Imaging of carrageenan macrocycles and amylose using noncontact atomic force microscopy

Samples of kappa-carrageenan, iota-carrageenan, and synthetic amylose have been examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM). All samples were spray deposited from aqueous solutions onto freshly cleaved mica, air dried, and imaged in air using noncontact atomic force microscopy (NCAFM). Images of single stranded amylose and carrageenan are presented. At relatively low polymer concentrations in the presence of NaCl iota-carrageenan formed circles that appear to be predominantly head-to-tail associated unimeric duplex (double stranded) structures. At higher iota-carrageenan concentrations the polymer forms circles and aggregates that appear to involve dimeric duplex structure. Direct comparison of synthetic amylose molecular weights determined from NCAFM images with results from solution measurements showed that NCAFM provides an excellent way to measure amylose molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. It is shown that synthetic amylose is single stranded in aqueous solution and that the chain length distribution is broader than the Poisson distribution anticipated from polymerization theory.     

Gelation of amylose

A range of physical techniques, including light-scattering, turbidity measurements, viscometry, dilatometry, rheological measurements, and X-ray diffraction, has been used to study the gelation of amylose. Gels form on cooling entangled amylose solutions and occur as a result of a phase separation which produces a three-dimensional polymer network. Crystallisation, as detected by X-ray diffraction, was observed to be a slower process originating in the polymer-rich phase.     

Synthesis of amylose acetates and amylose sulfates with high structural uniformity

Amylose triacetate (ATA) dissolved in DMSO was partially deacetylated by 1,6-hexamethylendiamine, 1,8-octamethylendiamine, 1,12-dodecylmethylendiamine and 1,2-cyclohexyldiamine (mixture of cis and trans isomers) at 80 degrees C. The reaction kinetics of the deacetylation were studied. Differences were found in the course of the reaction depending on the type of alkylene diamine (linear or cyclic). The isolated amylose acetates were dissolved in DMF and subsequently sulfated with sulfamic acid. In the course of the sulfation, the acetyl groups acted as protective groups and were completely cleaved after reaction. The amylose acetates and sulfates obtained were studied by 13C NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. It could be shown, that the deacetylation of ATA with the described alkylene diamines as well as the subsequent sulfation are highly regioselective. By proceeding this reaction scheme it is possible to synthesize 6-amyloseacetate, 2,6-di-amyloseacetate and 2-amylosesulfate with a high structural uniformity.     

Biocompatible sample pretreatment for immunochemical techniques using micellar liquid chromatography for separation of corticosteroids

Micellar liquid chromatography (MLC) using Tween 20 as surfactant was evaluatd as a biocompatible sample pretreatment preceding immunoassay in order to obtain an increased selectivity of the assay and a simplification of the sample pretreatment procedure. Different stationary phases and chromatographic conditions were studied for the separation of budesonide and cortisol and some steroids known to interfere in immunoassay of these compounds. The separation was dependent on several parameters, for example, temperature, the concentration of Tween 20, pH and ionic strength of the mobile phase, and nature of the stationary phase. A precolumn venting system was used, which allowed for 140 direct injections of 25 μl of human blood plasma, without loss of chromatographic performance. Results obtained from the coupling of MLC to an immunoassay for cortisol illustrates the selectivity which can be obtained, and that simplification of the sample pretreatment is possible using this technique.     

