Application

Polygalacturonic acid has been used:in the preabsorption of 2F4 primary antibody solutionas a substrate to determine polygalacturonase activityin the preparation of oligogalacturonates mixture which is used as a substrate to determine the specificities of different acetylesterases

Polygalacturonic acid sequesters metal ions. It also produces gels in the presence of Ca²⁺ that can be used for drug release or to immobilize cells or enzymes for the production of biomolecules.

Biochem/physiol Actions

In land plants, polygalacturonic acids are major components of cell wall polysaccharides (pectins). Bound polygalacturonase-inhibiting peptides (PGIP) protect pectin from degradation by fungal polygalacturonases.

General description

Polygalacturonic acid is composed of galacturonic acid unit arranged as a long polymer chain. Methyl esters of polygalacturonic acid forms pectin.