Ultrasound-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis of yeast β-glucan catalyzed by β-glucanase: Chemical and microstructural analysis

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ultrasound-assisted enzymolysis on modified solubilization of yeast beta-glucan and its related mechanism. The depolymerization effects of this system on the physicochemical properties and structural features of the degraded fragments were studied systematically. The structure and physicochemical properties of the samples showed that the solubility of yeast beta-glucan achieved 75.35 % after modification; and ultrasonic enzymatic enhanced the degradation efficiency. The yeast beta-glucan obtained after solubilization and modification owned better antioxidant activities. The yeast beta-glucan particles become obviously smaller, sparsely dispersed in the aqueous solution and the stability was improved. In addition, the hydrogen bonds in yeast beta-glucan native triple helix structure were partially broken. Moreover, the disruption of yeast beta-glucan's original structure made it decreased thermostability and easier to dissolve in water. The atomic force microscope (AFM) imaging directly verified the branched-chain morphology of yeast beta-glucan and the small-strand degradation fragments. Therefore, this research can provide a feasible and effective approach for improving solubility of water-insoluble yeast beta-glucan to enlarge its food and biomedical applications.

Automated summary

This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of ultrasound-assisted enzymolysis on the solubilization and modification of yeast beta-glucan. The results showed that ultrasound enhanced the solubility and antioxidant activities of yeast beta-glucan, leading to smaller particles and improved stability in water.