Abstract
The ester-linkage of ferulic acid (mainly E) to polysaccharides in primary cell walls of pineapple fruit (Ananas comosus) (Bro-
meliaceae) was investigated by treating a cell-wall preparation with `Driselase' which contains a mixture of endo- and exo-glyca-
nases, but no hydroxycinnamoyl esterase activity. The most abundant feruloyl oligosaccharide released was O-[5-O-(E-feruloyl)-_-
l-arabinofuranosyl](133)-O-_-d-xylopyranosyl-(134)-d-xylopyranose (FAXX). This indicated that the ferulic acid is ester-linked
to glucuronoarabinoxylans in the same way as in the primary walls of grasses and cereals (Poaceae). Glucuronoarabinoxylans are
the major non-cellulosic polysaccharides in the pineapple cell walls. # 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Ananas comosus; Pineapple; Bromeliaceae; Commelinoid monocotyledons; Glucuronoarabinoxylans; Feruloyl esters; Oligosaccharides;
`Driselase'; Plant cell walls; O-[5-O-(E-feruloyl)-_-l-arabinofuranosyl](133)-O-_-d-xylopyranosyl-(134)-d-xylopyranose