Taxonomic group: bacteria / Proteobacteria
(Phylum: Proteobacteria)
Associated disease: infection due to Brucella [ICD11:
XN22N 
]
NCBI PubMed ID: 21240441Publication DOI: 10.1039/c0np00018cJournal NLM ID: 8502408Publisher: London: Royal Society of Chemistry
Correspondence: paolo.gualtieri
pi.ibf.cnr.it
Institutions: Istituto di Biofisica, Pisa, Italy
β-Glucans is the common name given to a group of chemically heterogeneous polysaccharides. They are long- or short-chain polymers of (1→3)-β-linked glucose moieties which may be branched, with the branching chains linked to the backbone by a (1→6)-β linkage. β-(1→3)-Glucans are widely distributed in bacteria, algae, fungi and plants, where they are involved in cell wall structure and other biological function. β-Glucans have been shown to provide a remarkable range of health benefits, and are especially important against the two most common conventional causes of death in industrialized countries, i.e. cardiovascular diseases (where they promote healthy cholesterol and blood glucose levels) and cancer (where they enhance immune system functions). This Highlight provides a comprehensive and up-to-date commentary on β-glucans, their chemistry, physico-chemistry, functional role in immunological responses, and possible applications as therapeutic tools. In addition, we discuss the mechanism behind their health benefits, which are not yet fully understood.
polysaccharides, β-Glucans, beta-glucans
Structure type: cyclic polymer repeating unit ; n=17-40
Location inside paper: fig. 1g, Table 1
Compound class: glucan
Contained glycoepitopes: IEDB_140628,IEDB_142488,IEDB_146664,IEDB_983931,SB_192
Biological activity: important for a number of symbiotic and pathogenic plant-microbe interactions, and act as a general signaling molecule during plant infection; required for effective nodule invasion in symbiotic nitrogen-fixing R. meliloti and for crown gall tumour induction in A. tumefaciens; induce systemic suppression, a counter-defensive strategy that may facilitate pathogen spread in plants
Comments, role: 17-25 residues in A. tumefaciens, and up to 40 residues in R. meliloti; suppressed cyclic structure
NCBI Taxonomy refs (TaxIDs): 358,
382,
381,
234
Show glycosyltransferases
There is only one chemically distinct structure:
Found 
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