Nature Communications (Nov 2022)

Biotechnologically produced chitosans with nonrandom acetylation patterns differ from conventional chitosans in properties and activities

  • Sruthi Sreekumar,
  • Jasper Wattjes,
  • Anna Niehues,
  • Tamara Mengoni,
  • Ana C. Mendes,
  • Edwin R. Morris,
  • Francisco M. Goycoolea,
  • Bruno M. Moerschbacher

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34483-3
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 1
pp. 1 – 18

Abstract

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Degree of polymerisation, fraction and pattern of acetylation change the material and biological properties of chitosan. Here, the authors show that enzymes can N-acetylate fully deacetylated chitosan to replicate the natural control over acetylation pattern not found in chemically produced chitosan allowing more control over properties.