• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.284-291
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• 2011

Varietal and annual variations in the contents of ${\beta}$-glucan fractions per weight grain samples were examined in sixteen covered and eighteen naked barley and five oat cultivars developed in Korea. Also, the effect of pearling on ${\beta}$-glucan content was investigated. Average contents of total, soluble and insoluble ${\beta}$-glucan fractions were 5.25, 3.72, and 1.53%, respectively, in covered barley, and 5.86, 3.51, and 2.35%, respectively, in naked barley. Soluble ${\beta}$-glucan content was higher in covered barley, though total ${\beta}$-glucan content higher in naked barley. The total and insoluble ${\beta}$-glucan contents were higher in pearled grains. Total ${\beta}$-glucan content was higher in waxy barley than in non-waxy barley. Duwonchapssalbori, a two-rowed and waxy naked barley cultivar, was highest in total, soluble and insoluble ${\beta}$-glucan contents. Highly significant positive correlations were observed between total ${\beta}$-glucan and soluble ${\beta}$-glucan contents both in covered and naked barley. There were significant annual variations in total ${\beta}$-glucan content in barley. Average contents of total, soluble and insoluble ${\beta}$-glucans of oat cultivars were 4.33, 3.44, and 0.89%, respectively. Contents of all fractions of ${\beta}$-glucans were higher in barley than in oat. These results would be useful for the breeding of high ${\beta}$-glucan variety and also for the use barley and oat as valueadded food ingredients.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.110-118
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• 2015

This study was performed to investigate changes in the content and purity, as well as physical characteristics of ${\beta}$-glucan extracted from acid hydrolyzed whole grain barleys. Waxy and non-waxy barleys (Hordeum vulgare) were hydrolyzed with different concentrations of HCl (0.1~0.5 N) for 1 h. As the HCl concentration increased, the contents of total and soluble ${\beta}$-glucan from acid hydrolyzed barley decreased. However the ratio of soluble/total ${\beta}$-glucan content and purities of ${\beta}$-glucan significantly increased. The ratio of ${\beta}-(1{\rightarrow}4)/{\beta}-(1{\rightarrow}3)$ linkages, molecular weight, and viscosity of soluble ${\beta}$-glucan of raw barleys were 2.28~2.52, $6.0{\sim}7.0{\times}10^5g/mol$, and 12.8~32.8 centipoise (cP). Those of isolated soluble ${\beta}$-glucan were significantly decreased to 2.05~2.15, $6.6{\sim}7.8{\times}10^3g/mol$, and 3.6~4.2 cP, respectively, with increasing acid concentration. The re-solubility of raw barley ${\beta}$-glucan was about 50%, but increased to 97% with increasing acid concentration. Acid hydrolysis was shown to be an effective method to produce ${\beta}$-glucan with high ratio of soluble ${\beta}$-glucan content, purity, water solubility, and low viscosity.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.601-607
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• 2013

This study was performed to investigate the changes of total and soluble ${\beta}$-glucan contents, purity and physicochemical characteristics of alkali hydrolyzed barley varieties: Saessalbori (SSB), Saechalssalbori (SCSB) and Hinchalssalbori (HCSB). The barleys were hydrolyzed at different concentrations of sodium hydroxide (0.2~1.0 N) for 12 hours. Total ${\beta}$-glucan contents of raw SSB, SCSB and HCSB were 8.40, 7.77 and 8.28%, and soluble ${\beta}$-glucan contents were 4.80, 4.16 and 4.61%, respectively. The total ${\beta}$-glucan contents after alkali hydrolyzed at 1.0 N NaOH were 7.54, 6.89 and 7.54%, also soluble ${\beta}$-glucan contents were 4.82, 4.30 and 4.55%, respectively. The degree of purity of soluble ${\beta}$-glucan in SSB, SCSB, and HCSB were 35.79, 30.91 and 33.90%, respectively. They were increased to 74.02, 75.28 and 81.41% after hydrolyzed at 1.0 N NaOH, respectively. The molecular weight and viscosity of soluble ${\beta}$-glucan solutions were decreased as sodium hydroxide concentration was increased. The re-solubility of raw barley ${\beta}$-glucan was about 50%; however, it was increased to approximately 87% as sodium hydroxide concentration was increased.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.1513-1520
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• 2007

[ ${\beta}$ ]-1,3-Glucans enhance immune reactions such as antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral, anticoagulatory, and wound healing activities. ${\beta}$-1,3-Glucans have various functions depending on the molecular weight, degree of branching, conformation, water solubility, and intermolecular association. The molecular weight of the soluble glucan was about 15,000 as determined by a high-performance size exclusion chromatography. From the infrared (IR) and $^{13}C$ NMR analytical data, the purified soluble glucan was found to exclusively consist of ${\beta}$-D-glucopyranose with 1,3 linkage. We tested the immunestimulating activities of the soluble ${\beta}$-1,3-glucan extracted from Agrobacterium sp. R259 KCTC 1019 and confirmed the following activities. IFN-$_{\gamma}$ and each cytokines were induced in the spleens and thymus of mice treated with soluble ${\beta}$-1,3-glucan. Adjuvant effect was observed on antibody production. Nitric oxide was synthesized in monocytic cell lines treated with ${\beta}$-1,3-glucan. The cytotoxic and antitumor effects were observed on various cancer cell lines and ICR mice. These results strongly suggested that this soluble ${\beta}$-1,3-glucan could be a good candidate for an immune-modulating agent.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.437-440
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• 2006

To explore the possible usefulness of ${\beta}$-glucans as natural antioxidants, the antioxidant profiles of ${\beta}$-glucan, extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae KCTC 7911, and water soluble and insoluble mutant ${\beta}$-glucan, isolated from yeast mutant S. cerevisiae IS2, were examined by five different in vitro evaluation methods: lipid peroxidation value (POV), nitric oxide (NO), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, reducing power, and ${\beta}$-carotene diffusion assay. The antioxidant activities of all ${\beta}$-glucans evaluated in POV test were comparable to or better than that of the known antioxidant, vitamin C. Remarkably, the ${\beta}$-glucan and water insoluble mutant ${\beta}$-glucan possessed 2.5-fold more potent activity than vitamin C at a dosage of 2 mg. Although vitamin C showed 100-fold greater activity than all ${\beta}$-glucans in NO and DPPH tests for measuring the radical scavenging capacity, all ${\beta}$-glucans revealed higher radical scavenging activity than the known radical scavenger, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), in DPPH test. The water insoluble mutant ${\beta}$-glucan had 2.6- and 5-fold greater antioxidative activity than water soluble ${\beta}$-glucan in NO and DPPH tests, respectively, showing that all ${\beta}$-glucans were able to scavenge radicals such as NO or DPPH. While all ${\beta}$-glucans revealed lower antioxidant profiles than vitamin C in both reducing power activity and ${\beta}$-carotene agar diffusion assay, the ${\beta}$-glucan and water insoluble mutant ${\beta}$-glucan did show a marginal reducing power activity as well as a considerable ${\beta}$-carotene agar diffusion activity. These results confirmed the potential usefulness of these ${\beta}$-glucans as natural antioxidants.

• Mycobiology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.159-163
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• 2013

A chemical mutagenesis technique was employed for development of mutant strains of Sparassis crispa targeting the shortened cultivation time and the high ${\beta}$-glucan content. The homogenized mycelial fragments of S. crispa IUM4010 strain were treated with 0.2 vol% methyl methanesulfonate, an alkylating agent, yielding 199 mutant strains. Subsequent screening in terms of growth and ${\beta}$-glucan content yielded two mutant strains, B4 and S7. Both mutants exhibited a significant increase in ${\beta}$-glucan productivity by producing 0.254 and 0.236 mg soluble ${\beta}$-glucan/mg dry cell weight for the B4 and S7 strains, respectively, whereas the wild type strain produced 0.102 mg soluble ${\beta}$-glucan/mg dry cell weight. The results demonstrate the usefulness of chemical mutagenesis for generation of mutant mushroom strains.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.482-487
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• 1996

Five barley and two oat varieties grown in Korea were investigated for soluble, insoluble, and total $(1{\to}3)$, $(1{\to}4)-{\beta}-D-glucans$. Total and insoluble ${\beta}-glucans$ after extraction of soluble ${\beta}-glucans$ with water were analyzed, and the soluble ${\beta}-glucans$ were calculated as the difference between total and insoluble ${\beta}-glucans$. The total ${\beta}-glucans$ in whole barleys were in a range of $3.3{\sim}5.6%$(average 4.4%), and those in pearled barleys were In a range of $3.3{\sim}7.1%$(average 5.2%). In whole barleys, on average, 54% of the ${\beta}-glucans$ was soluble and in pearled barley 46%. Whole oats contained $3.1{\sim}4.0%$ total ${\beta}-glucans$, and dehulling increased the groat ${\beta}-glucans$ contents to $4.0{\sim}4.8%$. Oats demonstrated considerably higher ${\beta}-glucans$ solubility of 84% than barley. ${\beta}-Glucans$ in barley and oats were rapidly extracted at the beginning of the extraction and almost all of the ${\beta}-glucans$ were extracted after $2{\sim}3 hr extraction. As extraction temperature increased from $23^{\circ}C$ to $45^{\circ}C$, more soluble ${\beta}-glucans$ were extracted. However, solubility of barley ${\beta}-glucans$ decreased at a relatively high temperature of $65^{\circ}C$. Steam-cooking reduced the analytical solubility of barley and oat ${\beta}-glucans$, while roasting seemed to render the ${\beta}-glucans$ of barley more soluble.

• Mycobiology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.167-173
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• 2014

A ${\beta}$-glucan synthase gene was isolated from the genomic DNA of polypore mushroom Sparassis crispa, which reportedly produces unusually high amount of soluble ${\beta}$-1,3-glucan (${\beta}$-glucan). Sequencing and subsequent open reading frame analysis of the isolated gene revealed that the gene (5,502 bp) consisted of 10 exons separated by nine introns. The predicted mRNA encoded a ${\beta}$-glucan synthase protein, consisting of 1,576 amino acid residues. Comparison of the predicted protein sequence with multiple fungal ${\beta}$-glucan synthases estimated that the isolated gene contained a complete N-terminus but was lacking approximately 70 amino acid residues in the C-terminus. Fungal ${\beta}$-glucan synthases are integral membrane proteins, containing the two catalytic and two transmembrane domains. The lacking C-terminal part of S. crispa ${\beta}$-glucan synthase was estimated to include catalytically insignificant transmembrane ${\alpha}$-helices and loops. Sequence analysis of 101 fungal ${\beta}$-glucan synthases, obtained from public databases, revealed that the ${\beta}$-glucan synthases with various fungal origins were categorized into corresponding fungal groups in the classification system. Interestingly, mushrooms belonging to the class Agaricomycetes were found to contain two distinct types (Type I and II) of ${\beta}$-glucan synthases with the type-specific sequence signatures in the loop regions. S. crispa ${\beta}$-glucan synthase in this study belonged to Type II family, meaning Type I ${\beta}$-glucan synthase is expected to be discovered in S. crispa. The high productivity of soluble ${\beta}$-glucan was not explained but detailed biochemical studies on the catalytic loop domain in the S. crispa ${\beta}$-glucan synthase will provide better explanations.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.360-363
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• 2008

Two barley malt samples were selected at two different stages of germination, a well-modified malt germinated for 96 hr and a poorly-modified malt for 60 hr, and were analyzed for total, insoluble, and soluble ${\beta}$-glucan contents. The total ${\beta}$-glucan content in raw barley was 3.96%, and the content was reduced during malting. The total ${\beta}$-glucan contents of the poorly- and well-modified malts were 1.02% and 0.18%, respectively. After 4 days of germination, approximately 95% of the ${\beta}$-glucan present in the barley was degraded. A significantly higher proportion of water-soluble ${\beta}$-glucan was found in the well-modified malt, suggesting that ${\beta}$-glucan solubility was dependent on cell wall modifications in the malt (${\beta}$-glucan breakdown). The proportion of water-soluble ${\beta}$-glucan was also affected by the extraction temperature. The two differently modified malts were mashed isothermally at 45, 55, 65, and 75oC for 2 hr. An increasing mashing temperature resulted in increased viscosity for the wort and the resulting beer. The viscosity of the wort from the well-modified malt was significantly low, due to its low initial malt ${\beta}$-glucan with increased solubility as well as a presumably sufficient ${\beta}$-glucanase activity during mashing.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.316-321
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• 1995

Some properties of $\beta$-1, 3-glucan synthase system in Saccharamyces cerevisiae were investigated. By extraction with detergent and salt, the membrane preparations could be dissociated into two components, one soluble, the other still membrane bound. Both components, in addition to GTP, were necessary for the activity of $\beta$-1, 3-glucan synthase like other fungi. The protective effect of guanosine nucleotides on the soluble factor pointed to the possibility that this fraction contained a GTP-binding protein. Addition of increasing amounts of soluble factor to a constant amount of insoluble catalytic factor, vice versa, gave rise to a saturation curve. These results, including different types of evidence, indicate that the soluble factor and the catalytic factor form a complex.