HPLC analysis of manno-oligosaccharides derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannan using an amino column or a graphitized carbon column

The chromatographic behavior of manno-oligosaccharides derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannan on two kinds of HPLC columns, an aminopropyl-silica column or a graphitized carbon column (GCC), was investigated. The order of elution of manno-oligosaccharides on both columns with acetonitrile-water was almost the same, that is, the retention increased with increasing molecular size. However, the GCC made it possible to isolate completely two isomers of mannotrioses (M(3)-1 and M(3)-2) with different linkage positions. We reinvestigated the structures of mannobiose (M(2)), M(3)s, and mannotetraose (M(4)) that were completely isolated by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and NMR spectroscopy.