Sara Richardson

Optimal membrane choice for microdialysis sampling of oligosaccharides

An analytical methodology based on microdialysis sampling, high-performance anion-exchange chromatography and integrated pulsed electrochemical detection for the monitoring of oligosaccharides in bioprocesses is presented. Amylopectin and model maltooligosaccharide standards; glucose, maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose and maltoheptaose were used to demonstrate its versatility in view to sampling in enzymatic bioprocesses. The performance and characteristics of membranes with the same cut-off ranging between 3 and 100 kDa, were evaluated with respect to their extraction fraction (EF), permeability factors, temperature stability and protein (enzyme) interaction. All investigated membranes showed some non-specific interaction with enzymes. The EF and non-specific membrane-enzyme interactions were higher for the polysulfone membranes compared with the polyamide and polyethersulfone membranes. For all saccharides, the EF was independent of the concentration even for a 250-fold change in concentration. The EF and morphology of the membranes in their dehydrated state, as observed using scanning electron microscopy did not show any significant difference between membranes exposed to a 90 degrees C temperature for 3 and 24 h indicating their applicability to the study of high temperature bioprocesses.

High-performance anion-exchange chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry for investigation of the substituent distribution in hydroxypropylated potato amylopectin starch.

The use of high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) with pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) coupled on-line with electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) for analysis of the substitution pattern in chemically modified starch, has been investigated. In order to characterise the distribution of substitution groups along the polymer chain, hydroxypropylated potato amylopectin starch (HPPAP) was subjected to enzymic hydrolysis, followed by analysis of the degradation products by HPAEC-PAD-MS. When using conventional chromatographic techniques for characterisation of enzymic hydrolysates, standard compounds are required for identification of the hydrolysis products. However, the on-line coupling with ESI-MS allowed identification of all products obtained, substituted as well as unsubstituted, and also of those compounds that co-eluted, without the need for standards. Further, HPAEC-PAD-MS was shown to be useful for analysis of the substitution pattern in modified starch; from results obtained it was suggested that the hydroxypropyl groups were homogeneously distributed in the amylopectin molecule. It was also shown that the starch hydrolysing enzymes were hindered by the hydroxypropyl groups and preferentially cleaved glucosidic linkages between unsubstituted glucose units.

Microdialysis clean-up and sampling in enzyme-based methods for the characterisation of starch

Microdialysis was used for sampling enzyme hydrolysis products of starch hydrolysed with beta -amylase, pullulanase, and/or isoamylase, to obtain information about the molecular structure of starch. Starches from waxy, normal, and high amylose maize, and from normal and genetically modified potato (amylose deficient) were used, and also commercial potato amyloses. The hydrolysis products were analysed using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD). Simultaneous sampling and sample clean-up were achieved with microdialysis, thus enabling on-line injection into the liquid chromatographic system. The molecular weight cut-off of the membrane allowed for diffusion of small molecules such as oligosaccharides through the membrane, but hindered large molecules, e.g. enzymes and large polysaccharides, from entering the chromatographic system. With microdialysis sampling, it was possible to investigate the short chain fractions of debranched starch in the presence of amylose without pre-fractionation. The microdialysis-HPAEC-PAD system was also used for determination of the A:B chain ratio and the P-limit value. After P-amylolysis, only liberated maltose diffused through the dialysis membrane, which resulted in on-line sample clean-up from branched P-limit dextrin as well as from the enzyme. The proposed method is fast and easy to handle since clean-up of the hydrolysate is achieved on-line with the chromatographic system

Rapid determination of enzyme purity by a microdialysis-based assay

Microdialysis was shown to be useful as a fast on-line sampling method for determining the purity of starch hydrolysing enzymes. The enzymes were characterised using their hydrolytic properties. β-Amylases and pullulanases from different sources and/or manufacturers were investigated, with maltose, maltoheptaose, pullulan, and potato amylopectin starch (PAP) as substrates. The hydrolysis products were sampled via an on-line microdialysis probe and determined in a high-performance anion-exchange chromatographic (HPAEC) system. Comparison between the expected (theoretical) hydrolysis products with those obtained in the experiments made it possible to determine impurities in the enzymes. Two of the β-amylases and one pullulanase released unwanted hydrolysis products, indicating trace impurities in the enzyme preparation. Microdialysis sampling allows on-line sampling and eliminates separate sample preparation and clean-up steps. On-line microdialysis coupled to a HPAEC system is therefore a fast and simple technique for analysing enzyme hydrolysates.