Enzymatic control and evaluation of degrees of polymerization of β-(1→2)-glucans.

β-(1 → 2)-Glucans can be synthesized by 1,2-β-oligoglucan phosphorylase using β-(1 → 2)-glucooligosaccharides as acceptors and α-d-glucose 1-phosphate as a donor. Using phosphorolysis of sucrose as a source of α-d-glucose 1-phosphate, we generated β-(1 → 2)-glucans with degrees of polymerization (DPs) up to approximately 280. Average DPs up to approximately 1000 were obtained using β-(1 → 2)-glucan with average DP of 160 as an acceptor and pure α-d-glucose 1-phosphate as a donor. A colorimetric assay of the β-glucosidase activity against the β-(1 → 2)-glucan products was used to determine their DPs.