Glucan—many faces of one molecule

Fungi and yeasts represent an important natural source of various biologically active compounds, including polysaccharides. These molecules are often used as biological response modifiers. Among these compounds, the most studied and at the same time the most promising, are β-D-glucans. These molecules represent a group of chemically heterogeneous polysaccharides existing with a backbone made of β-(1→3) linked glucose sequence and side chains linked by β-(1→6) or β-(1→4) bonds.