Issue 6, 2011

Cross-linking of a charged polysaccharide using polyions as electrostatic staples

Abstract

Charged polysaccharides play an essential role in biology and also serve as a promising class of biomaterials. We demonstrate, at the single molecule level, a simple method to cross-link anionic polysaccharides using polyions as electrostatic staples; positive charges on the polyion bridge opposite charges on the polysaccharide and trap its conformation. Cross-linking is detected by measuring step-like conformational transitions when the polysaccharides are stretched using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The probability of cross-linking can be tuned by either titrating or screening the polysaccharide charges; this probability is measured from the width of transitions in the AFM force–extension curves. Polyion mediated cross-linking can be used to reversibly fold polysaccharides and engineer carbohydrates as a stimuli-responsive material that responds to changes in pH and ionic environment.

Graphical abstract: Cross-linking of a charged polysaccharide using polyions as electrostatic staples

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
12 Nov 2010
Accepted
06 Jan 2011
First published
31 Jan 2011

Soft Matter, 2011,7, 2348-2351

Cross-linking of a charged polysaccharide using polyions as electrostatic staples

S. Rakshit and S. Sivasankar, Soft Matter, 2011, 7, 2348 DOI: 10.1039/C0SM01309A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements