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A pH-responsive carboxylic β-1,3-glucan polysaccharide for complexation with polymeric guests
Le Thi Ngoc Lien1, Tomohiro Shiraki, Arnab Dawn
1Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Nishi-ku, Moto-oka 744, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan.
Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry
|April 13, 2011
Summary
Carboxylic curdlan (CurCOOH), a modified polysaccharide, forms stable complexes with nanomaterials and polymers. This pH-responsive material shows potential for advanced applications like gene carriers and biosensors.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- β-1,3-glucan polysaccharides possess helix-forming properties valuable for nanomaterial and gene carrier development.
- Curdlan (Cur), a β-1,3-glucan polysaccharide, serves as a base for creating novel functionalized materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize carboxylic curdlan (CurCOOH) from curdlan via a one-step oxidation process.
- To characterize the structure and properties of the synthesized CurCOOH.
- To investigate the complexation behavior of CurCOOH with various macromolecules and nanomaterials.
Main Methods:
- One-step oxidation of curdlan using a 4-acetamido-TEMPO/NaClO/NaClO(2) system.
- Characterization of CurCOOH using optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) spectra.
- Complexation studies with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), polythiophenes (PT-1), and polycytidylic acid (poly(C)).
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized high-molecular-weight CurCOOH with 100% purity of the 6-COOH group.
- CurCOOH demonstrated water-solubility and single-strand behavior in aqueous media across various pH levels.
- CurCOOH formed stable, water-soluble complexes with SWNTs, outperforming polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid.
- pH-responsive complexation was observed with cationic polythiophenes and salt-concentration-dependent interaction with polycytidylic acid.
Conclusions:
- Carboxylic curdlan (CurCOOH) is a versatile polymeric host capable of forming stable macromolecular complexes.
- The unique properties of CurCOOH enable its application in developing advanced materials for gene delivery, biosensing, and chiral polymer assemblies.
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