Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Automated Modular High Throughput Exopolysaccharide Screening Platform Coupled with Highly Sensitive Carbohydrate Fingerprint Analysis
Published on: April 11, 2016
Mechanistic approach by which polysaccharides inhibit α-amylase/procyanidin aggregation
Susana I Soares1, Rui M Gonçalves, Iva Fernandes
1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Chemistry Investigation Centre, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
Abstract:
The present work studies the inhibition of aggregation of α-amylase and procyanidin fractions by different polysaccharides (arabic gum, β-cyclodextrin, and pectins). Several analytical approaches, namely, fluorescence quenching, nephelometry, and dynamic light scattering (DLS), were used. In general, nephelometry showed that the presence of the polysaccharides in solution reduced the formation of insoluble aggregates. The fluorescence quenching measurements showed two effects: arabic gum and β-cyclodextrin reduce the quenching effect of procyanidin fractions on α-amylase fluorescence, whereas pectins do not affect the quenching of α-amylase fluorescence by procyanidin fractions. DLS measurements have revealed that the polysaccharides studied induce a decrease in aggregates size, which probably is due to the formation of smaller aggregates resulting from the disruption and reorganization of the procyanidin fractions/α-amylase aggregates. Overall, the results obtained for arabic gum and β-cyclodextrin strongly suggest that the main mechanism by which these two compounds inhibit protein/polyphenol aggregation is by molecular association between these polysaccharides and polyphenols, competing with protein aggregation. In the case of pectins, the results obtained provide evidence that the main mechanism by which they reduce protein/polyphenol aggregation is by forming a protein/polyphenol/polysaccharide complex, enhancing its solubility in aqueous medium.
More Related Videos
07:20Activation and Conjugation of Soluble Polysaccharides using 1-Cyano-4-Dimethylaminopyridine Tetrafluoroborate (CDAP)
Published on: June 14, 2021
06:13Determination of Glucan Chain Length Distribution of Glycogen Using the Fluorophore-Assisted Carbohydrate Electrophoresis (FACE) Method
Published on: March 31, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors
Acarbose and miglitol are typically...
Chemistry of Carbohydrates
Biosynthesis of Polysaccharides
Oligosaccharide Assembly
Multiple sugar molecules that may or may...
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction in which the addition of water breaks down a polymer into its simpler monomer units. For example, peptides break into amino acids, carbohydrates into simple sugars, and DNA into nucleotides. Enzymes often facilitate these processes.
Hydrolysis Reverses Dehydration Synthesis
Complex carbohydrates can be broken down by breaking the bonds between individual sugar units. The reaction breaks a glycosidic bond as water is added to the compound. The...
Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis