ABSTRACT
The biosynthesis of cell wall polysaccharides (see Chapter Carbohydrate chemistry) occurs via nucleotide sugars (NDP). Figure 24.1 presents an example of a nucleotide sugar. A generalized equation for the synthesis of a cell wall polysaccharide is NDP - sugar and acceptor -7 polymer + NDP. The enzymes responsible for the synthesis appear to be membrane bound and are polysaccharide synthetases. The enzymes seem to possess specificity for the base present in the sugar and the linkage present within the polysaccharide product. Furthermore, enzymes (epimerases) occur within plants which can interconvert the sugar moiety of the NDP. An older, but comprehensive discussion of this topic is presented in Karr.2
