Mechanistic investigation on binding interaction of konjac glucomannan with Zanthoxylum armatum DC. seed glutelin in solution.

Interaction between konjac glucomannan (KGM) and Zanthoxylum armatum DC. seed glutelin (ZSG) was believed to influence the conformational and physicochemical properties of ZSG and impact the texture and shelf-life of food. We investigated changes in fluorescence, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies to explore the interaction of ZSG and KGM. The Stern-Volmer quenching constant (K) at three temperatures was evaluated in order to determine the quenching mechanism. The results showed that KGM quenches the fluorescence intensity of ZSG through a static quenching process. Thermodynamic parameters at different temperatures demonstrated that the interaction between ZSG and KGM was mainly favored by van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding forces, and the binding process was spontaneous and exothermic. The fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy data revealed the conformational changes of ZSG upon its interaction with KGM. According to the obtained results, the ZSG-KGM complex was formed.