The chain conformation
of a β-glucan extracted from black
fungus (BFP) was studied by static/dynamic light scattering, viscometry,
atomic force microscopy (AFM), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation.
The Mark–Houwink equation and the relationship between M
w and R
g of BFP
in water at 25 °C were determined to be [η] = 1.78 ×
10–7
M
w
1.6 and R
g = 5 × 10–4
M
w
0.9, and the molar mass
per unit contour length (M
L) and the persistence
length (q) were 2724 ± 276 nm–1 and 230 ± 30 nm, respectively, indicating triple-helix conformation.
Moreover, the stiff-chain lengths of the BFP fractions were visualized
with AFM images, and their M
L values were
estimated to give a mean of 2212 nm–1, consistent
with the above. Importantly, MD simulation confirmed that the triple
helix was the most stable conformation of BFP. We identified, for
the first time, the triple-helix chain conformation of BFP and also
offered an alternative method for the characterization of the rigid
macromolecules.
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