Ex situ reconstitution of the plant biopolyester suberin as a film

Biomacromolecules. 2014 May 12;15(5):1806-13. doi: 10.1021/bm500201s. Epub 2014 Apr 8.

Abstract

Biopolymers often have unique properties of considerable interest as a basis for new materials. It is however not evident how to extract them from plants without destroying their chemical skeleton and inherent properties. Here we report the ex situ reconstitution of the biopolyester suberin as a new waterproof and antimicrobial material. In plant cell walls, suberin, a cross-linked network of aromatic and aliphatic monomers, builds up a hydrophobic protective and antimicrobial barrier. Recently we succeeded in extracting suberin from the plant cell wall using the ionic liquid cholinium hexanoate. During extraction the native three-dimensional structure of suberin was partially preserved. In this study, we demonstrate that this preservation is the key for its ex situ reconstitution. Without any chemical additives or purification, the suberin composing macromolecules undergo self-association on the casting surface forming a film. Suberin films obtained show barrier properties similar to those of the suberin barrier in plants, including a potentially broad bactericidal effect.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects
  • Lipids / chemistry*
  • Lipids / isolation & purification
  • Lipids / pharmacology*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Particle Size
  • Quercus / chemistry*
  • Quercus / cytology
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Surface Properties
  • Wettability

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Lipids
  • suberin