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Kefiran, a novel polysaccharide produced in the kefir grain by Lactobacillus brevis

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Summary

  1. 1.

    Almost half of the material embedding the microbial population of the kefir grain consists of kefiran, a polysaccharide consisting of equal amounts of galactose and glucose with an \([\alpha ]_D ^{20^ \circ }\) of + 68.0° (C=1, H2O).

  2. 2.

    Kefiran is the capsular material of the large rod-shaped bacteria which predominate in the grains and have the properties of Lactobacillus brevis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Course in Sanitary Engineering, Technological University, Delft, The Netherlands

    J. W. M. la Riviére & P. Kooiman

  2. Laboratory of Microbiology, Technological University, Delft, The Netherlands

    J. W. M. la Riviére & P. Kooiman

  3. Laboratory of General and Technical Biology, Technological University, Delft, The Netherlands

    J. W. M. la Riviére & P. Kooiman

  4. Institut für Mikrobiologie der Universität, Göttingen, Germany

    Karin Schmidt

Authors
  1. J. W. M. la Riviére
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  2. P. Kooiman
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  3. Karin Schmidt
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Additional information

The presented material is part of a study on the ecology of the kefir grain, of which the genesis of the embedding material is believed to be an essential part. An important stimulus in undertaking this investigation was derived from an interest in ecology engendered by C. B. van Niel, to whom the authors gratefully and affectionately dedicate this paper on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

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la Riviére, J.W.M., Kooiman, P. & Schmidt, K. Kefiran, a novel polysaccharide produced in the kefir grain by Lactobacillus brevis . Archiv. Mikrobiol. 59, 269–278 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406340

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406340

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