Polysaccharides associative interactions

It was established by Braudo and coworkers (1998) that an increase in the degree of pectin esterification leads to a greater extent of pectin association in aqueous solution (an increase in Mw). This is illustrated in Figure 6.7. The strength of the attractive interactions between the polysaccharide associates increases with the degree of pectin esterification, as reflected in the lowering of the value of the second virial coefficient. 

The diverse applications of complex polysaccharide/protein offer new tools to improve the quality of texture and stability of food products, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, plus the ability to generate new functional structures at the micro- and the nanoscale [4, 80]. More studies should be conducted on the factors that influence and affect the structures of protein-polysaccharide complexes to better understand the associative interactions of mixtures and achieve full potential as stabilizers, foaming, emulsifying, and haulers as matrices. 

Molecular Interactions. Various polysaccharides readily associate with other substances, including bile acids and cholesterol, proteins, small organic molecules, inorganic salts, and ions. Anionic polysaccharides form salts and chelate complexes with cations some neutral polysaccharides form complexes with inorganic salts and some interactions are stmcture specific. Starch amylose and the linear branches of amylopectin form inclusion complexes with several classes of polar molecules, including fatty acids, glycerides, alcohols, esters, ketones, and iodine/iodide. The absorbed molecule occupies the cavity of the amylose helix, which has the capacity to expand somewhat to accommodate larger molecules. The starch—Hpid complex is important in food systems. Whether similar inclusion complexes can form with any of the dietary fiber components is not known. 

Two helices are packed antiparallel in the orthorhombic unit cell. Association of the helices occurs through a series of periodic carboxylate potassium water - carboxylate interactions. An axial projection of the unit-cell contents (Fig. 23b) shows that the helices and guest molecules are closely packed. This is the first crystal structure of a polysaccharide in which all the guest molecules in the unit cell, consistent with the measured fiber density, have been experimentally located from difference electron-density maps. The final / -value is 0.26 for 54 reflections, of which 43 are observed, and it is based on normal scattering factors.15... 

It is well known the tendency of polysaccharides to associate in aqueous solution. These molecular associations can deeply affect their function in a particular application due to their influence on molecular weight, shape and size, which determines how molecules interact with other molecules and water. There are several factors such as hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic association, an association mediated by ions, electrostatic interactions, which depend on the concentration and the presence of protein components that affect the ability to form supramolecular complexes. 

The relaxation data for the anomeric protons of the polysaccharides (see Table II) lack utility, inasmuch as the / ,(ns) values are identical within experimental error. Obviously, the distribution of correlation times associated with backbone and side-chain motions, complex patterns of intramolecular interaction, and significant cross-relaxation and cross-correlation effects dramatically lessen the diagnostic potential of these relaxation rates. 

Cellulose microfibrils make up the basic framework of the primary wall of young plant cells (3), where they form a complex network with other polysaccharides. The linking polysaccharides include hemicellulose, which is a mixture of predominantly neutral heterogly-cans (xylans, xyloglucans, arabinogalactans, etc.). Hemicellulose associates with the cellulose fibrils via noncovalent interactions. These complexes are connected by neutral and acidic pectins, which typically contain galac-turonic acid. Finally, a collagen-related protein, extensin, is also involved in the formation of primary walls. 

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