Quinone cross-linked polysaccharide hybrid fiber

Biomacromolecules. 2004 Mar-Apr;5(2):348-57. doi: 10.1021/bm034363d.

Abstract

The present article describes the synthesis of the N-(Lys-Gly-Tyr-Gly)-chitosan using the water-soluble active ester method, the preparation of the N-(Lys-Gly-Tyr-Gly)-chitosan-gellan hybrid fibers, and the reinforcement of the hybrid fibers by enzymatic cross-linking between the N-grafted peptides chains of chitosan. The cationic polysaccharide chitosan was treated with Boc-Lys(Z)-Gly-Tyr(Bzl)-Gly (4-hydroxyphenyl)dimethylsulfonium methyl sulfate ester in DMF-0.15 M acetic acid to incorporate the peptides into the side chain amino groups of chitosan followed by the acidic removals of the Z and Bzl groups. The degrees of N substitution were estimated to be 2.0 and 10 molar % by changing the molar ratios of the amino groups of the parent chitosan and the active ester. The resulting cationic N-(Lys-Gly-Tyr-Gly)-chitosan was spun into the hybrid fibers with the anionic polysaccharide gellan in water. The tensile strengths of the N-(Lys-Gly-Tyr-Gly)-chitosan hybrid fibers were superior to those of the original chitosan-gellan fibers. The mechanical strengths of the hybrid fibers further increased upon enzymatic oxidation using tyrosinase. Based on these results, we concluded that the covalent cross-linking due to the enzyme oxidation between the grafted peptides significantly contributed to reinforcement of the polysaccharide hybrid fibers. The present results afford a new methodology for the reinforcement achieved by the polymer modification inspired by a biological process.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Benzoquinones / chemistry*
  • Benzoquinones / metabolism
  • Carbohydrate Sequence
  • Cross-Linking Reagents / chemistry*
  • Cross-Linking Reagents / metabolism
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry
  • Polysaccharides / metabolism
  • Polysaccharides / ultrastructure
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / chemistry*
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / metabolism
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / ultrastructure

Substances

  • Benzoquinones
  • Cross-Linking Reagents
  • Polysaccharides
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial
  • quinone
  • gellan gum