The architecture of starch blocklets follows phyllotaxic rules

Scientific Reports
Francesco SpinozziSerge Perez

Abstract

The starch granule is Nature's way to store energy in green plants over long periods. Irrespective of their origins, starches display distinct structural features that are the fingerprints of levels of organization over six orders of magnitude. We hypothesized that Nature retains hierarchical material structures at all levels and that some general rules control the morphogenesis of these structures. We considered the occurrence of a «phyllotaxis» like features that would develop at scales ranging from nano to micrometres, and developed a novel geometric model capable of building complex structures from simple components. We applied it, according to the Fibonacci Golden Angle, to form several Golden Spirals, and derived theoretical models to simulate scattering patterns. A GSE, constructed with elements made up of parallel stranded double-helices, displayed shapes, sizes and high compactness reminiscent of the most intriguing structural element: the 'blocklet'. From the convergence between the experimental findings and the theoretical construction, we suggest that the «phyllotactic» model represents an amylopectin macromolecule, with a high molecular weight. Our results offer a new vision to some previous models of starch. They ...Continue Reading

References

May 20, 1988·Journal of Molecular Biology·A ImbertyV Tran
Feb 24, 2001·Carbohydrate Research·A A BakerW Helbert
Nov 6, 2003·International Journal of Biological Macromolecules·J Szymońska, F Krok
May 6, 2009·Carbohydrate Research·Hélène Angellier-CoussySerge Perez
Jan 20, 2010·International Journal of Biological Macromolecules·Kamlai LaohaphatanaleartEric Bertoft
Nov 3, 2010·Biomacromolecules·Jaroslav Blazek, Elliot Paul Gilbert
Nov 23, 2016·ELife·Barbara PfisterSamuel C Zeeman
May 19, 2018·Protoplasma·Asena GorenIan J Tetlow

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Citations

Sep 27, 2020·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Ian J Tetlow, Eric Bertoft
Jul 20, 2021·Gut Microbes·Peter A Dobranowski, Alain Stintzi

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
X-ray
Atomic
AFM
neutron diffraction
X
scanning electron microscopy
NMR
electron tomography
neutron scattering

Software Mentioned

mathop
ChemDraw

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