Natural Science Forum / Biology / Microbiology / May 2005

Hi,

My name is Sara Ruiz Esparza Morales, I am a posgrade student in the
Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo in Hermosillo
Sonora, Mexico. I have been working during almost 2 years in
Biopolymers Lab, with a polysaccharide from the fungi Lentinula
edodes.

Fungi are an important source of substances than functions from the
development of new drugs.  A variety of polysaccharides obtained from
fungi have the habiliy to behave as immunomodulators (enhacers the
immune system). The most active appear to be branched (1,3) D
glucans with (1,6)D glucopiranosyl units linked side chains.

One of the most studied bioactive b-glucans is named "lentinan", which
is isolated from Lentinus edodes. I am working in the characterization
of lentinan isolated from the fruiting body and mycelium of this
mushroom. I have used dynamic and static LS (light scattering) for the
determination of molecular weigth (MW), hydrodinamic radius (RH) and
radius of gyration (RG). The intrinsic viscosity was measured in a
Rheometer.

Now I am working with NMR spectroscopy for the determination or the
structure of the -glucans and with metylathion and conversion
into PMAAs (partially methylated alditol acetates). The PMAAs will be
separated in a gas chromatographe.

Other part of my work is the study of the immunoproperties of the
B-glucans by measuring the activation of macrophages.

I will finish my postgrade in August so I have a short time for
getting the references I required in my study.  I would appreciate if
you have some information that could help me in my work.  If the
information that you could send me isn´t  very relevant for my
investigation, I would appreciate the same.

My mail : sararem@gmail.com

"Gracias".