title: Pectin impacts cellulose fibre architecture and hydrogel mechanics in the absence of calcium.
abstract: Pectin is a major polysaccharide in many plant cell walls and recent advances indicate that its role in wall mechanics is more important than previously thought. In this work cellulose hydrogels were synthesised in pectin solutions, as a biomimetic tool to investigate the influence of pectin on cellulose assembly and hydrogel mechanical properties. Most of the pectin (60-80%) did not interact at the molecular level with cellulose, as judged by small angle scattering techniques (SAXS and SANS). Despite the lack of strong interactions with cellulose, this pectin fraction impacted the mechanical properties of the hydrogels through poroelastic effects. The other 20-40% of pectin (containing neutral sugar sidechains) was able to interact intimately with cellulose microfibrils at the point of assembly. These results support the need to revise the role of pectin in cell wall architecture and mechanics, and; furthermore they assist the design of cellulose-based products through controlling the viscoelasticity of the fluid phase.
authors: ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls, Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia. Electronic address: patricia.lopez.sanchez@slu.se.
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Lopez-Sanchez
authors: ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls, Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia; Bragg Institute, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, New South Wales, 2232, Australia.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Martinez-Sanz
authors: School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia.
authors: Mauricio R
authors: MR
authors: Bonilla
authors: ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls, Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia.
authors: Dongjie
authors: D
authors: Wang
authors: ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls, School of Botany and Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
authors: Cherie T
authors: CT
authors: Walsh
authors: Bragg Institute, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, New South Wales, 2232, Australia.
authors: Elliot P
authors: EP
authors: Gilbert
authors: School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia.
authors: Jason R
authors: JR
authors: Stokes
authors: ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls, Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia.
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Gidley
mesh_terms: D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010368:Pectins / Q000737:chemistry*; D059828:Plant Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D053838:Scattering, Small Angle; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014783:Viscosity; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D010368:Pectins; D002482:Cellulose; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Bacterial cellulose; Cell wall; Mechanics; Pectin; SANS; SAXS