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Bacterial polysaccharide levan as stabilizing, non-toxic and functional coating material for
Olesja M Bondarenko1, Angela Ivask1, Anne Kahru1
1Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia.
Carbohydrate Polymers
|November 18, 2015
Summary
Bacterial levan biopolymer coats nanoparticles, enhancing microelement delivery and gut health. This biocompatible coating reduces toxicity and supports beneficial gut bacteria, paving the way for novel food supplements.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Materials Science
- Microbiology
Background:
- Levan, a fructose biopolymer from bacteria, possesses prebiotic and immunostimulatory properties.
- Microelement nanoparticles (NPs) offer potential for nutritional supplements but face challenges in stability and toxicity.
- Pseudomonas syringae levansucrase is a source for synthesizing bacterial levan.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize levan synthesized by Pseudomonas syringae.
- To utilize levan as a coating material for selenium, iron, and cobalt nanoparticles.
- To evaluate the biocompatibility and functional properties of levan-coated nanoparticles.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and characterization of levan.
- Coating of microelement nanoparticles (selenium, iron, cobalt) with levan.
- Analysis of levan-NP interaction using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS).
- Assessment of cytotoxicity on human intestinal Caco-2 cells and bacterial accessibility for Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron.
Main Results:
- Levan effectively interacted with and stabilized selenium, iron, and cobalt nanoparticles.
- Levan coating reduced the toxicity of nanoparticles towards human intestinal cells (Caco-2).
- Levan attached to cobalt nanoparticles remained accessible as a substrate for Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a colon bacterium.
Conclusions:
- Levan is a versatile biocompatible coating for microelement nanoparticles.
- Levan-coated nanoparticles demonstrate reduced toxicity and potential for enhanced nutrient delivery.
- This approach offers a "2 in 1" strategy for food supplements, delivering microelements while supporting gut microbiota.
