title: Agarose chain conformation in the sol state by neutron scattering.
abstract: We report on small-angle neutron scattering investigations into the agarose conformation in water. We show that at 70 degrees C in the sol state agarose chains are fairly rigid with a lower limiting value for the persistence length of about 9 nm and a mass per unit length of muL = 360 +/- 36 g/mol x nm. The value of the latter parameter is consistent with single-stranded helices as those proposed recently by Foord and Atkins. Such a high rigidity together with such a low linear mass leads one to wonder how would the chains manage to intertwine should they form double helices in the gel state.
authors: Laboratoire d'Ultrasons et de Dynamique des Fluides Complexes, Université Louis Pasteur-CNRS URA 851, Strasbourg, France.
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Guenet
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Brûlet
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Rochas
mesh_terms: D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D005782:Gels; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009502:Neutrons; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012685:Sepharose / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D012685:Sepharose