High Degree Of Branching Research Articles

Metabolomic analysis reveals the potential of fucosylated chondroitin sulfate from sea cucumber in modulating metabolic homeostasis

In this study, we prepared four derivatives of fucosylated chondroitin sulfate (FCS): full-length FCS (flFCS) from Holothuria leucospilota, low molecular weight FCS (lmFCS) derived from flFCS, and their de-branched counterparts, de-branched flFCS (d-flFCS) and de-branched lmFCS (d-lmFCS) via controlled acid treatment. Following structural verification using various analytical techniques, we applied targeted metabolomics to examine the impact of FCS on nutritional efficacy and its structure-activity relationship. Analysis of 225 plasma and feces samples from 75 mice revealed a positive correlation between metabolomic shifts and increased weight gain, underscoring FCS’s potential to enhance nutrient absorption and promote growth. The observed linear relationship between the levels of short-chain fatty acids in plasma and feces suggests that FCS may facilitate catabolic activities in the gastrointestinal tract. The comparative study of different FCS derivatives on mouse growth and metabolic homeostasis regulation led to the conclusion that FCS exhibits greater biological activity with a higher degree of branching and larger molecular weight.

Tailoring highland barley bran arabinoxylans: Insights into composition, structure, and functional properties

Highland barley bran (HBB) stands as an underutilized source of arabinoxylans (AXs), presenting promising prospects for various applications. This study focuses on the isolation of four different AXs (S20, S40, S60, S80) from HBB using alkali extraction and gradient alcohol precipitation. These AXs exhibited diverse purity (56.47%–80.92%), monosaccharide compositions (A/X:0.47–0.96), and molecular weights (Mw) (173.5–498.2 kDa) of different AXs, along with different microstructural variations, amorphous qualities, and thermal stability. Rheological analyses demonstrated their shear-thinning behavior and distinctive gel-forming capacities, with S20 exhibiting superior viscosity and gel-forming ability. Notably, all four AXs demonstrate notable DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging capacities, with S80 demonstrating the highest antioxidant potency. Correlation analyses highlighted connections between molecular weight, branching degree, and rheological and antioxidant properties of AXs. Among different AXs, S20, with its low branching degree (0.47) and high molecular weight (390.4 kDa), exhibited significant viscosity, suggesting its suitability as a natural thickener in food processing. Conversely, S80, characterized by its low molecular weight (173.5 kDa), high branching degree (0.96), and potent antioxidant activity, holds promise as a natural antioxidant in functional foods. This study provides crucial insights for tailoring AX applications, unlocking the potential for the valorization of HBB in diverse scenarios.

Dynamic optical coherence tomography for imaging acute wound healing.

The aim of this study was to investigate acute wound healing with dynamic optical coherence tomography (D-OCT). From 22 patients with 23 split skin graft donor sites, vessels at four wound edges, the wound bed, and adjacent and unaffected skin of the contralateral leg were measured by D-OCT at six time points from surgery to 4 weeks of healing. Changes in vessel orientation, density, diameter, morphology and pattern in horizontal, vertical and 3D images were analysed for wound healing and re-epithelialization. At 300 μm depth, there were significant differences of blobs and serpiginous vessels between normal and wounded skin. The wound had significantly more vertically oriented vessels, a higher degree of branching, vessel density and diameter compared with healthy skin. 3D images showed increased angiogenesis from healthy skin towards the wound centre, significantly higher vessel density at the wound than at normal skin and the highest at the interface. During wound healing blobs, coils and serpiginous vessels occurred significantly more frequently in lesional than healthy skin. Vessel density was greatest at the beginning, decreased and then increased by 4 weeks post-surgery. D-OCT helps to evaluate acute wound healing by visualizing and quantifying blood vessel growth in addition to re-epithelialization.

