Starch - Stärke · 1987 · 50 citations · 13 references
EngineeringGlycobiologyPolysaccharideChemistryMixed BiopolymersPhysical PropertiesPolymersDouble HelicesQuartz StructureBiophysicsMaterials ScienceBiochemistryNative Starch —BiopolymersMolecular ModelingCrystallographyMacromolecular ArchitectureStructural BiologyBranching GeometryMacromolecular ScienceMedicineCarbohydrate-protein Interaction
Abstract The branching geometry of amylopectin according to chemical degradation studies has been combined with the knowledge of packing arrangement of double helices. The structural organization of the polyglucan chains in the crystalline amylopectin units can be described by an infinite periodic minimal surface, and it is closely related to the structure of high‐quartz with space group P6 4 22. An important feature of the molecular packing is that the van der Waals distance between double helices is very similar to the length of a linkage formed by the α‐1,6‐glucoside branching. The physical properties of starch are finally discussed in relation to the proposed structure.
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