Three structural classes of (1→3)-β-D-glucans are encountered in some important soil-dwelling, plant-associated or human pathogenic bacteria. Linear (1→3)-β-glucans and side-chain-branched (1→3,1→2)-β-glucans are major constituents of capsular materials, with roles in bacterial aggregation, virulence and carbohydrate storage. Cyclic (1→3,1→6)-β-glucans are predominantly periplasmic, serving in osmotic adaptation. Curdlan, the linear (1→3)-β-glucan from Agrobacterium, has unique rheological and thermal gelling properties, with applications in the food industry and other sectors. This review includes information on the structure, properties and molecular genetics of the bacterial (1→3)-β-glucans, together with an overview of the physiology and biotechnology of curdlan production and applications of this biopolymer and its derivatives.

Agrobacterium, glucan, Alcaligenes faecalis, bacterial cellulose, Triple Helix

NCBI PubMed ID: 15818477
Publication DOI: 10.1007/s00253-005-1959-5
Journal NLM ID: 8406612
Publisher: Springer
Correspondence: b.stonelatrobe.edu.au
Institutions: Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086 Victoria, Australia
 

• Compound ID: 2729
  

  b-D-Glcp-(1-2)-+ | -3)-b-D-Glcp-(1-

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  Structure type: polymer chemical repeating unit
  Trivial name: β-1,3/1,2-glucan
  Compound class: CPS, EPS, glucan
  Reference(s) to other database(s): GTC:G32470ZC, GlycomeDB:25916
  
   
  
  Streptococcus pneumoniae 37
  CSDB ID 1984 (all data & tools)
• Compound ID: 13867
  

  Cyclic b-D-Glcp-(1-6)-+ Cho-(1-6)-+ | | -3)-b-D-Glcp-(1-3)-b-D-Glcp-(1-3)-{{{-b-D-Glcp-(1-6)-}}}/n=3/-b-D-Glcp-(1-3)-b-D-Glcp-(1-3)-b-D-Glcp-(1-3)-{{{-b-D-Glcp-(1-6)-}}}/n=3/-b-D-Glcp-(1-

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  Structure type: cyclic polymer repeating unit ; n=1
  Trivial name: cyclic (1→3)-β-glucan
  
   
  
  Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA 110
  CSDB ID 1983 (all data & tools)
• Compound ID: 4415
  

  -3)-b-D-Glcp-(1-

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  Structure type: homopolymer
  Trivial name: glucan, β-1,3-glucan, curdlan, curdlan-type polysaccharide 13140, paramylon, curdlan, laminarin, β-glucan, curdlan, β-(1,3)-glucan, β-(1,3)-glucan, curdlan, curdlan, β-1,3-glucan, paramylon, reserve polysaccharide, b-glucan, β-1,3-D-glucan, laminaran, botryosphaeran, laminaran type β-D-glucan, latiglucan I, pachymaran, Curdlan, zymosan A, β-glucan, curdlan, laminarin, zymosan, zymosan, glucan particles, zymosan, β-(1-3)-glucan, β-(1,3)-glucan, β-(1,3)glucan, pachymaran, D-glucan (DPn)540, pachyman, laminaran, curdlan, zymosan, zymosan, β-(1,3)-glucan, zymosan A, zymosan, β-1,3-glucan, curdlan, β-1,3-glucan, curdlan, β-1,3-glucan, curdlan, pachyman, β-(1,3)-glucan, curdlan, callose, a water-insoluble β-(1→3)-glucan, fermentum β-polysaccharide, water-insoluble glucan, alkali-soluble β-glucan (PeA3), alkali-soluble polysaccharide (PCAP), callose, laminarin
  Compound class: EPS, O-polysaccharide, cell wall polysaccharide, lipophosphoglycan, glycoprotein, LPG, glucan, polysaccharide, glycoside, β-glucan, β3-glucan, cell wall glucan
  Reference(s) to other database(s): GTC:G51056AN, GlycomeDB:157, CCSD:50049, CBank-STR:4225, CA-RN: 51052-65-4, GenDB:FJ3380871.1
  
   
  
  Agrobacterium sp. 10C3
  CSDB ID 1076 (all data & tools)