Hydrolysis and cross-flow ultrafiltration as an alternative process to isolate fucoidans from edible seaweed Nizamuddinia zarnardinii with enhanced immunostimulatory efficacy

In the present investigation, fucoidan isolated from Nizamuddinia zanardinii was hydrolysed using 0.01 N HCl at boiling temperature for 10, 20, 40 and 60 min. Native and hydrolysed fucoidans contained a close chemical compositions, most importantly constituted of sulfates and uronic acids as well as fucose, galactose and mannose. Hydrolysis and cross-flow ultrafiltration produced fucoidan hydrolysates having different weight average molecular weights. The FH20 fucoidan was the most potent polysaccharide hydrolysate to stimulate NO-release from RAW264.7 macrophage cells. After cross-flow ultrafiltration of FH20, 100 < kDa fucoidan, polysaccharide with high branching degree consisting mainly of (1 → 2)-Fucp, (1 → 2,3)-Fucp, (1 → 3)-Galp, (1 → 2,3)-Galp, (1 → 2)-Manp and (1 → 3)-Manp residues, exerted the highest stimulation effect on RAW264.7 macrophage cells, secreting considerable NO, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-12 proinflammatory mediators. Also, 100 < kDa fucoidan activated NK-92 cells to release TNF-α, INF-γ, granzyme-B, perforin, NKG2D and FasL. Both RAW264.7 and NK-92 cells were activated through NF-κB and MAPKs signalling pathways and the degree of stimulation capacity in fucoidan from N. zanardinii was in close correlation with the molecular weight.

Simultaneously efficient dissolution and structural modification of chrysanthemum pectin: Targeting at proliferation of Bacteroides

Pectic polysaccharide is a bioactive ingredient in Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. ‘Hangbaiju’ (CMH), but the high proportion of HG domain limited its use as a prebiotic. In this study, hot water, cellulase-assisted, medium-temperature alkali, and deep eutectic solvent extraction strategies were firstly used to extract pectin from CMH (CMHP). CMHP obtained by cellulase-assisted extraction had high purity and strong ability to promote the proliferation of Bacteroides and mixed probiotics. However, 4 extraction strategies led to general high proportion of HG domain in CMHPs. To further enhance the dissolution and prebiotic potential of CMHP, pectinase was used alone and combined with cellulase. The key factor for the optimal extraction was enzymolysis by cellulase and pectinase in a mass ratio of 3:1 at 1 % (w/w) dosage. The optimal CMHP had high yield (15.15 %), high content of total sugar, and Bacteroides proliferative activity superior to inulin, which was probably due to the cooperation of complex enzyme on the destruction of cell wall and pectin structural modification for raised RG-I domain (80.30 %) with relatively high degree of branching and moderate HG domain. This study provided a green strategy for extraction of RG-I enriched prebiotic pectin from plants.

Synergistic influence of methoxy and benzhydryl groups in α-diimine nickel precatalysts for facile synthesizing UHMW PE elastomers

Concerted effect of steric and electronic substituents is a powerful strategy to enhance the catalytic performance of α-diiminonickel precatalysts for ethylene polymerization, but less investigated so far. In this study, the synthesis of a series of unsymmetrical α-diiminonickel complexes, featuring the sterically crowded 2,6-dibenzhydryl-3,4,5-trimethoxyphenylimine and 2,4,6-(alkyl)phenylimine units, is described. Some of these complexes, including ligand and abnormal organic compound are presented in X-ray structures. All the nickel complexes, extensively studied with two alkylating reagents (Me2AlCl and MMAO), demonstrated excellent catalytic performance, with activity level in the range of 106–107 g mol−1 h−1 across a broad temperature range (30 °C–90 °C). Of significant note, concerted effect of three OMe substituents and two benzhydryl groups present at the same imine unit, significantly improved chain propagation and thereby facilitated the synthesis of ultra-high molecular weight (up to 1.2 × 106 g mol−1) polyethylene with high branching degree (up to 205/1000C) and narrow polymer molecular weight distributions (Ð = < 1.80). Moreover, the obtained polyethylene, especially the ultra-high MW samples, exhibited excellent material properties (up to σb = 7.58 MPa with εb = 1025 % and E = 5.32 MPa), along with elastic recovery rates of 59–65 %. These properties of obtained polyethylene highlight characteristics of typical thermoplastic polyolefin elastomers.

Structure and immunostimulatory activity studies on two novel Flammulina velutipes polysaccharides: revealing potential impacts of →6)-α-D-Glcp(1→ on the TLR-4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway.

