An Immunochemical Study of Carrageenans in Gametophyte and Sporophyte Generations of Certain Red Algae

Abstract

<p>Carrageenans are a heterogenous population of sulphated galactans extracted from certain marine algae. Fractionation of these polysaccharides with potassium chloride yields an insoluble fraction designated ĸ- carrageenan and a soluble fraction designated λ- carrageenan. Recent evidence has shown that certain algae in the gametophytic stage of the life cycle produced ĸ- carrageenan and these algae in the sporophytic stage produced λ- carrageenan. The present study was undertaken to confirm this observation by using immunochemical techniques. Specific antibodies against ĸ- and λ- carrageenan were produced in goats and these were used to determine the "kappa like" and "lambda like" properties of carrageenans from the different stages of red algae.</p>