High molecular polysaccharide MPS-80

High molecular polysaccharide MPS-80 having the following physicochemical properties:

• (1) elementary analysis:
• C:
• 42.2%
• H:
• 6.9%
• O:
• 50.4%
• (2) molecular weight:
• (i) molecular weight determined by ultrafiltration method by means of Sepharose 2B as shown in FIG. 1;
• said polysaccharide is fractionated near the void volume under conditions comprising 2.5.times.40.5 cm column size, 5 g fraction, 2.5 mg (1 ml) sample loaded and 0.05 M phosphate buffer solutin (pH 6.0) used as developer;
• (ii) molecular weight determined by ultracentrifugation wherein
• a sample is dissolved in 0.2 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.3) and the resulting solution having a concentration of 0.1% is subjected to the ultracentrifugation (preset rotation rate:
• 51,200 RPM) to obtain a sedimentation constant of 7.98S (S:
• Svedberg unit), the sedimentation pattern being single;
• (3) melting point (decomposition point):
• said polysaccharide begins to discolor at around 262.degree. C. and is blackened at 263.degree.-264.degree. C.
• (4) specific rotatory power:
• [.alpha]sub.D.sup.18 =+33.2 (C.dbd.0.5%)
• (5) ultraviolet ray absorption spectrum:
• as shown in FIG. 2.
• (6) infrared ray absorption spectrum:
• as shown in FIG. 3.
• (7) solubilities in solvents:
• soluble in water but insoluble in methanol, ethanol, acetone and ether;
• (8) color reactions:
• (i) Molisch reaction:
• +
• (ii) Anthrone reaction:
• +
• (iii) Cysteine sulfuric acid reaction:
• +
• (iv) Aniline hydrochloric acid reaction:
• -
• (v) Carbazole sulfuric acid reaction:
• -
• (vi) Elson-Morgan reaction:
• -
• (vii) Biuret reaction:
• -
• (9) basicity, acidity or neutrality:
• 0. 1-0.5% aqueous solution of said polysaccharide has a neutral pH;
• (10) color:
• freeze-dried polysaccharide is in the form of white fibers;
• (11) saccharide constituting the polysaccharide are glucose and galactose determined by examining said polysaccharide by GLC using 5% SE-52 (2 m column) as follows:
• the sample was hydrolyzed with 2 N-H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 in boiling water for 4 hours, then neutralized with barium carbonate and subjected to the filtration;
• the filtrate was demineralized with Amberlite IRA-410 and Amberlite IR-120B, concentrated to dryness and subjected to TMS treatment followed by GLC;
• (12) proportion of saccharide constituting the polysaccharide:
• a sample of said polysaccharide was hydrolyzed with 2N-H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 in boiling water for 4 hours, neutralized with barium carbonate and subjected to filtration;
• the filtrate was examined to determine a proportion of saccharide constituting the polysaccharide by enzyme method;
• the ratio of glucose to galactose was 2.2-1.9 to 1;
• (13) C.sup.13 -NMR Spectrum (in D.sub.2 O, TMS standard) (ppm):
• as shown in FIG. 4;
• (14) decomposition with enzymes:
• said polysaccharide was dissolved in 0.05 M acetate buffer solution and subjected to reaction with various enzymes;
• the decomposition by the enzymes was judged from increase in amount of reduced sugar by Somogyi-Nelson method;
• Enzymes used and reaction conditions:
• ______________________________________ a. Amylase (a product of Boehringer) pH 5.9, 37.degree. C., 4 hrs. b. Amylase (a product of Boehringer) pH 4.8, 30.degree. C., 4 hrs. c. Galactosidase (a product of Boehringer) pH 4.8, 30.degree. C., 4 hrs. d. Amyloglucosidase (a product of Boehringer) pH 4.8, 30.degree. C., 4 hrs. e. Galactosidase (a product of Boehringer) pH 4.8, 30.degree. C., 4 hrs. ______________________________________
• no increase in amount of reduced sugar was recognized at all under above conditions a through e;
• (15) LD.sub.50
• ddY w.female. mice (average body weight:
• 21.3 g;
• each group consisted of 7 mice) were used;
• a sample solution in physiological saline was administered intraperitoneally once in various amounts to the mice and they were observed for 10 days to determine LD.sub.50 ;
• as a result, LD.sub.50 was not less than 200 mg/Kg-body weight;
• and
• (16) MPS-80 is produced by cultivating a member selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus Jugurti No. 851, FERM BP-66 and Streptococcus thermophilus No. 127, FERM BP-65.