Enzymatic epimerization of bacterial mannuronan and of C-6 oxidized, galactose-depleted guar: a circular dichroism and 1H NMR study.

Attention has been focused on two uronans, namely, mannuronan and galactose-depleted C-6 oxidized guar, the former of microbial origin and the latter of artificial nature, to provide original data on the extent of epimerization they can undergo in dilute aqueous solution using two C-5 mannuronic acid epimerizing enzymes, that is, AlgE-4 and AlgE-6, alone or in admixture. Original circular dichroism data coupled with 1H NMR spectra clearly point out that both uronans can be epimerized, depending on the enzyme or enzyme mixture used, to high levels yielding guluronic-rich alginate samples and guluronic-rich heteropolysaccharides, respectively. Mannuronan and its epimerization products can easily form clear, firm aqueous gels when an excess of HCl is added or when mixed with aqueous CaCl2, respectively. Depleted-guarox does not gel upon addition of excess HCl, while the heterouronan derived from it having a percent of epimerization nearly identical to that of epimerized mannuronan, that is, ca. 70%, can form gel in the presence of Ca(II) only at higher polymer and Ca(II) concentrations. With the latter, heterouronan alpha-D-galacturonic side groups exert hindrance to "junction zone" formation.