Schizophyllan

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Schizophyllan is a neutral extracellular polysaccharide produced by the fungus Schizophyllan commune, consisting of a 1,3-β-D-linked backbone of glucose residues with 1,6-β-D-glucosyl side groups. The non-degraded polysaccharide has a molecular weight of the order 10⁶ Da. A chemically analogous polysaccharide, scleroglucan, is formed by the fungus Sclerotium rolfsii. Both polysaccharides share the chemical structure of the backbone with curdlan.