The polar carotenoid fraction from Sarcina flava does not not appear to be a free carotenoid, but a carotenoid associated with glucose and a peptide. The glucose seems to be glycosidically bound to the carotenoid through its reducing group. Presumably the peptide is linked to the glucose through either the primary or one of the secondary hydroxyl groups on the carbohydrate molecule. A model of the in vivo state of the carotenoid complex in the bacterial membrane has been proposed.
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