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Bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPS) are secondary metabolites of microorganisms which play important roles in adhesion, protection, biofilm formation, and as a source of nutrition. Compared with polysaccharides obtained from animal and plant species, bacterial polysaccharides have significant advantages in terms of production cost and large-scale production due to their abundant metabolic pathways and efficient polysaccharide production capacity. Most extracellular polysaccharides are water-soluble, and some are insoluble, such as bacterial cellulose. Some soluble bacterial EPS also have biological activities such as anticancer, antioxidant, antibacterial and immunomodulatory activities. These biological activities are mainly affected by the molecular weight, monosaccharide type, composition and structure of EPS. In recent years, bacterial EPS are considered as novel functional polysaccharides with important application prospects, especially in free radical scavenging and antioxidation. This review focuses on the characteristics of bacterial EPS, their ability to scavenge free radicals and their corresponding antioxidant mechanisms, and summarizes the relationship between different structures (such as monosaccharide composition, functional groups, molecular weight, etc.) and antioxidant activities. It provides a new idea for the development of more bioactive bacterial EPS antioxidants, points out a new direction for the commercial production of natural, safe and economical polysaccharide drugs and health products., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The gut microbiota, as a complex ecosystem, can affect many physiological aspects of the host's diet, disease development, drug metabolism, and immune system regulation. Polysaccharides have various biological activities including antioxidant, anti-tumor, and regulating gut microbiota, etc. Polysaccharides cannot be degraded by human digestive enzymes. However, the interaction between gut microbiota and polysaccharides can lead to the degradation and utilization of polysaccharides. Disordered intestinal flora leads to diseases such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, tumors, and diarrhea. Notably, polysaccharides can regulate the gut microbiota, promote the proliferation of probiotics and the SCFAs production, and thus improve the related-diseases and maintain body health. The relationship between polysaccharides and gut microbiota is gradually becoming clear. Nevertheless, the structure-function relationships between polysaccharides and gut microbiota still need further exploration. Hence, this paper systematically reviews the structure-function relationships between polysaccharides and gut microbiota from four aspects including molecular weight, glycosidic bonds, monosaccharide composition, and advanced structure. Moreover, this review outlines the effect of polysaccharides on gut microbiota metabolism and improves diseases by regulating gut microbiota. Furthermore, this article introduces the impact of gut microbiota on polysaccharide metabolism. The findings can provide the scientific basis for in-depth research on body health and reasonable diet., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

During the hydrothermal treatment process, sludge proteins can interact with other organic matter, thereby affecting protein structure and altering protein solubility. This paper investigates the effects and causes of monosaccharides and lipids on protein structure and solubility during thermal hydrolysis of sludge. The results indicated that monosaccharides increase protein solubility by preventing the conversion of proteins into free amino acids. Monosaccharides can reduce the temperature sensitivity of benzene, pyridine and other heteroaromatic rings, thereby reducing the generation of conjugated structures during thermal hydrolysis of sludge. The temperature and activation energy of proteins denaturation increased with increasing glucose concentration. Heating promotes the disappearance of the protein's α-helix structure, while glucose tends to aggregate on the protein surface and form hydrogen bonds, thereby inhibiting further protein denaturation and precipitation. This study provides insight into the effect of organics on protein solubility during thermal treatment of sludge., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Configurational differences in monosaccharides determine the products and selectivity of the transesterification reaction with Candida antarctica lipase-B (CAL-B). The β-anomers of peresterified pyranose monosaccharides tend to yield anomeric deprotection products, while the α-anomers preferentially react at the sixth or fourth position. CAL-B differentiates between enantiomers, either reacting more rapidly with d-enantiomers of monosaccharides or having a different selectivity based on the enantiomer. Pivaloylated and benzoylated saccharides are the limits of the CAL-B transesterification reaction, while lower boiling point alcohols such as MeOH and EtOH can replace n -BuOH as the nucleophilic reagent. Finally, CAL-B can be successfully recycled in both long and short reaction time reactions.

