Electron microscopic observations of waxy maize starch

Granular architecture of lotus seed starch and its impact on physicochemical properties

Lotus seed starch has high apparent amylose content (AAM). A representative definition of its granular architecture (e.g., lamellar structure) remained absent. This study defined the granular shape, crystalline and lamellar structures, and digestibility of twenty-two samples of lotus seed starch (LS) by comparing with those of potato and maize starches. LS granules had more elongated shape and longer repeat distance of lamellae than potato and maize starch granules. The enzymatic susceptibility of LS granules was more affected by AAM than granular architecture. Using these LSs as a model system, the relationships between lamellar structure of starch granules and properties of their gelatinized counterparts were investigated. In LSs, thinner amorphous lamella and thicker crystalline lamella were associated with higher swelling power and yield stress. The relationships were found to be connected via certain structural characteristics of amylopectin.

A model for the reproduction of amylopectin cluster by coordinated actions of starch branching enzyme isoforms

Amylopectin is a highly branched glucan which accounts for approximately 65-85% of starch in most plant tissues. It is crucially important to understand the biosynthetic process of this glucan in regulating the structure and functional properties of starch granules. Currently, the most accepted ideas of structural feature and biosynthesis of amylopectin are that amylopectin is composed of a branched element called "cluster" and that the essential process of amylopectin biosynthesis is to reproduce a new cluster from the existing cluster. The present paper proposes a model explaining the whole process of amylopectin biosynthesis as to how the new cluster is reproduced by concerted actions of multiple isoforms of starch biosynthetic enzymes, particularly by combinations of distinct roles of starch branching enzyme (BE) isoforms. This model proposes for the first time the molecular mechanism as to how the formation of a new cluster is initiated, and the reason why BEI can play a major role in this step. This is because BEI has a rather broad chain-length preference compared to BEIIb, because a low preference of BEI for the substrate chain-length is advantageous for branching a couple of elongated chains that are not synchronously formed and thus these chains having varied lengths could be safely attacked by this isoform. On the contrary, it is unlikely that BEIIb is involved in this reaction because it can react to only short chains having degree of polymerization of 12-14. BEIIa is possibly able to complement the role of BEI to some extent, because BEIIa can attack basically short chains but its chain-length preference is lower compared with BEIIb. The model implies that the first branches mainly formed by BEI to construct the amorphous lamellae whereas the second branches predominantly formed by BEIIb are located mainly in the crystalline lamellae. This paper provides new insights into the roles of BEI, BEIIb, and BEIIa in amylopectin biosynthesis in cereal endosperm.

A Comparative Investigation of the Surface Properties of Corn-Starch-Microfibrillated Cellulose Composite Films

Starch-based materials seem to be an excellent alternative for conventional plastics used in various applications. Microfibralted cellulose can be used to improve the surface properties of starch-based materials. This study aims to analyze the surface properties of starch-microfibrillated cellulose materials. The surface properties of films were evaluated by ATR-FTIR, surface roughness, water wettability, and surface free energy. The surface homogeneity between corn starch and microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) fibers was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Microscopic analyses of the film surfaces confirm good compatibility of starch and MFC. The addition of MFC increased the surface roughness and polarity of developed starch/MFC materials. The surface roughness parameter has increased from 1.44 ± 0.59 to 2.32 ± 1.13 for pure starch-based materials and starch/MFC material with the highest MFC content. The WCA contact angle has decreased from 70.3 ± 2.4 to 39.1 ± 1.0°, while the surface free energy is 46.2 ± 3.4 to 66.2 ± 1.5 mJ·m^-2, respectively. The findings of this study present that surface structure starch/MFC films exhibit homogeneity, which would be helpful in the application of MFC/starch materials for biodegradable packaging purposes.

