Additional properties of a soluble polymer of glucose from cultures of Acetobacter xylinum.

The results of differential, thermal analysis of a soluble, beta (1 leads to 2)-branched, beta (1 leads to 4)-D-glucan isolated from cultures of Acetobacter xylinum are consistent with previous conclusions about its structure. The O-acetyl content of the polymer is 8.3% which corresponds to a maximum substitution of one acetyl group per three glucose residues. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra confirm that all the glycosidic bonds are beta linkages. Some preparations of the polymer are contaminated by another polymer containing mannose and rhamnose. No evidence was obtained to support a previous suggestion that the branched D-glucan is a precursor of bacterial cellulose and this suggestion is now withdrawn.