Shibakami Motonari, Sohma Mitsugu, Hayashi Masahiro
Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5th, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan.
Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5th, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan.
Carbohydr Polym. 2012 Jan 4;87(1):452-456. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2011.08.012. Epub 2011 Aug 11.
An anhydrous type of paramylon, the micro-sized granular storage carbohydrate (β-1,3-glucan) of Euglena, was transformed from a spheroidal to a doughnut-like shape by acetylation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic measurements suggested that the doughnut formation is due to removal of accessible regions of paramylon particles by acetylation of glucans. A time-course observation of the paramylon granules during acetylation by using field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed that the doughnut-making process begins with the removal of an outer membrane of the granule and that the central region of the granules is preferentially removed with the survival of a thick rim part to give the doughnut-like particles.
