Conformations of PPG-glucan
AssigneeThe Collaborative Group, Ltd.
InventorJun T. Park
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to soluble .beta.-glucan compositions. In one embodiment, the invention provides a soluble .beta.-glucan composition which is substantially in a triple helix aggregate conformation under physiological conditions, such as physiological temperature and pH. Such a composition is generally characterized by an aggregate number greater than about 6. The invention further provides methods of preparing .beta.-glucan compositions of this type, as well as methods of characterizing the conformational state of .beta.-glucans.
Claims15
A soluble .beta.-glucan composition having an aggregate number greater than about 6 under physiological conditions, said composition consisting essentially of .beta.-glucan chains having a molecular weight between about 1000 daltons and about 100,000 daltons.
A process for producing a soluble .beta.-glucan composition wherein at least a portion of the .beta.-glucan polymer chains adopt a triple helix aggregate conformation under physiological conditions, said process comprising the step of cleaving at least a portion of the branches from the .beta.-glucan polymer chains of a highly branched .beta.-glucan composition, thereby forming a partially debranched .beta.-glucan composition wherein at least a portion of the .beta.-glucan polymer chains adopt a triple helix aggregate conformation under physiological conditions.
A method for determining the aggregate number distribution of a .beta.-glucan composition comprising the steps of:
- (a) directing a first aliquot of a .beta.-glucan solution through a gel permeation chromatography column to elute a .beta.-glucan fraction;
- (b) determining the molecular weight of the .beta.-glucan fraction;
- (c) directing a second aliquot of the .beta.-glucan solution through a gel permeation chromatography column to elute a second .beta.-glucan fraction corresponding to the .beta.-glucan fraction of step (a);
- (d) denaturing the second .beta.-glucan fraction into single .beta.-glucan chains;
- (e) determining the molecular weight of the single polymer chains;
- and
- (f) determining the ratio of the molecular weight determined in step (b) to the molecular weight determined in step (e) to obtain the aggregate number of the .beta.-glucan fraction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.