Isolation, Purification and Structural Characterization of Polysaccharides from Chickpea

In this research, the distribution and physicochemical properties of polysaccharides from the whole seed, cotyledon and hull of Cicer arietinum were analyzed and compared, and the structure characteristics of Cicer arietinum hull polysaccharide (CAHP) were characterized. It was found that polysaccharide was concentrated in the hull of chickpea according to the yield and composition of polysaccharide. CAHP was further purified by column chromatography into six fractions (F_w, F_0.1, F_0.2, F_0.3, F_0.5 and F₂), and the structure of CAHP-F_0.2, which showed relatively high yield and good homogeneity, was characterized. The results showed that CAHP-F_0.2 was consisted of mostly homogalacturonan (HG)-type pectic polysaccharide whose main chain was linked by 1,4-GalpA, and contained a small amount of RG-Ⅰ domain, with arabincan and arabinogalactan-Ⅱ side chain. This study will provide a theoretical basis for future research on the structure, biological activity and resource development of chickpea polysaccharides.