Molecular characterization of the plant biopolyester cutin by AFM and spectroscopic techniques |
| |
Authors: | Benítez José J Matas Antonio J Heredia Antonio |
| |
Institution: | Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales, CSIC-Universidad de Sevilla, E-41092 Seville, Spain. |
| |
Abstract: | Atomic force microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance have been used to improve our current knowledge on the molecular characteristics of the biopolyester cutin, the main component of the plant cuticle. After comparison of samples of cutin isolated from young and mature tomato fruit cuticles has been possible to establish different degrees of cross-linking in the biopolymer and that the polymer is mainly formed after esterification of secondary hydroxyl groups of the monomers that form this type of cutin. Atomic force microscopy gave useful structural information on the molecular topography of the outer surface of the isolated samples. The texture of these samples is a consequence of the cross-linking degree or chemical status of the polymer. Thus, the more dense and cross-linked cutin from ripe or mature tomato fruit is characterized by a flatter and more globular texture in addition to the development of elongated and orientated superstructures. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 PubMed 等数据库收录! |
|