Two novel Flammulina velutipes (F. velutipes) polysaccharides, FVPH1 and FVPH2, were isolated and purified after hot water extraction. The structural characterization revealed that the backbone of FVPH1 consisted mainly of →6)-α-D-Glcp(1→, →3,4)-α-D-Galp(1→, →4)-α-L-Fucp(1→, and →4)-β-D-Manp(1→, while the backbone of FVPH2 consisted of →3)-α-D-Galp(1→, →3,4)-α-D-Manp(1→,→6)-α-D-Glcp(1→. The branches of FVPH1 contained →6)-α-D-Glcp(1→ and α-D-Glcp(1→ and the branches of FVPH2 consisted of →3)-α-D-Galp(1→, →6)-α-D-Glcp(1→, and β-L-Fucp(1→. FVPH2 exhibited significantly better immunostimulatory activity than FVPH1 (P < 0.05), as evidenced by the increased expression of NO, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α and pinocytic activity of RAW264.7 cells. As the most abundant structure in the polysaccharides of F. velutipes, the content of →6)-α-D-Glcp(1→ might play a crucial role in influencing the immunostimulatory activity of F. velutipes polysaccharides. The F. velutipes polysaccharide with a lower content of →6)-α-D-Glcp(1→ and a higher branching degree could significantly enhance the immunostimulatory activity of F. velutipes polysaccharides via activating the TLR-4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway more effectively.

Pectins rich in RG-I and galactose extracted from garlic pomace: Physicochemical, structural, emulsifying and antioxidant properties

Pectins are highly sought after as food additives, functional ingredients, and structural polymers. So far, no study has been performed on the extraction, characterization, and application of pectins from garlic pomace. In this study, a medium-sized low-methoxyl pectin rich in rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) and galactose was prepared from garlic pomace (termed “GP”; molecular weight, Mw, 324.08 kDa; degree of methyl esterification, DM, 48.10%; RG-I, 35.20%), via citric acid-water extraction at 65 °C for 120 min and ethanol precipitation. GP contained six neutral monosaccharides (fucose, rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, and xylose) and two acidic monosaccharides (galacturonic acid and glucuronic acid), and could protect zebrafish against metronidazole-induced oxidative damage. Compared with commercial citrus pectin, GP had a comparable Mw, much more RG-Is and homogalacturonans, higher protein and phenolic contents, higher degree of branching, lower crystallinity, higher thermal stability (over 30–377 °C), higher in vitro and invivo antioxidant capacities, higher viscosity, and higher emulsifying and emulsion-stabilizing abilities. Accordingly, garlic pomace was a good source of RG-I-rich and galactose-rich pectins with high emulsifying and antioxidant capacities. GP can be used for making foods and pharmaceuticals possessing simultaneously high emulsifying, emulsion-stabilizing, and antioxidant capacities. This study demonstrates a sustainable garlic waste valorization approach.

Difference in Starch Structure and Physicochemical Properties between Waxy Wheat and Non-Waxy Wheat Subjected to Temporary Heat Stress during Grain Filling

The formation process of starch in the grain is influenced by both genetic characteristics and environmental factors, which can affect starch quality. Waxy wheat Yangnuo1 (YN1) and non-waxy wheat Yangmai15 (YM15) were subjected to heat stress at the early, medium, and late grain-filling stages using artificial intelligence temperature control. Heat stress increased the short-chain content of amylopectin in both cultivars and decreased their amylose contents. The effect of heat stress on the wheat amylopectin structure was most pronounced 16–20 days after anthesis (DAA). The crystallinity and enthalpy of starch decreased, as did the swelling potential, solubility, and transmittance, but the retrogradation degree showed an opposite trend after heat stress. Compared with YM15, YN1 exhibited superior physical and chemical properties as well as anti-aging properties of starch and consequently had greater thermal stability under heat stress due to its higher degree of branching. The most sensitive stage to heat stress for yield was 6–10 DAA, which resulted in significant decreases in grain number and 1000-grain weight, followed by 16–20 DAA, which resulted in a significant decrease only in 1000-grain weight. Our study indicated that heat stress during the early stage of grain filling resulted in a decrease in both grain weight and yield, whereas during the middle stage of grain filling, it led to a decline in starch quality, especially in non-waxy wheat.

Strategies for preventing gelation in preparation of hyperbranched benzoxazines with high performance

The gelation of linear oligomeric benzoxazine precursors (OBPs) and high-molecular-weight benzoxazine precursors (HMWBPs) have been noticed and addressed by various effective actions, while no similar reports on hyperbranched benzoxazoles have been available. A series of hyperbranched benzoxazines were synthesized by A2 + B3 method using 1,3-bis(3-aminopropyl)tetramethyldisiloxane (BATSi) and 1,1,1-tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane (THPE) and paraformaldehyde, namely HB-TSis, to examine the conditions for preventing gelation. We found that in most cases, increasing the feeding molar ratio of -OH to NH2 group, prolonging the reaction time and increasing the reactant concentration were all favorable for the formation of soluble HB-TSis. Except when the molar ratio of -OH to NH2 was 2:3, a lower reactant concentration was more likely to avoid gel formation. A sufficiently high vacuum degree during drying was reported for the first time as a factor affecting the gelation of polybenzoxazine precursors. In addition, gelation-free HB-TSis exhibited high degrees of branching (DBs) and weight-average molecular weight (Mw) in the range of 0.58–0.69 and 6100–10,100 Da, respectively. Their cured resins, poly(HB-TSi)s, both perform well in terms of thermal stability with high char yield (Yc) varying from 37.9 to 56.2%, and flame retardancy with low the heat release capacity (HRC) varying from 49.9 to 81.9 J/(g K), which are capable of being applied as nonignitable materials.

Highly branched and complementary distributions of layer 5 and layer 6 auditory corticofugal axons in mouse.

The auditory cortex exerts a powerful, yet heterogeneous, effect on subcortical targets. Auditory corticofugal projections emanate from layers 5 and 6 and have complementary physiological properties. While several studies suggested that layer 5 corticofugal projections branch widely, others suggested that multiple independent projections exist. Less is known about layer 6; no studies have examined whether the various layer 6 corticofugal projections are independent. Therefore, we examined branching patterns of layers 5 and 6 auditory corticofugal neurons, using the corticocollicular system as an index, using traditional and novel approaches. We confirmed that dual retrograde injections into the mouse inferior colliculus and auditory thalamus co-labeled subpopulations of layers 5 and 6 auditory cortex neurons. We then used an intersectional approach to relabel layer 5 or 6 corticocollicular somata and found that both layers sent extensive branches to multiple subcortical structures. Using a novel approach to separately label layers 5 and 6 axons in individual mice, we found that layers 5 and 6 terminal distributions partially spatially overlapped and that giant terminals were only found in layer 5-derived axons. Overall, the high degree of branching and complementarity in layers 5 and 6 axonal distributions suggest that corticofugal projections should be considered as 2 widespread systems, rather than collections of individual projections.

Nanoflower core-shell Cu@Pd catalysts for glycol oxidation reaction with an enhanced performance

Direct alcohol fuel cells' performance is significantly affected by the phase and composition of the catalyst, thereby the development of high-performance alcohol oxidation catalysts is essential. In this study, PVA preparation was used for the first time to create PdCu core-shell nanoflowers with a high electrochemically active surface area and a potent synergistic effect. Notably, the presence of PVA causes Pd and Cu nanoparticles with different reduction rates to form a core-shell structure, and the Pd nanoparticles continue to migrate regularly under the action of PVA, forming a flower-like morphology with a high degree of branching. Cu@Pd22.3 catalyst exhibited 13 times higher catalytic performance (4353.04 mA mgPd−1) than Pd/C (334.09 mA mgPd−1) in ethylene glycol oxidation reaction. The Cu@Pd22.3 catalyst also exhibits higher stability than commercial Pd/C in stability tests lasting up to 20,000 s. This core-shell combination and highly branched structural design result in more active sites for fast ion adsorption/desorption,offering an original method to improving the activity and endurance of polyol oxidation.

Changes in the structural and physicochemical characterization of pea starch modified by Bacillus-produced α-amylase

In this study, changes in structural and physicochemical properties of pea starch treated with Bacillus-produced α-amylase were determined. The results showed that enzymatically modified pea starch had lower amylose content and granule size but higher branching degree and relative crystallinity. After enzyme hydrolysis, the distribution of A and B1 chains slightly decreased, while the distribution of B2 and B3 chains increased lightly. Enzymatic hydrolysis preferentially occurred in the amorphous region and cannot change the crystalline structure of pea starch. Moreover, pea starch showed lower light transmittance, peak viscosity, breakdown viscosity, pasting temperature, shear viscosity, storage modulus and loss modulus, while the oil adsorption capacity and gelatinization enthalpy significantly increased with increasing α-amylase hydrolysis time. Correlation analysis indicated that α-amylase hydrolysis had different effects on different pea varieties. This research could provide ideas for exploring new applications for enzymatically modified pea starch in food industry. Industrial relevanceThis study found that Bacillus-produced α-amylase significantly changed the amylose content, granule size and viscosity of pea starch, which was helpful to further investigate the modified starch. This technology is expected to widen the applications of pea starch modified by Bacillus-produced α-amylase in food industry, for example as thickener, stabilizer and beverage, to improve the texture, stability and shelf-life of various food products.

Reactive force-field MD simulation on the pyrolysis process of phenolic with various cross-linked and branched structures

Based on the reactive force-field (ReaxFF) molecular dynamics, the thermostability of cross-linked and non-cross-linked phenolic was compared to study the effect of cross-linked and branched structures on the pyrolysis mechanism. The results show that during the pyrolysis process, phenolic tends to break into low-boiling molecules with less than 4 carbon atoms and polymerizes into macromolecules with more than 1500 carbon atoms. The results of residual carbon rate and products distribution confirm that carbon skeleton of phenolic resin with high degree of crosslinking and branching is better preserved and has better thermostability. The reaction kinetics path of phenolic pyrolysis was reasonably summarized, revealing the generation mechanism of low-boiling molecules with less than 4 carbon atoms and large carbon clusters, which is in good agreement with the experimental results of activation energy and chemical bond energy. The reaction kinetics data obtained in this work provide a reliable basis for multi-scale reaction simulation.

Mixed-mode fracture model to quantify local toughness in nacre-like alumina

With the progress of ceramic engineering, tough technical ceramics such as nacre-like alumina now exhibit complex fracture patterns with high degrees of deflection, branching and bridging. If these mechanisms highly contribute to improving crack resistance, the crack geometries go beyond the hypotheses assumed in standard techniques to quantify toughness, making it difficult to understand the mechanisms responsible for crack propagation. We report a robust local solution based on a combination of analytical formulas and finite element analysis to accurately estimate the effective stress intensity factors at the tips of multiple deflected cracks. The influence of sample size on local R-curves is analysed and shown to be less important relative to standard methods. We use this method to evaluate the direct influence of zirconia nanoparticles in the nacre-like structure and highlight the role of these findings in the understanding of mechanical response and future optimisation of highly textured tough ceramics.

Arabinoxylan of varied structural features distinctively affects the functional and in vitro digestibility of wheat starch

This study explored the effects of wheat bran arabinoxylan (AX) of various molecular structures on the functional and in vitro digestibility of wheat starch. AX was separated with sequential ethanol precipitation into different fractions (L-Fra and H-Fra), followed by acidic treatment at varied time to convert L-Fra into different subfractions (H-Sub, M-Sub and L-Sub), and the structural features of AX and its subsequent fractions were compared. The Mw and branching degree of the fractions were decreased in the order of H-Fra (545 kDa, 1.15), L-Fra (86 kDa, 0.35), H-Sub (38 kDa, 0.16), M-Sub (21 kDa, 0.10) and L-Sub (7 kDa, 0.08). The functional properties, such as pasting properties, rheological properties, thermal properties, and their effect on the in vitro digestibility of wheat starch-AX combinations, were closely related to the molecular structures of AX. AX with higher Mw, higher branching degree and phenolic content could better inhibit the starch gelatinization and retrogradation, thus reducing the apparent viscosity and gelling properties of wheat starch. The possible mechanisms can be illustrated as 1) AX could compete for water with starch to inhibit granule expansion; 2) AX could not only adsorb on the surface of starch granules through hydrogen bonds but also entangle with the leached amylose and wrap on the surface of granules; 3) AX contained phenols, leading them to inhibit granule expansion through non-covalent interactions with starch molecules. Overall, this study provides a theoretical basis to improve the quality of wheat starch foods and extend the shelf life of wheat foods.

Deciphering the structural and functional characteristics of an innovative small cluster branched α–glucan produced by sequential enzymatic synthesis

Highly branched α–glucan (HBAG) proved to be a promising material as an osmotic agent in peritoneal dialysis solutions. However, high resistance of HBAG to amylolytic enzymes might be a potential drawback for peritoneal dialysis due to its high degree of branching (20–30 %). To address this issue, we designed a small–clustered α–glucan (SCAG) with a relatively low molecular weight (Mw) and limited branching. Structural characteristics revealed that SCAG was successfully synthesized by modifying waxy rice starch (WRS) using sequential maltogenic α–amylase (MA) and starch branching enzyme (BE). The Mw of SCAG was 1.40 × 105 Da, and its (α1 → 6) bonds ratio was 8.93 %, which was below that of HBAG. A relatively short branch distribution was observed in SCAG (CL = 6.27). Short–range orderliness of WRS was reduced from 0.749 to 0.322 with the MABE incubation. Additionally, SCAG had an extremely low viscosity (~12 cP) and nearly no retrogradation. Although the resistance of SCAG to amylolytic enzymes was enhanced by 15.22 % compared with native WRS, the extent was significantly lower than that of HBAG in previous studies. These new findings demonstrate the potential of SCAG as a novel functional α–glucan in food and pharmaceutical applications.

Implicit-Solvent Coarse-Grained Simulations of Linear-Dendritic Block Copolymer Micelles.

The design of nanoassemblies can be conveniently achieved by tuning the strength of the hydrophobic interactions of block copolymers in selective solvents. These block copolymer micelles form supramolecular aggregates, which have attracted great attention in the area of drug delivery and imaging in biomedicine due to their easy-to-tune properties and straightforward large-scale production. In the present work, we have investigated the micellization process of linear-dendritic block copolymers in order to elucidate the effect of branching on the micellar properties. We focus on block copolymers formed by linear hydrophobic blocks attached to either dendritic neutral or charged hydrophilic blocks. We have implemented a simple protocol for determining the equilibrium micellar size, which permits the study of linear-dendritic block copolymers in a wide range of block morphologies in an efficient and parallelizable manner. We have explored the impact of different topological and charge properties of the hydrophilic blocks on the equilibrium micellar properties and compared them to predictions from self-consistent field theory and scaling theory. We have found that, at higher degrees of branching in the corona and for short polymer chains, excluded volume interactions strongly influence the micellar aggregation as well as their effective charge.

Structural Engineering of Star Block Biodegradable Polymer Unimolecular Micelles for Drug Delivery in Cancer Cells.

The present investigation reports the structural engineering of biodegradable star block polycaprolactone (PCL) to tailor-make aggregated micelles and unimolecular micelles to study their effect on drug delivery aspects in cancer cell lines. Fully PCL-based star block copolymers were designed by varying the arm numbers from two to eight while keeping the arm length constant throughout. Multifunctional initiators were exploited for stepwise solvent-free melt ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone and γ-substituted caprolactone to construct star block copolymers having a PCL hydrophobic core and a carboxylic PCL hydrophilic shell, respectively. A higher arm number and a higher degree of branching in star polymers facilitated the formation of unimolecular micelles as opposed to the formation of conventional multimicellar aggregates in lower arm analogues. The dense core of the unimolecular micelles enabled them to load high amounts of the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX, ∼12-15%) compared to the aggregated micelles (∼3-4%). The star unimolecular micelle completely degraded leading to 90% release of the loaded drug upon treatment with the lysosomal esterase enzyme in vitro. The anticancer efficacies of these DOX-loaded unimolecular micelles were tested in a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), and their IC50 values were found to be much lower compared to those of aggregated micelles. Time-dependent cellular uptake studies by confocal microscopy revealed that unimolecular micelles were readily taken up by the cells, and enhancement of the drug concentration was observed at the intracellular level up to 36 h. The present work opens new synthetic strategies for building a next-generation biodegradable unimolecular micellar nanoplatform for drug delivery in cancer research.

Structural diversity and physicochemical properties of polysaccharides isolated from pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) by different methods

Natural polysaccharides were isolated and purified from Cucurbita moschata by hot water extraction and mild acid-base sequential extraction. Chemical and instrumental studies revealed that hot water-extracted and mild acid-extracted polysaccharides with molecular masses of 48 kDa and 85 kDa were both pectic polysaccharides with homogalacturonan (HG) and rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) domains, while mild acid-extracted polysaccharide was more dominated by branched RG-I with higher contents of galactose (10.59 %) and arabinose (8.08 %). Furthermore, mild acid-extracted polysaccharide exhibited better thickening and emulsifying properties, likely due to its larger molecular mass and higher branching degree. Mild base-extracted polysaccharide with a molecular mass of 18 kDa was a glucan-like polysaccharide. It showed the strongest thermostability and gel behavior among these pumpkin polysaccharides, likely attributed to its unique network structure stabilized by substantial intra/intermolecular hydrogen bonds. This study aimed to establish the structure–property relationships between these structurally diverse pumpkin polysaccharides from different extraction methods and provided theoretical foundations for their targeted application in foods.