Extraction and analysis of polysaccharides from tissues of Retama monosperma branches

Abstract

Retama monosperma is a fabaceous shrub that colonizes dune sands owing to its particularly important root system at depth and on the surface. It establishes symbiotic associations with rhizobia and thus plays a role in the bio -fertilization of soils. The stem fibers of R. monosperma are an interesting material for industry because of their useful biometric, physical, chemical and structural characteristics. The aim of this study was to complete these data with a biochemical analysis of the cell walls tissues of adult branches of R. monosperma. Cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectins were extracted from cell wall. The weight dosage indicated that cellulose remained the major component of the wall (56% from the crude cell wall and 52% from the delignified cell wall) ahead of hemicelluloses (16% from the crude cell wall and 14% from the delignified cell wall) and pectins (5.6% from the crude cell wall and 5% from the delignified cell wall for water extract pectins and 3% from the crude cell wall and 2.4% from the delignified cell wall for oxalate extract pectins). The colorimetric assay of pectins extracted from lignified cell wall of R. monosperma suggested presence of more uronic acids (14.95µg/mL) than pectins extracted from a delignified cell wall (12.37 µg/mL). Gas chromatographic analysis of hemicellulosic extracts showed the presence of xylose as the major ose (54.7% from the crude cell wall and 46.7% from the delignified cell wall). Pectins were represented by homogalacturonan chains and rhamnogalacturonans 1. Data generated in this study are helpful for valorization of this plant.