Nanomechanics of Pectin-Linked β-Lactoglobulin Nanofibril Bundles

Biomacromolecules. 2018 Jul 9;19(7):2834-2840. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b00408. Epub 2018 Jun 14.

Abstract

Nanofibrils of β-lactoglobulin can be assembled into bundles by site-specific noncovalent cross-linking with high-methoxyl pectin (Hettiarachchi et al. Soft Matter 2016, 12, 756). Here we characterized the nanomechanical properties of bundles using atomic force microscopy and force spectroscopy. Bundles had Gaussian cross sections and a mean height of 17.4 ± 1.4 nm. Persistence lengths were calculated using image analysis with the mean-squared end-to-end model. The relationship between the persistence length and the thickness had exponents of 1.69-2.30, which is consistent with previous reports for other fibril types. In force spectroscopy experiments, the bundles stretched in a qualitatively different manner to fibrils, and some of the force curves were consistent with peeling fibrils away from bundles. The flexibility of pectin-linked nanofibril bundles is likely to be tunable by modulating the stiffness and length of fibrils and the ratio of pectin to fibrils, giving rise to a wide range of structures and functionalities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Lactoglobulins / chemistry*
  • Mechanical Phenomena
  • Nanofibers / chemistry*
  • Pectins / chemistry*
  • Polymerization

Substances

  • Lactoglobulins
  • Pectins