The present invention provides a process for the treatment of a composition comprising yeast cell walls comprising -1,3-glucans which are insoluble when extracted with water and partially soluble when extracted with DMSO, the process comprising contacting said composition with laminaripentaose-producing--1,3-glucanase and inactivating the laminaripentaose-producing--1,3-glucanase to result in a composition comprising yeast cell walls wherein the -1,3-glucans have an improved solubility in DMSO and the ratio of -glucans soluble in DMSO compared to water is greater than or equal to 2.

The invention provides an alginate oligosaccharide and its derivatives with the degree of polymerization ranging from 2 to 22. The alginate oligosaccharide is composed of -D-mannuronic acid linked by 1,4 glycosidic bonds. The derivatives with the reduced terminal in position 1 of carboxyl radical can be prepared by oxidative degradation. The invention also provides a process for preparing the alginate oligosaccharide and its derivatives, which includes the procedure that an alginate solution is reacted for 2 to 6 h in an autoclave at pH 26 and the temperature of 100120 C., and adjusted pH to 7 after the reaction is stopped, after which the resultant oligosaccharide is oxidized in the presence of an oxidant to obtain an oxidative product. The alginate oligosaccharide and its derivatives of the invention can be used in the manufacture of a medicament for the prophylaxis and treatment of AD and diabetes.

A method of preparing a high yield of mushroom -glucan is provided. The method includes: providing a liquid culture to culture the mushroom mycelium by fermentation, to increase the yields of the mushroom mycelium and polysaccharide, wherein the liquid culture comprises at least two ingredients selected from the groups consisting of glucose, trehalose, a dietary fiber and mannose or derivatives thereof; and rupturing the mushroom mycelium with a continuous multiple-ultrasonic equipment; and removing insoluble matters from the liquid culture. A method of preparing highly pure mushroom -glucan powder and solution and the products thereof are also provided. By the method of the present disclosure, the yield of mushroom -glucan is effectively increased, its activity loss is reduced, and the stability of product thereof is improved.

A novel lipoteichoic acid (LTA) was isolated from C. difficile, the structure of which is illustrated below wherein n is an integer between 1 and 20, R3 and R4 are independently selected from C 14:0, C 16:0, C 16:1, C 18:0 or C18:1 fatty acid or any combination thereof wherein one of COR3 or COR4 may be replaced by H. Further described are conjugates comprising the novel LTA and vaccines produced using the isolated LTA and the LTA conjugates. The invention also encompasses methods of conferring immunity against C. difficile comprising administering a vaccine of the invention, and methods of detecting C. difficile using the isolated LTA of the invention.

The present invention relates to methods of processing mixtures comprising -glucans and polysaccharides.

Described herein is a pumpable and/or flowable suspension comprising about 10-60 wt % of beta glucan (BG) that when diluted achieves a filterability ratio less than about 1.5. Further described herein is a pumpable and/or flowable suspension comprising about 10-60 wt % of BG wherein greater than 50% of ultimate viscosity can be recovered after running specified dilution procedure for one pass and greater than 70% of ultimate viscosity after two passes.

The invention relates to a method for obtaining beta glucan from yeast cells, at least comprising the following steps: A. enriching yeast cells (10); B. forming a yeast suspension comprising at least constituents of the yeast cells enriched in accordance with step A); C. treating the yeast suspension in a nanocavitator (70, 70, 70, 70), and D. separating (80) beta glucan as solid or a solid suspension containing beta glucan from the yeast suspension.

Particulate -glucan is solubilized at elevated pressure and temperature to form soluble -glucan. The method is safe and economical and produces a product that is an improved pharmaceutical agent.

This invention relates to modifications of -1,6-D-glucans, e.g., structures according to Formula (I), and the ability of these compositions to modulate an immune response. ##STR00001##

The present invention provides an oligodeoxynucleotide containing humanized K type CpG oligodeoxynucleotide and poly deoxyadenylate, wherein the poly deoxyadenylate is placed on the 3-side of the humanized K type CpG oligodeoxynucleotide. In addition, the present invention provides a complex containing the aforementioned oligodeoxynucleotide and -1,3-glucan.