5'-di-O-(diferul-9,9'-dioyl)-[alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1 --> 3)-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 --> 4)-D-xylopyranose] on the basis of n.m.r. spectroscopy, methylation analysis, and fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry (f.a.b.-m.s.). This is the first reported evidence that arabinoxylans are covalently cross-linked via diferulic acid.