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Published on: March 24, 2016
Extensive Analysis of Mulberry (Morus rubra L.) Polysaccharides with Different Maturities by Using Two-Step
Kai Zhu1, Jinghua Wu1,2, Ankai Hu1
1College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Integrated Research Base of Southern Fruit and Vegetable Preservation Technology, Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Health Food Manufacturing and Quality Control, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Abstract:
A primary challenge of polysaccharide analysis is the need for comprehensive extraction and characterization methods. In this study, mulberry polysaccharides at different maturities were fully extracted through a two-step process involving ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and their structures were determined by a combination analysis of monosaccharides and glycosidic linkages based on liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/QqQ-MS). The results indicate mulberry polysaccharides mainly contain highly branched pectic polysaccharides, (1,3,6)-linked glucan, xylan, and xyloglucan, but the content of different portions varies at different maturity stages. HG decreases from 19.12 and 19.14% (green mulberry) to 9.80 and 6.08% (red mulberry) but increases to 17.83 and 11.83% as mulberry transitioned from red to black. In contrast, the contents of glucan showed opposite trends. When mulberry turns red to black, the RG-I arabinan chains decrease from 47.75 and 28.86% to 13.16 and 12.72%, while the galactan side chains increase from 1.18 and 1.91 to 8.3 and 6.49%, xylan and xyloglucan show an increase in content. Overall, the two-step extraction combined with LC/QqQ-MS provides a new strategy for extensive analysis of complex plant polysaccharides.