Improved initial osteoblast functions on amino-functionalized titanium surfaces

Adhesion and spreading of cells on biomaterials are integrin-mediated processes. But recent findings indicate a key role of the cell membrane associated matrix substance hyaluronan (HA) in interface interactions. Because HA is a negatively charged molecule we assume that a biomaterial surface with an opposed charge could boost the first contact of the cell to the surface. Polished cp titanium (R(a)=0.19 microm) was coated with an amino-group containing plasma polymer (Ti PPA). For this purpose, a microwave excited, pulsed, low-pressure plasma was used. Additionally, collagen was immobilized on Ti PPA with polyethylene glycol diacid (PEG-DA), catalyzed by carbodiimide (CDI). The physico-chemical surface analytical techniques like XPS, FT-IR, water contact angle and zeta-potential verified the retention of the allylamine precursor structure. Human osteoblasts were cultured in serum-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM). Adhesion and cell cycle phases were calculated by flow cytometry. Spreading and actin cytoskeleton were visualized by confocal microscopy. Gene expression of osteogenic markers was detected by real-time RT-PCR. Ti PPA is significantly advantageous concerning initial adhesion and spreading during the first hours of the cell contact to the surface. The proliferation of osteoblasts is positively influenced. Gene expression of the differentiation marker bone sialoprotein was upregulated after 24h. Our results demonstrate that functionalization of titanium with positively charged amino-groups is sufficiently enough to significantly improve initial steps of the cellular contact to the material surface.     

Chiral separation of Frovatriptan isomers by HPLC using amylose based chiral stationary phase

A stereospecific HPLC method for separation of Frovatriptan enantiomers in bulk drug and pharmaceutical formulations was developed and validated on a normal-phase amylose derivertized chiral column. The effects of the organic modifiers namely 2-propanol, ethanol and diethyl amine (DEA) in the mobile phase were optimized to obtain the best enantiomeric separation. Calibration curves were linear over the range of 200-6150 ng/mL, with a regression coefficient (R(2)) of 0.9998. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 65 ng/mL and 200 ng/mL, respectively. The method was accurate and precise and suitable for the intended purpose. Analysis results were compared with the results obtained by using a validated chiral CE method and found to be in very good agreement. This method can be successfully applied to the enantiomeric purity analysis of Frovatriptan in pharmaceutical bulk drug samples and formulations.     

Enzymatic synthesis of amylose

Amylose is a linear polymer of α-1,4-linked glucose and is expected to be used in various industries as a functional biomaterial. However, pure amylose is currently not available for industrial purposes, since the separation of natural amylose from amylopectin is difficult. It is known that amylose has been synthesized using various enzymes. Glucan phosphorylase, together with its substrate, glucose-1-phosphate, is the most suitable system for the production of amylose since the molecular size of amylose can be controlled precisely. However, the problem with this system is that glucose-1-phosphate is too expensive for industrial purposes. This review summarizes our work on the enzymatic synthesis of essentially linear amylose, together with recent progress in the production of synthetic amylose using sucrose or cellobiose through the combined actions of phosphorylases.     

Optimization of the preparation of aqueous suspensions of waxy maize starch nanocrystals using a response surface methodology

Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effect of five selected factors on the selective H(2)SO(4) hydrolysis of waxy maize starch granules. These predictors were temperature, acid concentration, starch concentration, hydrolysis duration, and stirring speed. The goal of this study was to optimize the preparation of aqueous suspensions of starch nanocrystals, i.e., to determine the operative conditions leading to the smallest size of insoluble hydrolyzed residue within the shortest time and with the highest yield. Therefore empirical models were elaborated for the hydrolysis yield and the size of the insoluble residues using a central composite face design involving 31 trials. They allowed us to show that it was possible to obtain starch nanocrystals after only 5 days of H(2)SO(4) hydrolysis with a yield of 15 wt % and having the same shape as those obtained from the classical procedure after 40 days of HCl treatment, with a yield of 0.5 wt %.     

Rapid small-scale preparation method of cell surface polysaccharides

A rapid small-scale method of extraction of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and capsular polysaccharides was developed for the purpose of identification of chemotypes of LPS and serotypes of capsular antigens. Cell surface polysaccharides were prepared within less than 2 hr from 1.5 ml of broth or suspension of colonies cultured overnight. The preparations were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for LPS, and by double diffusion gel precipitation (Ouchterlony) test and blotting to nitrocellulose membrane for capsular polysaccharide. The analyses with the preparations obtained by the method could provide adequate results capable of identifying chemotypes of LPS and serotypes of capsular antigens.     

Single crystals of V amylose

Single crystals of V amylose were prepared from dilute solution in water/ethanol over a range of temperatures. The effects of crystallization temperature on crystal morphology and thickness were investigated using transmission electron microscopy. Annealing of these crystals gave rise to large increases in crystal thickness. It is concluded that V amylose crystals behave in a similar way to crystals of linear synthetic polymers.     

Solid-phase preparation of amides using N-acylbenzotriazoles

Wang resin linked amines were efficiently converted into amides using acylbenzotriazoles. Cleavage of resins gave the desired amides 7Aa-Gf in 30-99% yields with good to excellent purities.     

Biocompatible nanoparticles trigger rapid bacteria clustering

This study reveals an exciting phenomenon of stimulated bacteria clustering. Rapid aggregation and microbial arrest are shown to occur in Escherichia coli solutions of neutral pH when chitosan nanoparticles with positive zeta potential are added. Because chitosan nanoparticles can easily be dispersed in aqueous buffers, the rapid clustering phenomenon requires only minuscule nanoparticle concentrations and will be critical in developing new methods for extricating bacterial pathogens. This work establishes the dominant role of electrostatic attraction in bacteria‐nanoparticle interactions by varying the nanoparticle zeta potential from highly positive to strongly negative values, and by exploring concentration effects. For strongly negative nanoparticles, no clusters form, while aggregates are small and loose at intermediate conditions. In addition, optical density measurements indicate that over 90% of the suspended bacteria flocculate within seconds of being mixed with chitosan nanoparticles of a highly positive surface charge. Finally, the nanoparticles are significantly more efficient as a clustering agent compared to an equal mass of molecular chitosan in solution, as the bacteria‐nanoparticle clusters formed are substantially larger. The bacteria‐nanoparticle aggregation effect demonstrated here promises a rapid separation method for aiding pathogen detection and for flocculation of bacteria in fermentation processes. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009     

Beta-amylase-resistant amylose. Effect of urea on the limited hydrolysis of amylose by beta-amylase.

Amylose prepared from starch dispersed in 10M-urea, pH6.2, was found to be resistant to the action of beta-amylase and phosphorylase, though it was degraded by alpha-amylase. Amylose isolated by conventional methods was similarly refractory after urea treatment, and was hydrolysed by beta-amylase to the extent of 32-35%; it had no inhibitory effect towards beta-amylase. The physical and chemical properties of the modified amylose were in general comparable with those of normal amylose with a beta-amylolysis limit of 94-98%. Starch and amylopectin were unaffected by urea treatment, i.e. the presence of amylopectin protected amylose against changes induced in it by urea. It is speculated that urea treatment "freezes" amylose molecules in a conformation that renders non-reducing termini inaccessible to the active site of the exo-enzymes. Such changes may limit the degradative action of beta-amylase and phosphorylase.     

Biocompatible micro-gel particles from cross-linked casein micelles

The stability of internally cross-linked casein micelles against disruption by urea (which disrupts hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions) and trisodium citrate (which sequesters micellar calcium phosphate) was investigated. Addition of urea (0-6 mol L-1) and/or citrate (0-50 mmol L-1) progressively reduced the turbidity of a suspension of casein micelles cross-linked by transglutaminase and increased particle size (determined by dynamic and static light scattering and small-angle neutron scattering), which was attributed to swelling of the micelles. Furthermore, model calculations, assuming a completely stable casein network, were performed to describe the decreases in turbidity on addition of urea and citrate. Measured and described turbidity values are in agreement, indicating that cross-linking of casein micelles with transglutaminase results in a covalently bound protein network, which is entirely stable to disruption by urea and/or citrate. This may offer potential applications for the use of cross-linked casein micelles as biocompatible protein micro-gel particles.