Skip to Content
MilliporeSigma
  • Diffusion of macromolecules in self-assembled cellulose/hemicellulose hydrogels.

Diffusion of macromolecules in self-assembled cellulose/hemicellulose hydrogels.

Soft matter (2015-04-23)
Patricia Lopez-Sanchez, Erich Schuster, Dongjie Wang, Michael J Gidley, Anna Strom
ABSTRACT

Cellulose hydrogels are extensively applied in many biotechnological fields and are also used as models for plant cell walls. We synthesised model cellulosic hydrogels containing hemicelluloses, as a biomimetic of plant cell walls, in order to study the role of hemicelluloses on their mass transport properties. Microbial cellulose is able to self-assemble into composites when hemicelluloses, such as xyloglucan and arabinoxylan, are present in the incubation media, leading to hydrogels with different nano and microstructures. We investigated the diffusivities of a series of fluorescently labelled dextrans, of different molecular weight, and proteins, including a plant pectin methyl esterase (PME), using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). The presence of xyloglucan, known to be able to crosslink cellulose fibres, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and (13)C NMR, reduced mobility of macromolecules of molecular weight higher than 10 kDa, reflected in lower diffusion coefficients. Furthermore PME diffusion was reduced in composites containing xyloglucan, despite the lack of a particular binding motif in PME for this polysaccharide, suggesting possible non-specific interactions between PME and this hemicellulose. In contrast, hydrogels containing arabinoxylan coating cellulose fibres showed enhanced diffusivity of the molecules studied. The different diffusivities were related to the architectural features found in the composites as a function of polysaccharide composition. Our results show the effect of model hemicelluloses in the mass transport properties of cellulose networks in highly hydrated environments relevant to understanding the role of hemicelluloses in the permeability of plant cell walls and aiding design of plant based materials with tailored properties.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Citric acid, anhydrous, free-flowing, Redi-Dri, ACS reagent, ≥99.5%
Sigma-Aldrich
Nitrogen, ≥99.998%
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, BioUltra, for molecular biology, ≥99.5% (GC)
Sigma-Aldrich
Citric acid, BioUltra, anhydrous, ≥99.5% (T)
Sigma-Aldrich
2-Hydroxybutyric acid sodium salt, 97%
Sigma-Aldrich
8-Octanoyloxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid trisodium salt, suitable for fluorescence, ≥90% (HPCE)
Sigma-Aldrich
Fluorescein 5(6)-isothiocyanate, BioReagent, suitable for fluorescence, mixture of 2 components, ≥90% (HPLC)
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, anhydrous, ≥99.9%
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, PCR Reagent
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, JIS special grade, ≥99.0%
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, SAJ first grade, ≥99.0%
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, ≥99.0%, suitable for absorption spectrum analysis
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, suitable for HPLC
Sigma-Aldrich
Citric acid, ACS reagent, ≥99.5%
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, ≥99.5%
Sigma-Aldrich
Citric acid, SAJ first grade, ≥99.5%
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, sterile-filtered, BioPerformance Certified, meets EP, USP testing specifications, suitable for hybridoma
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, ≥99.5% (GC), suitable for plant cell culture
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, Hybri-Max, sterile-filtered, BioReagent, suitable for hybridoma, ≥99.7%
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, meets EP testing specifications, meets USP testing specifications
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, for molecular biology
Sigma-Aldrich
Citric acid, anhydrous, suitable for cell culture, suitable for plant cell culture
Sigma-Aldrich
Citric acid, 99%
Sigma-Aldrich
Fluorescein 5(6)-isothiocyanate, ≥90% (HPLC)
Sigma-Aldrich
Citric acid, ≥99.5%, FCC, FG
Sigma-Aldrich
Dimethyl sulfoxide, Vetec, reagent grade, 99%
Sigma-Aldrich
Fluorescein isothiocyanate isomer I, ≥97.5% (HPLC)
Sigma-Aldrich
MES hydrate, BioUltra, ≥99.5% (T)
Sigma-Aldrich
Glutaric dialdehyde solution, 50 wt. % in H2O, FCC
Sigma-Aldrich
Glutaraldehyde solution, 50 wt. % in H2O