Geum japonicum Thunb. var. Chinese F. Bolle , a traditional Miao medicine with significant clinical potential, is rich in polysaccharides. Despite its importance, there is a scarcity of research on the structure and activities of these polysaccharides. In this study, polysaccharides from Geum japonicum (GJPs) were extracted using various methods, including heated reflux extraction (HRE), acidic extraction (ACE), alkaline extraction (AAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), enzymatic extraction (EAE), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), and deep eutectic solvents extraction (DESE). The extraction yield, physicochemical properties, structural characteristics, and antioxidant activities of these polysaccharides were comprehensively investigated and compared. Physicochemical analysis, including FT-IR spectral features and monosaccharide compositions, revealed that the GJPs are acidic heteropolysaccharides with both α - and β -configurations. DESE and ACE were the most effective methods for obtaining the highest neutral and acidic sugars with yields of 29.1%/64.2%, and 39.8%/55.6%, respectively. Meanwhile, AAE was preferable for extracting the polysaccharide-protein complex, achieving a yield of 14.21% and exhibiting superior thermal stability. In particular, DESE and PLE showed the best homogeneity with distinct molecular weights of 39.5 kDa and 17.6 kDa, respectively. In addition, biological evaluation indicated that DESE and MAE exhibited relatively stronger antioxidant activities as evidenced by DPPH and ABTS assays. Conversely, ACE demonstrated highest Fe 2+ chelating ability but the lowest activity in DPPH and ABTS assays. Furthermore, the results of correlation analysis showed that the monosaccharides composition, protein and polyphenol content were significantly associated with the antioxidant activity. The choice of extraction method greatly affects the property and activity of G. japonicum polysaccharides. Polysaccharides extracted by deep eutectic solvents from G. japonicum show promise as natural antioxidants in the food and medicine industries.

This study investigated the molecular mechanisms of the interactions between three antitumor active monosaccharides and human serum albumin (HSA) using spectroscopic and electrochemical analyses, supplemented by molecular docking simulations. The antitumor efficacy of these monosaccharides can be significantly enhanced by covalent drug coupling, while HSA, with its long half-life and low immunogenicity, provides new opportunities for the development of advanced antitumor drug delivery systems. The results showed that these monosaccharides effectively burst the fluorescence of HSA. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that Fucose undergoes a spontaneous, exothermic process that decreases entropy, while the binding of Mannose and Galactose is entropy-driven. Notably, the addition of these three monosaccharides slightly compacts the structure of HSA, stabilizing its transport and delivery in vivo, with the binding strength categorized as Fucose > Mannose > Galactose. These variations in binding constants explain the differences in efficacy and potential side effects in antitumor therapy. Further studies have shown that the interaction between monosaccharides and HSA improves drug stability and targeting, thereby enhancing antitumor activity. An in-depth study of these interactions may provide new insights into the design and optimization of antitumor drugs and the further development of novel antitumor therapies., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

