Supramolecular Binding with Lectins: A New Route for Non-Covalent Functionalization of Polysaccharide Matrices.

ABSTRACT: The chemical functionalization of polysaccharides to obtain functional materials has been of great interest in the last decades. This traditional synthetic approach has drawbacks, such as changing the crystallinity of the material or altering its morphology or texture. These modifications are crucial when a biogenic matrix is exploited for its hierarchical structure. In this work, the use of lectins and carbohydrate-binding proteins as supramolecular linkers for polysaccharide functionalization is proposed. As proof of concept, a deproteinized squid pen, a hierarchically-organized β-chitin matrix, was functionalized using a dye (FITC) labeled lectin; the lectin used was the wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). It has been observed that the binding of this functionalized protein homogenously introd

SUBMITTER: Montroni D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9457544 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature