Structure characterization of polysaccharide isolated from the fruiting bodies of Tricholoma matsutake

A novel heteropolysaccharide was isolated from the fruiting bodies of Tricholoma matsutake through DEAE–cellulose column and Sephadex G-100 column. The T. matsutake polysaccharide (TMP-A) had a molecular weight of 8.89 × 104 Da and was mainly composed of 4-D-Glc:4,6-D-Glc:3-D-Gal:T-D-Xyl and with the ratio of 7:1:1:1. The structural features of TMP-A were investigated by a combination of total hydrolysis, methylation analysis, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), infrared (IR) spectra, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and dynamical analysis of the atomic force microscope (AFM) studies. The results indicated that TMP-A had a backbone of 1,4-β-glucopyranos which branches at O-6 composed of an (1 → 3)-α-galactopyranose residue and terminated with α-xylopyranose residue. Chain conformation study showed that the polysaccharide took random coil compact conformation.