Xyloglucan

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Xyloglucan is the main hemicellulose in the primary cell wall of dicotyledonous plants, and occurs in the cell walls of all vascular plants.[1] Xyloglucan links cellulose microfibrils together, as well as avoid their adhesion and allow controlled creep.

[edit] Chemistry

Xyloglucan has a cellulosic semirigid backbone of β1→4-linked glucose residues that are substituted with a variety of 1-6 flexibly linked glycosidic sidechains. The most common sidechain is a single xylose residue, but longer sidechains that include the sugars galactose and fucose are also common.

[edit] Biosynthesis

Xyloglucan is synthesised in Golgi trans cisternae and in the trans Golgi network (TGN) and is transported to the cell membrane by vesicles, where it is expelled and adsorbs on nascent cellulosic microfibrils.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ ZA Popper and SC Fry (2004) Primary cell wall composition of pteridophytes and spermatophytes. New Phytologist, 164, 165–174
  2. ^ Moore PJ and Staehelin LA (1988). "Immunogold localisation of the cell wall matrix polysaccharides rhamnogalacturonan-I and xyloglucan during cell expansion and cytokinesis in Trifolium pratense L. - Implications for sectretory pathways". Planta 174: 433–445. doi:10.1007/BF00634471. 


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