Structural characterization of rhamnogalacturonan domains from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer

Rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) and rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II) domains were isolated from ginseng pectin by alkali saponification and endo-polygalacturonase hydrolysis, then purified by anion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. Monoclonal antibody detection indicated that ginseng RG-I contained -> 4)-alpha-GalpA-(1 -> 2)-alpha-Rhap-(1 -> repeating units as backbone, with arabinan, galactan and type II arabinogalactan (AG-II) as side chains. The use of galactose- and arabinose-releasing enzymes, mass spectrometry analysis of the oligosaccharides generated by rhamnogalacturonan hydrolase, and glycosidic linkage analyses provided evidence that ginseng RG-I contains both single galactose-branched subunits and highly branched subunits with arabinan and AG-II side chains. RG-II was analyzed by sequential acid hydrolysis followed by mass spectrometry. Ginseng RG-II contains 9 galacturonic acid units as backbone. Side chain A is an octasaccharide with 0 similar to 1 methyl ether group. Side chain B is a nonasaccharide with 0 similar to 1 acetyl group. These results provide useful information for further investigation of structure-activity relationship of ginseng pectin.