Changes in fine structure of amylopectin and internal structures of starch granules in developing endosperms and culms caused by starch branching enzyme mutations of japonica rice

BEIIb plays a specific role in determining the structure of amylopectin in rice endosperm, whereas BEIIa plays the similar role in the culm where BEIIb is absent. Cereals have three types of starch branching enzymes (BEs), BEI, BEIIa, and BEIIb. It is widely known that BEIIb is specifically expressed in the endosperm and plays a distinct role in the structure of amylopectin because in its absence the amylopectin type changes to the amylose-extender-type (ae-type) or B-type from the wild-type or A-type and this causes the starch crystalline allomorph to the B-type from the wild-type A-type. This study aimed to clarify the role of BEIIa in the culm where BEIIb is not expressed, by using a be2a mutant in comparison with results with be2b and be1 mutants. The results showed that the amylopectin structure exhibited the B-type in the be2a culm compared with the A-type in the wild-type culm. The starch granules from the be2a culm also showed the B-type like allomorph when examined by X-ray diffraction analysis and optical sum frequency generation spectroscopy. Both amylopectin chain-length profile and starch crystalline properties were found to be the A-type at the very early stage of endosperm development at 4-6 days after pollination (DAP) even in the be2b mutant. All these results support a view that in the culm as well as in the endosperm at 4-6 DAP, BEIIa can play the role of BEIIb which has been well documented in maturing endosperm. The possible mechanism as to how BEIIa can play its role is discussed.

On the cluster structure of amylopectin

Two opposing models for the amylopectin structure are historically and comprehensively reviewed, which leads us to a better understanding of the specific fine structure of amylopectin. Amylopectin is a highly branched glucan which accounts for approximately 65-85 of starch in most plant tissues. However, its fine structure is still not fully understood due to the limitations of current methodologies. Since the 1940 s, many scientists have attempted to elucidate the distinct structure of amylopectin. One of the most accepted concepts is that amylopectin has a structural element known as "cluster", in which neighboring side chains with a degree of polymerization of ≥ 10 in the region of their non-branched segments form double helices. The double helical structures are arranged in inter- and intra-clusters and are the origin of the distinct physicochemical and crystalline properties of starch granules. Several models of the cluster structure have been proposed by starch scientists worldwide during the progress of analytical methods, whereas no direct evidence so far has been provided. Recently, Bertoft and colleagues proposed a new model designated as "the building block and backbone (BB) model". The BB model sharply contrasts with the cluster model in that the structural element for the BB model is the building block, and that long chains are separately synthesized and positioned from short chains constituting the building block. In the present paper, we conduct the historical review of the cluster concept detailing how and when the concept was established based on experimental results by many scientists. Then, differences between the two opposing concepts are explained and both models are critically discussed, particularly from the point of view of the biochemical regulation of amylopectin biosynthesis.

Starch structure and nutritional functionality - Past revelations and future prospects

Starch exists naturally as insoluble semi-crystalline granules assembled by amylose and amylopectin. Acknowledging the pioneers, we have reviewed the major accomplishments in the area of starch structure from the early 18th century and further established the relation of starch structure to nutritional functionality. Although a huge array of work is reported in the area, the review identified that some features of starch are still not fully understood and needs further elucidation. With the rise of diet-related diseases, it has never been more important to understand starch structure and use that knowledge to improve the nutritional value of the world's principal energy source.

Influence of the Presence of Choline Chloride on the Classical Mechanism of "Gelatinization" of Starch

The aim of this research is to contribute to a better understanding the destructuration of three native starches and a wheat flour in mixtures of water and choline chloride. Model systems have thus been defined to allow a better approach to hydrothermic transformations related to the interactions between choline chloride and starch. We have observed that choline chloride has an impact on the gelatinization of starch which corresponds to the stabilizing salts phenomenon. The depolymerization and dissolution of the starch have also been demonstrated and can there dominate the gelatinization. However, the results obtained in X-ray diffraction by heating cell have shown that the exotherm which appeared was not only related to the depolymerization of the starch, but that a stage of crystalline rearrangement of the starch coexisted with this phenomenon.

Contributions of Dexter French (1918-1981) to cycloamylose/cyclodextrin and starch science

Professor Dexter French (1918-1981) was an American chemist and biochemist at Iowa State College (University in 1959). He devoted his career to advance knowledge of polysaccharides and oligosaccharides, in particular starch, cyclodextrins, and enzymes. Cyclodextrins are oligosaccharides obtained from starch and are typically cage molecules with a hydrophobic cavity that can encapsulate other compounds nowadays the basis for many industrial applications. Since the 1960s, he has been recognized as an outstanding authority in the field of starches and cyclodextrins and has inspired researchers in laboratories around the world. This review, on the fortieth anniversary of his death, commemorates his remarkable contribution to starch and cyclodextrin chemistry. Firstly, we give an overview of his personal life and career. Secondly, we highlight some of the results on starch and cyclodextrins from Professor French and his group. A third part discusses his impact on the modern chemistry of cyclodextrins and starch.

Effects of BEIIb-Deficiency on the Cluster Structure of Amylopectin and the Internal Structure of Starch Granules in Endosperm and Culm of Japonica-Type Rice

It is known that one of starch branching enzyme (BE) isoforms, BEIIb, plays a specific role not only in the synthesis of distinct amylopectin cluster structure, but also in the formation of the internal structure of starch granules in rice endosperm because in its absence the starch crystalline polymorph changes to the B-type from the typical A-type found in the wild-type (WT) cereal endosperm starch granules. In the present study, to examine the contribution of BEIIb to the amylopectin cluster structure, the chain-length distributions of amylopectin and its phosphorylase-limit dextrins (Φ-LD) from endosperm and culm of a null be2b mutant called amylose-extender (ae) mutant line, EM10, were compared with those of its WT cultivar, Kinmaze, of japonica rice. The results strongly suggest that BEIIb specifically formed new short chains whose branch points were localized in the basal part of the crystalline lamellae and presumably in the intermediate between the crystalline and amorphous lamellae of amylopectin clusters in the WT endosperm, whereas in its absence branch points which were mainly formed by BEI were only located in the amorphous lamellae of amylopectin. These differences in the cluster structure of amylopectin between Kinmaze and EM10 endosperm were considered to be responsible for the differences in the A-type and B-type crystalline structures of starch granules between Kinmaze and EM10, respectively. The changes in internal structure of starch granules caused by BEIIb were analyzed by wide angle X-ray diffraction, small-angle X-ray scattering, solid state ¹³C NMR, and optical sum frequency generation spectroscopy. It was noted that the size the amylopectin cluster in ae endosperm (approximately 8.24 nm) was significantly smaller than that in WT endosperm (approximately 8.81 nm). Based on the present results, we proposed a model for the cluster structure of amylopectin in WT and ae mutant of rice endosperm. We also hypothesized the role of BEIIa in amylopectin biosynthesis in culm where BEIIb was not expressed and instead BEIIa was the major BE component in WT of rice.

Theoretical and experimental approaches to understand the biosynthesis of starch granules in a physiological context

Starch, a plant-derived insoluble carbohydrate composed of glucose polymers, is the principal carbohydrate in our diet and a valuable raw material for industry. The properties of starch depend on the arrangement of glucose units within the constituent polymers. However, key aspects of starch structure and the underlying biosynthetic processes are not well understood, limiting progress towards targeted improvement of our starch crops. In particular, the major component of starch, amylopectin, has a complex three-dimensional, branched architecture. This architecture stems from the combined actions of a multitude of enzymes, each having broad specificities that are difficult to capture experimentally. In this review, we reflect on experimental approaches and limitations to decipher the enzymes' specificities and explore possibilities for in silico simulations of these activities. We believe that the synergy between experimentation and simulation is needed for the correct interpretation of experimental data and holds the potential to greatly advance our understanding of the overall starch biosynthetic process. We furthermore propose that the formation of glucan secondary structures, concomitant with its synthesis, is a previously overlooked factor that directly affects amylopectin architecture through its impact on enzyme function.

Effects of BEIIb-Deficiency on the Cluster Structure of Amylopectin and the Internal Structure of Starch Granules in Endosperm and Culm of Japonica-Type Rice

It is known that one of starch branching enzyme (BE) isoforms, BEIIb, plays a specific role not only in the synthesis of distinct amylopectin cluster structure, but also in the formation of the internal structure of starch granules in rice endosperm because in its absence the starch crystalline polymorph changes to the B-type from the typical A-type found in the wild-type (WT) cereal endosperm starch granules. In the present study, to examine the contribution of BEIIb to the amylopectin cluster structure, the chain-length distributions of amylopectin and its phosphorylase-limit dextrins (Φ-LD) from endosperm and culm of a null be2b mutant called amylose-extender (ae) mutant line, EM10, were compared with those of its WT cultivar, Kinmaze, of japonica rice. The results strongly suggest that BEIIb specifically formed new short chains whose branch points were localized in the basal part of the crystalline lamellae and presumably in the intermediate between the crystalline and amorphous lamellae of amylopectin clusters in the WT endosperm, whereas in its absence branch points which were mainly formed by BEI were only located in the amorphous lamellae of amylopectin. These differences in the cluster structure of amylopectin between Kinmaze and EM10 endosperm were considered to be responsible for the differences in the A-type and B-type crystalline structures of starch granules between Kinmaze and EM10, respectively. The changes in internal structure of starch granules caused by BEIIb were analyzed by wide angle X-ray diffraction, small-angle X-ray scattering, solid state ¹³C NMR, and optical sum frequency generation spectroscopy. It was noted that the size the amylopectin cluster in ae endosperm (approximately 8.24 nm) was significantly smaller than that in WT endosperm (approximately 8.81 nm). Based on the present results, we proposed a model for the cluster structure of amylopectin in WT and ae mutant of rice endosperm. We also hypothesized the role of BEIIa in amylopectin biosynthesis in culm where BEIIb was not expressed and instead BEIIa was the major BE component in WT of rice.

Some physico-chemical and thermodynamic characteristics of maize starches hydrolyzed by glucoamylase

Glucoamylolysis of maize starch at 55 °C has been studied by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wide-angle X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (WAXD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It was found that hydrolysis is accompanied by changes in thermodynamic parameters of diluted aqueous dispersions of partially hydrolyzed starches. Such changes are ensured by two processes directly from hydrolysis and accompanying annealing. At relatively low degrees of hydrolysis (less than 30%), changes in thermodynamic parameters are mainly controlled by annealing. At the same time, at high degrees of hydrolysis (more than 40%), the main contribution to changes in thermodynamic parameters of partially hydrolyzed starch granules is due to the hydrolysis itself. It has been established that the main controlling parameter is the thickness of crystalline lamellae L_crl, which, when annealed, increases, but tends to decrease at deeper glucoamylolisis. It has been established that the thickness L_crl of crystalline lamellae, which increases with annealing, but shows a tendency to decrease with deeper glucoamylolysis is the most representative parameter of changes in maize starch after hydrolysis.

Function without Structures: The Need for In-Depth Analysis of Dietary Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates make up the largest component of plant-based foods and have long been known to provide fuel. However, many carbohydrates possess intrinsic biological activities that are dictated by their structures. Carbohydrates are the most abundant biopolymers in nature and are also the most structurally complicated and diverse. Consequently, the structural analysis of carbohydrates remains severely limited. To further understand their biological activities, we need new analytical tools to analyze the different classes of carbohydrates that range in size from monosaccharides to polysaccharides. These tools must be capable of rapid throughput with highly sensitive quantitation for use in clinical studies that probe their fate in human and animal fluids and tissues.

Mechanisms of starch digestion by α-amylase-Structural basis for kinetic properties

Recent studies of the mechanisms determining the rate and extent of starch digestion by α-amylase are reviewed in the light of current widely-used classifications for (a) the proportions of rapidly-digestible (RDS), slowly-digestible (SDS), and resistant starch (RS) based on in vitro digestibility, and (b) the types of resistant starch (RS 1,2,3,4…) based on physical and/or chemical form. Based on methodological advances and new mechanistic insights, it is proposed that both classification systems should be modified. Kinetic analysis of digestion profiles provides a robust set of parameters that should replace the classification of starch as a combination of RDS, SDS, and RS from a single enzyme digestion experiment. This should involve determination of the minimum number of kinetic processes needed to describe the full digestion profile, together with the proportion of starch involved in each process, and the kinetic properties of each process. The current classification of resistant starch types as RS1,2,3,4 should be replaced by one which recognizes the essential kinetic nature of RS (enzyme digestion rate vs. small intestinal passage rate), and that there are two fundamental origins for resistance based on (i) rate-determining access/binding of enzyme to substrate and (ii) rate-determining conversion of substrate to product once bound.

Starch structure in developing barley endosperm

Barley spikes of the cultivars/breeding lines Gustav, Karmosé and SLU 7 were harvested at 9, 12 and 24 days after flowering in order to study starch structure in developing barley endosperm. Kernel dry weight, starch content and amylose content increased during development. Structural analysis was performed on whole starch and included the chain-length distribution of the whole starches and their β-limit dextrins. Karmosé, possessing the amo1 mutation, had higher amylose content and a lower proportion of long chains (DP ≥38) in the amylopectin component than SLU 7 and Gustav. Structural differences during endosperm development were seen as a decrease in molar proportion of chains of DP 22-37 in whole starch. In β-limit dextrins, the proportion of Bfp-chains (DP 4-7) increased and the proportion of BSmajor-chains (DP 15-27) decreased during development, suggesting more frequent activity of starch branching enzymes at later stages of maturation, resulting in amylopectin with denser structure.

Starch metabolism in Arabidopsis

Starch is the major non-structural carbohydrate in plants. It serves as an important store of carbon that fuels plant metabolism and growth when they are unable to photosynthesise. This storage can be in leaves and other green tissues, where it is degraded during the night, or in heterotrophic tissues such as roots, seeds and tubers, where it is stored over longer time periods. Arabidopsis accumulates starch in many of its tissues, but mostly in its leaves during the day. It has proven to be a powerful genetic system for discovering how starch is synthesised and degraded, and new proteins and processes have been discovered. Such work has major significance for our starch crops, whose yield and quality could be improved by the application of this knowledge. Research into Arabidopsis starch metabolism has begun to reveal how its daily turnover is integrated into the rest of metabolism and adapted to the environmental conditions. Furthermore, Arabidopsis mutant lines deficient in starch metabolism have been employed as tools to study other biological processes ranging from sugar sensing to gravitropism and flowering time control. This review gives a detailed account of the use of Arabidopsis to study starch metabolism. It describes the major discoveries made and presents an overview of our understanding today, together with some as-yet unresolved questions.

A Method for Estimating the Nature and Relative Proportions of Amorphous, Single, and Double-Helical Components in Starch Granules by 13C CP/MAS NMR

An improved method to analyze the (13)C NMR spectra of native starches, which considers the contribution of the V-type conformation and the nature of the amorphous component, has been developed. Starch spectra are separated into amorphous and ordered subspectra, using intensity at 84 ppm as a reference point. The ordered subspectra of high amylose starches show the presence of both V-type single helices and B-type double helices. Relative proportions of amorphous, single, and double-helical conformations are estimated by apportioning intensity of C1 peak areas between conformational types on the basis of ordered and amorphous subspectra of the native starch. Quantitative analysis shows that the V-type single-helical component increases with amylose content of starches. Different amorphous subspectra are needed to provide a consistent analysis of granular starches from diverse sources. The method of preparation was found to be more important than the starch botanical origin in determining (13)C NMR spectral features of amorphous samples.

Nanostructural analysis of starch components by atomic force microscopy

Morphological and structural features of starch from potato (Solanum tuberosa) and rice (Oryza sativa) have been examined using atomic force microscopy. Amylose from potato and rice was observed in aggregated structures, which are suggested to be a result of retrogradation during sample preparation. The degrees of polymerization of amylose from potato and rice starches were calculated from the mean contour lengths of the observed structures to be approximately 1440 and 1860, respectively. Potato amylopectin appeared as a highly branched and extended molecule. Our results show that atomic force microscopy provides a useful method for examining the fine structural features and estimating the dimensions of starch molecules.

Ultrastructure of individual and compound starch granules in isolation preparation from a high-quality, low-amylose rice, ilpumbyeo, and its mutant, G2, a high-dietary fiber, high-amylose rice

The ultrastructures of isolated starch granules from Ilpumbyeo (IP), a low-amylose japonica rice, and its mutant, Goami2 (G2), a high-amylose rice, which have extreme contrasts in physicochemical properties, cooking qualities (Kang, H. J.; Hwang, I. K.; Kim, K. S.; Choi, H. C. Comparative structure and physicochemical properties of Ilpumbyeo, a high-quality japonica rice, and its mutant, Suweon 464. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2003, 51, 6598-6603. Kim, K. S.; Kang, H. J.; Hwang, I. K.; Hwang, H. G.; Kim, T. Y.; Choi, H. C. Comparative ultrastructure of Ilpumbyeo, a high-quality japonica rice, and its mutant, Suweon 464: Scanning and transmission electron microscopy studies. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2004, 52, 3876-3883), and susceptibility to amylolytic enzymes (Kim, K. S.; Kang, H. J.; Hwang, I. K.; Hwang, H. G.; Kim, T. Y.; Choi, H. C. Fibrillar microfilaments associated with a high-amylose rice, Goami2, a mutant of Ilpumbyeo, a high-quality japonica rice. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2005, 53, 2600-2608), were compared. In isolated preparation, IP consisted entirely of well-separated individual starch granules (ISG), whereas G2 consisted of two populations, the large voluminous bodies and the smaller forms, the ISGs. High-voltage electron microscopy revealed that each of the voluminous bodies consisted of tightly packed smaller subunits, the ISGs, indicating that they represent the compound starch granules (CSGs) of G2. This suggests that the structural as well as functional unit of G2 involved in food processing is, unlike IP and other ordinary rices, not ISG but is primarily CSG. ISGs located at the periphery of CSGs were fused to each other with adjacent ones forming a thick band or wall encircling the entire circumference. The periphery of ISGs separated from CSGs of G2 consisted of thin radially oriented filaments arranged side by side along the entire granule surface, whereas no such filaments occurred in ISG of IP. It appears that the thick band and the peripheral filaments surrounding CSGs and ISGs, respectively, function as a structural barrier that limits the entrance of water into the granules and subsequent absorption, causing the low swelling power, incomplete gelatinization, and finally poor quality of cooked rice in G2.

Structure of lintnerized starch is related to X-ray diffraction pattern and susceptibility to acid and enzyme hydrolysis of starch granules

Acid-resistant residues (lintnerized starches, Ls) were prepared from starches showing A-, B- and C- X-ray diffraction patterns. Ls retained the same X-ray crystalline type as their native counterparts with an improvement in diffraction intensity. Fluorophore-assisted capillary electrophoresis (FACE) study indicated that structural characteristics of Ls were associated with X-ray diffraction patterns. Double helices originated from linear chains with an approximate average degree of polymerisation (DP) 14, 16, and 15 would span the entire length of crystalline lamellae of A-, B-, and C-type starches, respectively. The proportion of singly branched materials (SB) with DP 25 protected in Ls was higher for A-type Ls (10-17%) than for B-type Ls (4-6%) and C-type Ls (8%). The structures of SB were similar in which branched chain (DP 13-15) was longer than main chain (DP 10-12). The structural characteristics of Ls are discussed in relation to acid and enzymatic degradations of starch granules.

