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.
Highlights
There is an ever-increasing drive to find biopolymers capable of forming nanoparticles
It is of special interest to find biopolymers that form nanoparticles capable of readily encapsulating hydrophobic bioactive agents because biopolymers tend to have better biocompatibility, better bioactivity, and/or lower toxicity than nanoparticles made from metals and/or synthetic polymers [1,2]
The insoluble α-glucans were synthesized using a glucansucrase cloned from the NRRL B-1118 (ATCC 8293) strain of Leuconostoc mesenteroides, a lactic acid bacterium, and structurally analyzed using hydrolysis, gas-liquid chromatography, and methylation
Summary
There is an ever-increasing drive to find biopolymers capable of forming nanoparticles. Α-Glucans are polysaccharides with a repeating d-glucose monomer that can be produced enzymatically using glucansucrase, which catalyzes the transfer of α-d-glucopyranosyl units from sucrose to acceptor molecules to form α-glucan chains. These enzymes are synthesized by numerous lactic acid bacteria and can form several different α-glucosidic linkages that affect the branching and water solubility of the polysaccharide. The α-glucan polysaccharides studied in this work are natural, biodegradable, and highly renewable materials for making nanoparticles. NRRL B-1118 typically yielded the most reproducible nanoparticles with a diameter less than 200 Physical characterization of these nanoparticles, such as surface charge or stability, has been limited.
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