Characterisation of Chilean hazelnut (Gevuina avellana) tissues: light microscopy and cell wall polysaccharides

By applying several differential staining techniques and light microscopy, the structure and composition of Chilean hazelnut (Gevuina avellana) seeds were analysed. The structure of the G avellana seed is very simple, with a thin, heavily lignified seed coat and two voluminous cotyledons. The embryo food reserves are uniformly distributed over the cotyledon cells. The cell wall polysaccharides were recovered from the alcohol‐insoluble residue by mild treatment with warm chlorite solution and sequential extraction with alkali solutions of increasing concentration. FT‐IR spectra in the 1200–850 cm^?1 region were used together with chemometric techniques to distinguish the hemicellulosic and pectic polysaccharides in the extracts. The most abundant extracts were fractionated by graded precipitation in ethanol. A xyloglucan was identified by ¹H and ¹³C NMR as the major hemicellulosic polysaccharide, with a sugar composition of 4Glc:3.5Xyl:1Gal:0.5Fuc. The hazelnut cell walls are composed of equivalent amounts of pectic polysaccharides, xyloglucans and cellulose. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Enzymatic changes in pectic polysaccharides related to the beneficial effect of soaking on bean cooking time

BACKGROUND: Cooking time decreases when beans are soaked first. However, the molecular basis of this decrease remains unclear. To determine the mechanisms involved, changes in both pectic polysaccharides and cell wall enzymes were monitored during soaking. Two cultivars and one breeding line were studied. RESULTS: Soaking increased the activity of the cell wall enzymes rhamnogalacturonase, galactanase and polygalacturonase. Their activity in the cell wall was detected as changes in chemical composition of pectic polysaccharides. Rhamnose content decreased but galactose and uronic acid contents increased in the polysaccharides of soaked beans. A decrease in the average molecular weight of the pectin fraction was induced during soaking. The decrease in rhamnose and the polygalacturonase activity were associated (r = 0.933, P = 0.01, and r = 0.725, P = 0.01, respectively) with shorter cooking time after soaking. CONCLUSION: Pectic cell wall enzymes are responsible for the changes in rhamnogalacturonan I and polygalacturonan induced during soaking and constitute the biochemical factors that give bean cell walls new polysaccharide arrangements. Rhamnogalacturonan I is dispersed throughout the entire cell wall and interacts with cellulose and hemicellulose fibres, resulting in a higher rate of pectic polysaccharide thermosolubility and, therefore, a shorter cooking time. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Characterisation of Rosa Mosqueta seeds: cell wall polysaccharide composition and light microscopy observations

The utilisation of enzymes for the extraction of vegetable oils from seeds has been a topic of growing interest in recent years. Knowledge of the cell wall polysaccharide composition is important to select the enzyme(s) necessary for the most effective degradation of the cell walls. The purpose of the present work is to characterise the seeds of Rosa Mosqueta (Rosa aff rubiginosa) by light microscopy (where several differential staining methods were applied to analyse the seed structure) and by the isolation of cell wall polysaccharide extracts. The mature seed of Rosa Mosqueta has a very thick and structurally complex seed coat comprising heavily lignified tissue. The embryo has two cell layers of remaining endosperm tissue (indicating that this is an exalbuminous seed), two voluminous cotyledons that contain the oil, and bundles of provascular tissues distributed perpendicularly to the transverse axis of the embryo. The major non‐cellulosic polysaccharides from the non‐lignified tissues are glucuronoxylans and pectic polysaccharides; glucans are also present in small amounts. The major non‐cellulosic polysaccharides from the lignified tissues are glucuronoxylans. Concerning the use of enzymes for oil extraction, microscopy and cell wall polysaccharide analysis showed that the use of pectic enzymes followed by a xylanase or a cellulase should be explored. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Naturally fermented black olives: Effect on cell wall polysaccharides and on enzyme activities of Taggiasca and Conservolea varieties

Black olives of Taggiasca (Ta) and Conservolea (Co) varieties were processed according to the Greek style method in order to investigate the effect of this type of table olive processing on cell wall composition. Naturally black processing involves the storage in brine of fully ripe olives for several months, allowing a spontaneous fermentation by a mixed flora followed by fermentation by the lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. The smaller fruits of Ta variety are richer in pectic polysaccharides, accounting for half of total cell wall polysaccharides (12 mg/fruit), whereas in Co they accounted for one third (23 mg/fruit). Fresh Co olives had higher proportion of glucuronoxylans and xyloglucans (33%), whereas these polysaccharides accounted for 22% in Ta. The processing did not cause significant variations in the cell wall polysaccharide composition of Ta fruits, although pectic polysaccharides became more soluble in aqueous solutions. Conversely, processed Co olives had slightly higher amounts of galacturonan-rich pectic polysaccharides than the unprocessed fruits, suggesting that the long stage in brine might have contributed to the stabilisation and/or the biosynthesis of new polysaccharides. The changes caused by processing on cell wall polysaccharides appear to be closely related to the activity and availability of cell wall degrading enzymes.     

Large-scale extraction of rhamnogalacturonan I from industrial potato waste

Potato pulp is rich in dietary fibres and is an underutilised material produced in large quantities by the potato starch factories. Potato fibres are especially rich in rhamnogalacturonan I (RG I). RG I is a pectic polysaccharide with a high degree of branching and until now undegraded RG I has only been extracted in small amounts limiting the application possibilities for RG I. The present paper describes a large-scale extraction process providing large quantities of undegraded RG I readily available. The extraction process includes enzymatic starch removal using purified Termamyl, enzymatic RG I solubilisation using a highly purified polygalacturonase, and finally purification using depth filtration and ultrafiltration. The extracted RG I has a high molecular weight and a monosaccharide composition comparable to RG I extracted by analytical extraction procedures. The large amount of RG I available by the presented method allows for thorough structure-function analyses and tailoring of RG I to specific functionalities.     

Yield and composition of cell wall residues isolated from various feedstuffs used for non-ruminant farm animals

The contents of cell wall residue were measured in 14 common feedstuffs used for non-ruminant farm animals by utilising a technique involving pronase and α-amylase treatments. Comparison with the contents of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) revealed that the NDF procedure underestimated cell wall contents in the dicotyledonous plant materials. The losses of cell wall material due to the neutral detergent solution were correlated (r=0.931, P<0.01) with the amount of pectic substances present in the cell wall residues of the dicotyledonous plant materials. Cell wall residues were analysed for starch, crude protein, polysaccharides, condensed tannins, sulphuric acid lignin, acetyl bromide lignin, and ash. Condensed tannins in the cell wall residues of sorghum, rapeseed meal and field bean resulted in a large protein contamination (11.3–26.6%) of these residues and to an overestimation of their lignin content. Compositions of polysaccharides are discussed from chemical and nutritonal viewpoints.     

山芹菜多糖的分离纯化、结构分析及抗氧化活性比较

对山芹菜粗多糖（WOSP）进行提取,分离纯化得到酸性多糖（WOSP-A）和中性多糖（WOSP-N）,并对不同多糖组分的基本化学性质、糖链基本结构组成及体外抗氧化活性进行分析。结果表明,水提醇沉法提取山芹菜多糖得率为6.78%,离子交换层析法分离WOSP-A和WOSP-N得率分别为51.34%和2.55%。单糖组成分析表明,WOSP是GalA（11.36%）、Gal（41.50%）和Ara（38.08%）为主组成的杂多糖,结合红外光谱及酶水解结果推测WOSP-A是由GalA（46.99%）、Gal（26.56%）和Ara（19.94%）为主的同聚半乳糖醛酸（Homogalacturonan,HG）和I型阿拉伯半乳聚糖（Type IArabic galactans,AG-I）果胶结构域构成,WOSP-N是由Gal（55.32%）和Ara（30.69%）为主的II型阿拉伯半乳聚糖（Type IIArabic galactans AG-II）果胶结构域构成。比较山芹菜三种多糖的抗氧化活性,WOSP的抗氧化活性强于WOSP-A和WOSP-N,WOSP对DPPH·清除能力和对O2-·清除能力较好,当多糖浓度为10 mg/mL时,分别达到96.42%和86.70%。综上所述,山芹菜中分离纯化得到的WOSP、WOSP-A和WOSP-N均含有的O-H和C-H官能团,且具有一定的体外抗氧化活性。该研究将为东北地区的山野菜开发利用提供理论参考依据。     

菜籽多糖APS-2的理化性质及结构研究

APS-2为白色絮状的非淀粉多糖,中性糖、糖醛酸、蛋白质含量分别为66.8%、9.3%、8.4%。APS-2中蛋白质部分由13种氨基酸组成。FT-IR、GC初步分析APS-2的官能团特征及单糖组成,确定APS-2单糖主要由阿拉伯糖(Ara)、半乳糖(Gal)、葡萄糖(Glc)、甘露糖(Man)、鼠李糖(Rha)组成,其摩尔百分含量分别为55.0%、26.1%、11.3%、5.7%、1.9%。     

Chemical composition and anti-inflammatory activity of pectic polysaccharide isolated from celery stalks

A pectic polysaccharide called apiuman was isolated from fresh celery stalks by extraction with an aqueous ammonium oxalate followed by ultrafiltration, and was shown to consist of d-galacturonic acid (GalA, 81.0%), l-rhamnose (Rha, 2.6%), l-arabinose (Ara, 2.5%), and d-galactose (Gal, 3.6%) residues. Apiuman was found to be digestible with α-1,4-d-galacturonase to yield d-GalA, thus confirming that apiuman represents a pectic polysaccharide. The purified apiuman (AG) obtained was subjected to ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose to produce two polysaccharide fractions, AG-1 and AG-2, which had similar sugar compositions. Partial acid hydrolysis of apiuman, AG, revealed galacturonan to be at the core of the macromolecule. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra indicated that the backbone of apiuman appeared to represent α-1,4-d-galacturonan, with considerable amounts of l-Rha residues involved by α-1,2-linkages in the linear chain of the macromolecule core. The side chains were found to consist of Ara and Gal attached at the 4-position of the Rha residues.     

Gamma-Radiation Affects Cell Wall Composition of Strawberries

Tissue softening limits the use of gamma irradiation for controlling postharvest microbial development on some produce. The carbohydrate composition of the cell wall of the strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch. cv. Chandler) fruit and of cell wall fractions was compared in untreated controls and in fruit irradiated at 4 kGy, a dose causing tissue softening. Cell wall polysaccharides were partially degraded, particularly cellulose and pectic substances. However, neutral sugars from the pectic and hemicellulose fractions were not affected by irradiation, in contrast with cell wall degradation during ripening.     

牛蒡不同部位多糖的抗氧化与抗凝血活性研究

以牛蒡根、茎、叶三个部位提取的多糖作为研究对象,通过PMP柱前衍生化法及苯酚硫酸法确定样品的单糖组成和总糖含量,并针对其抗氧化活性和抗凝血活性进行了进一步比较研究。牛蒡根、茎、叶三个部位的多糖中均含有不同含量的甘露糖(Man)、葡萄糖氨(GlcN)、鼠李糖(Rha)、葡萄糖醛酸(GlcA)、葡萄糖(Glc)、半乳糖(Gal)和阿拉伯糖(Ara),其中牛蒡根中Glc含量最高,其次为GlcA和Gal;牛蒡茎中主要有Gal、Glc和Ara组成;而牛蒡叶中也是主要以Glc为主,Gal和Ara次之。抗氧化活性实验中,在0~1.0 mg/mL浓度区间内,以抗坏血酸为标准品,对超氧阴离子自由基(·O₂-)清除能力以牛蒡茎多糖最强、牛蒡叶多糖次之、牛蒡根多糖最弱,对羟基自由基(·OH)清除能力以牛蒡茎多糖最强、牛蒡叶多糖次之、牛蒡根多糖最弱,DPPH自由基清除能力及还原能力以牛蒡叶多糖最强、牛蒡茎多糖次之、牛蒡根多糖最弱。抗凝血活性实验中,在0~0.3 mg/mL浓度区间内,活化部分凝血时间和凝血酶时间均以牛蒡叶多糖最长、牛蒡根多糖次之、牛蒡茎多糖最短,牛蒡根多糖有延长凝血酶原时间作用,牛蒡叶和茎无明显延长凝血酶原时间作用,通过对比发现三者抗凝血活性相差无几,并没有表现出良好的抗凝血活性。     

Cell Wall Characteristics of Gamma-Radiated Refrigerated Cucumber Pickles

The effect of gamma radiation (0, 0.5, and 1.0 kGy) on firmness and changes in cell wall polysaccharides of mesocarp tissue from refrigerated cucumber pickles was examined. Softening of mesocarp tissue of pickles exposed to 1.0 kGy was a response associated with altered solubility characteristics of pectic substances. Ionizing radiation reduced nonsoluble and alkali soluble pectic substances, while levels of water and chelator soluble pectic substances were increased. Radiation reduced the degree of esterification of pectic substances and increased the amount of bound calcium. Except for a small reduction in galactose caused by 1.0 kGy, levels of other neutral sugars in the cell wall were not significantly affected by any of the treatments.     

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from mulberry leaves

Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of polysaccharides from mulberry leaves was studied. The effects of four factors on the yield of polysaccharides were investigated. The results showed that optimum conditions were extraction power of 60 W, extraction temperature of 60 °C, extraction time of 20 min and ratio of water to raw material of 15:1 (ml/g). The three different methods (UAE, MAE and CSE) were compared for extracting polysaccharides from the mulberry leaves by SEM images. Totally, UAE had the largest yield of polysaccharides. The crude polysaccharides obtained from UAE were purified and two components (MPS-1 and MPS-2) were obtained. Their structure was analysed with chemical methods. From FT-IR, they were polysaccharides. MPS-1 had more functional groups than MPS-2. From HP GPC analysis, molecular weights of MPS-1 and MPS-2 were 24898D and 61131D, respectively. From GC analysis, MPS-1 was composed of Sor, Ara, Xyl and Glc, and MPS-2 was composed of Rha, Ara, Xyl, Glc, Gal and Man.     

An explorative study on the cell wall polysaccharides in the pulp and peel of dragon fruits (Hylocereus spp.)

The pectic and hemicellulosic cell wall polysaccharides from the pulp and the peel of white-flesh and red-flesh dragon fruits (Hylocereus spp.) were isolated and compared in terms of degree of methoxylation (DM), solubility properties (relative content of uronic acids and neutral sugars in different fractions), neutral sugar composition, molar mass distribution, and affinity toward some specific anti-pectin antibodies. Hereto, the alcohol-insoluble residues were extracted and sequentially fractionated using hot water, a chelating agent, sodium carbonate, and potassium hydroxide solutions to obtain different pectin fractions and a hemicellulose fraction. Chemical analyses were used to characterize these polysaccharide fractions. The results show that cell wall polysaccharides of the pulp and especially of the peel from white-flesh and red-flesh dragon fruits contain significant amounts of pectic substances that are lowly methyl-esterified. The cell wall polysaccharides of the peel as well as those of the pulp contain high amounts (38–47 %) of loosely bound (water-soluble) pectic substances. In the water-soluble fraction (WSF) of the peel samples, uronic acids are the predominant monomers. On the contrary, rhamnogalacturonan-I type neutral sugars, and especially arabinose and galactose, contribute equally, as compared to uronic acid, to the WSF of the pulp samples. Despite the low average DM value of pulp and peel pectin, pectic substances in both samples showed affinity for antibodies with different specificities indicating that a wide range of epitopes, including long blocks of unesterified galacturonic acids (GalA) residues as well as (short) blocks of esterified GalA residues, is present. No large differences between the pectic substances among the different dragon fruit varieties were observed.     

Enzymatic degradation studies of pectin and cellulose from red beets.

The influence of structural features of the cell wall polysaccharides pectin and cellulose on the enzymatic degradation of red beet was evaluated. Alcohol-insoluble substances and acetone-insoluble residues were prepared from red beets and characterized with respect to the content of dietary fibre, pectin fractions, neutral saccharide composition and water absorption. The high-methylated and high-acetylated pectin component was partly soluble in water and in EDTA. Pectin was hardly extractable from alcohol-insoluble substances as well as from red beets. Isolated pectin could not be completely degraded by pectolytic enzymes. After de-acetylation, the pectic acid from red beets was degradable in a similar rate like citrus pectic acid. From alcohol-insoluble substances, several cellulose and lignin fractions were prepared and analysed. A cellulose preparation from red beets was intensely degraded by cellulases with high activities as shown by the release of reducing end-groups, viscosity and scanning electron microscopy. Cell wall preparations from red beets were able to bind high amounts of water. A decrease in water absorption during enzymatic action or changes in viscosity and flow behaviour are sensitive markers for decomposition or depolymerization processes. Furthermore, an inhibitor of microbial enzymes was isolated from red beets and acetone-insoluble residues. The main reason for the poor enzymatic liquefaction or maceration of red beets by pectolytic and cellulolytic enzymes is the high degree of acetylation of the pectin component.     

Extraction and structural identification of alkali-soluble polysaccharides of longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) fruit pericarp

Two alkali-soluble polysaccharide fractions (ASPs I and II) were extracted from longan fruit pericarp in this work. The results of chemical composition indicated that ASP I and II fractions comprised mainly of polysaccharides, proteins and lignins. Four monosaccharides, namely Xyl, Ara, Glc and Gal, were identified for both ASPs I and II. Xyl was the dominant monosaccharide in the two alkali-soluble polysaccharides with relative molar percentages of >60%. It constructed the backbone in combination with Ara for both ASPs I and II. The analysis of glycosidic linkage indicated that Xyl had two linkages,→3)-Xyl-(1→ and →3, 4)-Xyl-(1→. The substitution at C-4 position indicated that Xyl was of pyranose structure. The infrared spectra of ASPs I and II showed the characteristic bands at approximate 897 cm^− 1 which indicated the β-linkage configuration of Xyl.

Industrial relevance

Hemicellulose has been suggested as an important polysaccharide with good pharmaceutical properties, including immune modulation and anti-cardiovascular diseases. In this work, alkali-soluble polysaccharides were extracted from longan fruit pericarp and fractionated. The structural characteristics were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and infrared spectrophotometry. The results will be helpful for application of hemicellulose in functional food industry.     

Cell wall compositions of raw and cooked corms of taro (Colocasia esculenta)

The monosaccharide compositions of parenchyma cell walls of raw and cooked corms of taro, Colocasia esculenta cv Tausala Pink, were determined. The cell wall constituents were sequentially extracted using CDTA, Na₂CO₃, 1 M KOH, 4 M KOH and water to leave a final residue (α‐cellulose). The monosaccharide compositions of the cell walls and cell wall fractions from the raw and cooked corms were consistent with the presence in these cell walls of large amounts of cellulose and pectic polysaccharides. The monosaccharide composition of the cell walls of the raw corms resembled the monosaccharide compositions of primary cell walls of other non‐commelinoid monocotyledons and dicotyledons. Cooking of the corms resulted in alteration of the cell walls, with solubilisation of pectic polysaccharides occurring earlier in the sequential fractionation and possibly changes in the extractability of xyloglucans and/or xylans. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Developmental and ripening-related effects on the cell wall of apricot (Prunus armeniaca) fruit

Alcohol-insoluble residues (AIRs) were prepared from apricots at six stages during development/ripening on the tree. To investigate the changes in cell wall polymers, and in particular those affecting pectic polysaccharides, the AIR preparations were sequentially extracted with water, cyclohexane-trans-1,2-diamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetate (CDTA) and Na₂CO₃. A significant proportion of initially Na₂CO₃-soluble pectic polysaccharides became water- and CDTA-soluble during the ripening process. In terms of composition, a significant decrease in galactose and uronic acid content was detected in all the extractions, whereas the percentage of arabinose increased in both water and CDTA-soluble polymers but decreased in the Na₂CO₃-extracted polysaccharides. The ability of pectic polysaccharides to cross-link was diminished during ripening due to an overall increase in the concentration of Na⁺ or K⁺ associated with the AIRs. This was accompanied by a decrease in the amounts of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺. The decrease in pectic galactans and the inhibition of pectin cross-linking detected within the pectic backbone are probably linked to the softening process observed during apricot ripening. © 1998 SCI.     

Physical and chemical changes in developing strawberry fruits

Strawberry fruits of thevariety Red Gauntlet were harvested at 7 day intervals after petal fall. Changes in fruit weight, percentages survival on the plant, chlorophyll: carotenoid and anthocyanin, titratable acid, pH of extracts and sugar content were measured. Also changes in soluble and total pectic polysaccharides in alcoholinsoluble residues of harvested fruits were followed during development. Fruit growth was not exponential and in later stages of growth the falling survival rate was correlated to fruit softening. Net synthesis of chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments took place up to 28 days and anthocyanin synthesis commenced 28 to 35 days after petal fall. The sugar content of berries increased with time and titratable acid concentrations increased slightly during development, falling in ripening fruits. The specific viscosity of soluble pectic polysaccharides fell from 28 days after petal fall. There was net synthesis of polyuronide but not neutral polysaccharide during the development of fruits and the amount of insoluble pectic polysaccharide became small and relatively constant compared with the amount of soluble polysaccharide by 21 days after petal fall. Fruits undergoing senescence lost almost all their insoluble pectic polysaccharides. The developmental processes taking place in growing fruits, especially with respect to changes in cell wall structure, and the relevance of results to fruit storage are discussed.     

Extraction of pectic polysaccharides from sugar‐beet cell walls

Previous methods of extracting pectin from sugar‐beet have used pulp as the starting material. As the temperature and pressure of the pulping process may modify the architecture of the cell wall, we have adapted a relatively non‐disruptive method to characterise cell wall material (CWM) isolated directly from the sugar‐beet. Cell walls from mature sugar‐beets (Beta vulgaris L Aztec) were sequentially extracted four times with imidazole and twice with sodium carbonate to produce six heterogeneous pectic polysaccharide extracts, and with KOH to produce a hemicellulosic extract which was predominantly xylans. Heterogeneity of the extracted pectins was indicated by differences in FTIR spectra, uronic acid content, % methyl esterification, % feruloylation, % acetylation, molecular weight distribution and neutral sugar composition. The highest proportion of feruloyl esters was found in polysaccharides solubilised by the second sodium carbonate extraction. Anion exchange chromatography of these polysaccharides gave three fractions, one of which contained most of the feruloyl ester. These results indicate that feruloyl esters are not randomly distributed among the different pectic polysaccharides in the sugar‐beet cell wall, and that esterification is likely to be dependent on the local sugar sequence or conformation. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry