Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Aug 21;25(17):3807.
doi: 10.3390/molecules25173807.

Development and Physical Characterization of α-Glucan Nanoparticles

Kervin O Evans  1 , Christopher Skory  1 , David L Compton  1 , Ryan Cormier  1 , Gregory L Côté  1 , Sanghoon Kim  2 , Michael Appell  3
Affiliations

Development and Physical Characterization of α-Glucan Nanoparticles

Kervin O Evans et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

α-Glucans that were enzymatically synthesized from sucrose using glucansucrase cloned from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1118 were found to have a glass transition temperature of approximately 80 °C. Using high-pressure homogenization (~70 MPa), the α-glucans were converted into nanoparticles of ~120 nm in diameter with a surface potential of ~-3 mV. Fluorescence measurements using 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) indicate that the α-glucan nanoparticles have a hydrophobic core that remains intact from 10 to 85 °C. α-Glucan nanoparticles were found to be stable for over 220 days and able to form at three pH levels. Accelerated exposure measurements demonstrated that the α-glucan nanoparticles can endure exposure to elevated temperatures up to 60 °C for 6 h intervals.

Keywords: biodegradable; nanoparticles; pH effect; sucrose polysaccharide; zeta potential.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual′s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA′s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermal analysis of purified, freeze-dried alpha glucan synthesized from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1118 glucansucrase.
Figure 2
Figure 2
TGA (red line; left y-axis) and differential TGA (green line; right y-axis) thermogram of purified alpha-glucan polysaccharide glucansucrase.
Figure 3
Figure 3
α-Glucans were homogenized in water to clarity to form nanoparticles (a). Nanoparticle size as a function of pressure and passes through homogenization (b).
Figure 3
Figure 3
α-Glucans were homogenized in water to clarity to form nanoparticles (a). Nanoparticle size as a function of pressure and passes through homogenization (b).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Scanning electron micrograph images of air-dried (A), freeze-dried (B), and freeze-dried/homogenized (C) α-glucans.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Anisotropy measurement of 1-6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hextriene (DPH) that was intercalated into α-glucan nanoparticles.
Figure 6
Figure 6
(a) Diameter and zeta potential of α-glucan nanoparticles monitored over time; (b) representative graph of size distribution of α-glucan nanoparticles during size measurements.
Figure 7
Figure 7
α-Glucan nanoparticles size (black square) and zeta potential (red circle) as a function of pH.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Accelerated exposure of α-glucan nanoparticles for 5 ½ h intervals at 25, 37, and 60 °C, respectively; temperature conditions were gradually returned to 25 °C after 16 h.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Sundar S., Kundu J., Kundu S.C. Biopolymeric Nanoparticles. Sci. Technol. Adv. Mater. 2010;11:014104. doi: 10.1088/1468-6996/11/1/014104. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Luo Y.-H., Chang L.W., Lin P. Metal-Based Nanoparticles and the Immune System: Activation, Inflammation, and Potential Applications. Biomed. Res. Int. 2015;2015:143720. doi: 10.1155/2015/143720. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Rees D.A., Scott W.E. Polysaccharide conformation. Part VI. Computer model-building for linear and branched pyranoglycans. Correlations with biological function. Preliminary assessment of inter-residue forces in aqueous solution. Further interpretation of optical rotation in terms of chain conformation. J. Chem. Soc. B Phys. Org. 1971:469–479.
    1. Ogawa K., Yui T., Okamura K., Misaki A. Crystalline Features of Streptococcal (1→3)-α-d-Glucans of Human Saliva. Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 1994;58:1326–1327. doi: 10.1271/bbb.58.1326. - DOI
    1. Yui T., Goto K., Kawano Y., Ogawa K. Molecular Modeling Study of Highly Branching (1→3)-α-d-Glucan, a Model Polysaccharide for Cariogenic Glucan, Using the N/H Mapping Method. Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 2000;64:52–60. doi: 10.1271/bbb.64.52. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources