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The fractionation of soil polysaccharide by electrofocusing
Author(s) -
CHESHIRE M. V.,
MUNDIE C. M.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 0022-4588
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1986.tb00388.x
Subject(s) - chemistry , polysaccharide , chromatography , incubation , isoelectric focusing , isoelectric point , fractionation , agarose , urea , uronic acid , soil water , biochemistry , geology , soil science , enzyme
SUMMARY Soil polysaccharide isolated from alkali extracts of Countesswells and Insch series soils has been submitted to electrofocusing with ampholyte in dextran gel. To aid detection, polysaccharide which had been dyed with either Procion Red or fluorescein or labelled 14 C by prior incubation of the soil with 14C‐labelled substrates, was also used. After electrofocusing, polysaccharide was distributed in the gel over the entire range of pH used, 1.9–10, with the greatest concentration occurring within the pH 1.9–4 region. The distribution was partly the result of adsorption and diffusion. Re‐electrofocusing of material isolated from particular regions of the bed located most of it in the original position, although considerable dispersion occurred, particularly with the less strongly charged material and there was evidence for association/dissociation reactions. This was also observed in a medium containing 8 M urea. The proportion of uronic acid was greatest in the polysaccharides fractions from the pH 3.0–4.0 region of the bed. The increased acidity of the fraction nearest to the anode appeared to relate to the presence of other organic acids, such as succinic, fumaric and levulinic acids. No difference could be detected between the separation of polysaccharide from the two different soils or between the labelled polysaccharides derived from an incubation of 14 C‐glucose with soil and those from an incubation of 14 C‐plant material.