The effect of peptide-pectin interactions on the gelation behaviour of a plant cell wall pectin.
The effect of basic peptides on the gelation of a pectin from the cell wall of tomato was examined through the determination of gel stiffness, and swelling behaviour of the gel in water. Poly-L-lysine, poly-L-arginine, and a synthetic peptide, designed to mimic a sequence of basic amino acids found in a plant cell wall extensin, act as crosslinking agents. Circular dichroism studies on the interaction of synthetic extensin peptides with sodium polygalacturonate demonstrated that a conformational change was induced as a result of their complexation. In addition to their effect as crosslinking agents, the polycationic peptides reduced the swelling of the pectin network in water.
MacDougall
A J
AJ
Division of Food Materials Science, Institute of Food Research, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UA, UK. alistair.macdougall@bbsrc.ac.uk
Brett
G M
GM
Morris
V J
VJ
Rigby
N M
NM
Ridout
M J
MJ
Ring
S G
SG
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D024361:Amino Acids, Basic / Q000737:chemistry; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry*; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D018552:Daucus carota; D005782:Gels; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000737:chemistry; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum; D019563:Mechanics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010368:Pectins / Q000737:chemistry*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D011107:Polylysine / Q000737:chemistry
D024361:Amino Acids, Basic; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D005782:Gels; D006023:Glycoproteins; D010455:Peptides; D010940:Plant Proteins; C005488:extensin protein, plant; D011107:Polylysine; C015462:polyarginine; D010368:Pectins; D006909:Hydroxyproline