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Samples of Fucus vesiculosus fronds were allowed to assimilate 14CO2 for 10 min and 3 h. In a second experiment fronds were allowed to grow for 10 min in 14CO2 and were then transferred to fresh medium containing 12CO2. Samples were taken immediately, after 30 min, and after 2 h. Sequential extraction and fractionation of the polysaccharides from each of the five samples gave 14C-labeled laminaran, xylogalactofucoglucuronan (A), xyloglucuronogalactofucan (B) (these polysaccharides are named in the order of the increasing proportions of their constituent sugars), fucoidan (C), alginic acid, and residual polysaccharide material containing mainly glucose with some galactose. The activities of each of the polysaccharides, the residual material, and their constituent sugars were measured. Highly active low molecular weight carbohydrates, present in the acid extract, are the suggested precursors of the polysaccharides. The fucose-containing polysaccharides represent the extremes of a family of polymers; it is postulated from these studies that (A) is transformed into fucoidan via polysaccharide (B) in this alga.

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