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Enzymatic depolymerization of lamellar single crystals of nigeran
Author(s) -
Marchessault R. H.,
Revol J.F.,
Bobbitt T. F.,
Nordin J. H.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
biopolymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.556
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1097-0282
pISSN - 0006-3525
DOI - 10.1002/bip.1980.360190510
Subject(s) - lamellar structure , chemistry , depolymerization , dissolution , melting temperature , degradation (telecommunications) , crystal (programming language) , crystallography , enzyme , liquid crystal , single crystal , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , materials science , engineering , telecommunications , optoelectronics , computer science , programming language , composite material
Lamellar single crystals of the α‐glucan: nigeran have been subjected to controlled enzymic degradation as an approach to understanding polysaccharide organization in these crystals. Analysis of both reactant and products by various methods argues that a situation exists where the crystals are inaccessible at 20°C but become increasingly accessible as the temperature approaches that of solution for the crystals in water. One has to conclude that chain folds are inaccessible to enzymes at 20°C and become increasingly accessible as one approaches the “melting temperature.” This could be due to increased mobility of the surface chains as temperature is raised, which produces large dynamic loops and makes enzyme degradation possible. The general conclusion is that nigeran single‐crystal surfaces are disordered and increasingly mobile close to their dissolution temperature in water.