Revealing the Control Mechanisms of pH on the Solution Properties of Chitin via Single-Molecule Studies.
Molecules
; 28(19)2023 Sep 22.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37836611
ABSTRACT
Chitin is one of the most common polysaccharides and is abundant in the cell walls of fungi and the shells of insects and aquatic organisms as a skeleton. The mechanism of how chitin responds to pH is essential to the precise control of brewing and the design of smart chitin materials. However, this molecular mechanism remains a mystery. Results from single-molecule studies, including single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS), AFM imaging, and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations, have shown that the mechanical and conformational behaviors of chitin molecules show surprising pH responsiveness. This can be compared with how, in natural aqueous solutions, chitin tends to form a more relaxed spreading conformation and show considerable elasticity under low stretching forces in acidic conditions. However, its molecular chain collapses into a rigid globule in alkaline solutions. The results show that the chain state of chitin can be regulated by the proportions of inter- and intramolecular H-bonds, which are determined via the number of water bridges on the chain under different pH values. This basic study may be helpful for understanding the cellular activities of fungi under pH stress and the design of chitin-based drug carriers.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Polisacáridos
/
Quitina
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Molecules
Asunto de la revista:
BIOLOGIA
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
China