Amylose synthesized in vitro by amylosucrase: morphology, structure, and properties

The recombinant amylosucrase from Neisseria polysaccharea was used to synthesize in vitro amylose from sucrose as unique substrate. The morphology and structure of the insoluble residue were shown to depend only on the initial sucrose concentration (100, 300, or 600 mM), which controlled both the chain length and concentration at the precipitation stage. The average degree of polymerization (DP) in the precipitated product varied from 58 for the lowest initial sucrose concentration (100 mM) to 45 and 35 for higher sucrose concentrations (300 and 600 mM, respectively). The shorter chains (DP 35 and 45), produced in high yields (54 and 24 g/L respectively), precipitated as polycrystalline aggregates with exceptional crystallinity, without optimization of the reaction medium for crystallization. The longer chains (DP 58), produced in lower amount (2.9 g/L), formed networks similar to those observed for amylose gels. All synthesized products displayed a B-type crystal structure. Their melting behavior was also studied, the thermostability being higher for the precipitate containing the longer chains. Further thermal treatments were shown to still improve the crystallinity and yield substrates usable as new standards for the determination of the relative crystallinity of starchy products. The kinetics of chain elongation and aggregation were thoroughly investigated in order to explain how the action of amylosucrase resulted in such different amylose structures. These results emphasize the potentiality of amylosucrase in the design of amylodextrins with controlled morphology, structure, and physicochemical properties.

Mechanistic Information from Analysis of Molecular Weight Distributions of Starch

A methodology is developed for interpreting the molecular weight distributions of debranched amylopectin, based on techniques developed for quantitatively and qualitatively finding mechanistic information from the molecular weight distributions of synthetic polymers. If the only events occurring are random chain growth and stoppage (i.e., the rates are independent of degree of polymerization over the range in question), then the number of chains of degree of polymerization N, P(N), is linear in ln P(N) with a negative slope, where the slope gives the ratio of the stoppage and growth rates. This starting point suggests that mechanistic inferences can be made from a plot of lnP against N. Application to capillary electrophoresis data for the P(N) of debranched starch from across the major taxa, from bacteria (Escherichia coli), green algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii), mammals (Bos), and flowering plants (Oryza sativa, rice; Zea mays, maize; Triticum aestivum, wheat; Hordeum vulgare, barley; and Solanum tuberosum, potato), gives insights into the biosynthetic pathways, showing the differences and similarities of the alpha-1,4-glucans produced by the various species. Four characteristic regions for storage starch from the higher plants are revealed: (1) an initial increasing region corresponding to the formation of new branches, (2) a linear ln P region with negative slope, indicating random growth and stoppage, (3) a region corresponding to the formation of the crystalline lamellae and subsequent elongation of chains, and (4) a second linear ln P with negative slope region. Each region can be assigned to specific enzymatic processes in starch synthesis, including determining the ranges of degrees of polymerization which are subject to random and nonrandom processes.

Potato starch granule nanostructure studied by high resolution non-contact AFM

Surface studies at ambient conditions of potato starch granules subjected to multiple freezing and thawing, performed by a high resolution non-contact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM), revealed some details of the starch granule nanostructure. After the treatment, a significant separation and a chain-like organisation of the granule surface elements have been observed. An accurate analysis of the granule surface nanostructure with a single amylopectine cluster resolution could be carried out. The oblong nodules of approximately 20-50 nm in diameter have been observed at the surface of the potato starch granules. The same size particles were precipitated by ethanol from gelatinized potato starch suspensions. They were also detected at the surface of oat and wheat starch granules. After multiple freezing and thawing, the eroded potato granule surface revealed a lamellar structure of its interior. The 30-40 nm inter-lamellar distances were estimated by means of nc-AFM. These findings fit previously proposed dimensions of the structural elements in the crystalline region of the starch granule. The observed surface sub-particles might correspond to the single amylopectine side chain clusters bundled into larger blocklets packed in the lamellae within the starch granule. The results supported the blocklet model of the starch granule structure.