Glycans, nucleic acids and proteins are three major classes of natural biopolymers. The extremely high diversity of isomerization makes structural elucidation of glycans the most challenging job among three classes. In the past few years, the single molecule sensing technique based on nanopores has achieved great success in sequencing of DNA. Inspired by this, it is potential to sequence glycans in the similar manner. Herein, SiN x nanopores were used to identify nine common monosaccharides in mammals. Each monosaccharide showed characteristic blockage current, which roughly increased with the increase of its molecular weight. In order to distinguish nine monosaccharides, several machine learning models were trained and tested, of which the highest F1 value was 1. These results illustrated that nine common monosaccharides in mammals could be clearly identified and discriminate by our method combining solid-state nanopores and machine learning. As far as we know, this is the first report that monosaccharides can be sensed and distinguished by solid-state nanopores. Our work showed the great potential of solid-state nanopores in glycan sequencing, and would lay the foundation for solid-state nanopore-based glycan sequencing., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This review provides a perspective on the industrial application potential of sugar beet pulp (SBP) derived monosaccharides. The broad application of these monosaccharides could contribute to bio-based alternatives and sustainable practices, essential for the transition towards a more circular economy. This review focuses on the utilization and application of two SBP monosaccharides, d-galacturonic acid (d-GalA) and l-arabinose (l-Ara), derived from pectin and hemicellulose. These polysaccharides are major components of sugar beet pulp, an important side stream of sucrose production. d-GalA and l-Ara are therefore abundant in biomass and offer unique molecular structures amenable to selective chemical or enzymatic modifications. We review their application in various industrial applications such as the development and production of bioactive compounds, home and personal care products, and other industries., (© 2024 The Author(s). ChemBioChem published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Chirality is a vital property across various domains, especially for biological activity. Herein, an enzyme-free sensing platform for monosaccharide enantiomer identification was developed by utilizing the Fabry-Pérot interferometer feature of TiO 2 nanotube arrays modified with enantioselective metal-organic framework and glucose oxidase-mimicking Au NPs. In this design, optical property is monitored by reflective interferometric Fourier transform spectroscopy (RIFTS), a highly sensitive technique for detecting changes in the average refractive index within nanotubular structures. Using glucose (Glu) enantiomers as the model targets, after the recognition of L-/d-Glu on mesoporous homochiral MIL-101 (Fe), Au NPs anchored in MIL-101(Fe) catalyze the oxidation of Glu molecules to produce hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). Benefiting from the confinement effect of frameworks, MIL-101(Fe), as an artificial enzyme with excellent peroxidase-like activity, catalyzes the conversion of 4-chloro-1-naphthol (4-CN) into insoluble precipitates. These gathered precipitates effectively change the average refractive index of the interferometric substrate. Based on the variation of effective optical thickness (Δ E OT) values, the enantioselective determination of l-Glu and d-Glu can be achieved. Moreover, the proposed RIFTS sensor also presents broad applicability for the identification of other monosaccharide enantiomers. As the enzyme-free homochiral interferometer is directly constructed on a Ti-metal sheet, the RIFTS platform offers a robust, sensitive, and low-cost device for monosaccharide enantiomer recognition.

The aim of this study was to select the best exopolysaccharide (EPS) producer among the Enterococcus strains to optimize, characterize, and evaluate its biological properties. Among the eleven strains, Enterococcus faecium KT990028 was selected, and the production conditions were optimized: 16.3 % (w/v) sucrose, 0.70 % (w/v) yeast extract, 8.3 % (w/v) reconstituted skimmed milk, at 38 °C in 15 h of incubation, producing 2.880 g/L of EPS. High performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC) analysis revealed that the molecular weight was 166.98 kDa. HPAEC, spectroscopy (FTIR), and nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR) analyses revealed that the EPS was a heteropolysaccharide composed of galactose (37.74 %), rhamnose (19.79 %), arabinose (17.71 %), glucose (9.50 %), fucose (7.93 %), and mannose (7.33 %). Scanning electron microscopy showed a three-dimensional microstructure in the form of decompressed plates, with wrinkles, and pores. By means of dynamic light scattering (DLS), the EPS showed an average size varying from 135.25 ± 10.56 nm and 410.60 ± 45.20 nm, as the concentration was increased from 0.5 mg/mL to 2.0 mg/mL, respectively. X-ray diffraction revealed that the EPS has an amorphous and crystalline nature, while thermogravimetric analysis indicated stability up to 400 °C. The antioxidant effect (5 mg/mL) against DPPH, ABTS, OH, and O 2 was 64.50 ± 0.71 %, 47.50 ± 0.10 %, 68.36 ± 0.59 %, and 44.83 ± 0.86 %, respectively. It was also able to inhibit and biofilm disruption of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 6057 and had an antimicrobial effect from 50 mg/mL for the strains of against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19117, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 6057. Cell cytotoxicity carried out using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay revealed that the EPS was safe and promoted the proliferation of Vero cells. Thus, the results indicated that the EPS from E. faecium KT990028 is a promising functional biopolymer for possible applications in the food and pharmaceutical fields., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The ultrasonic-assisted deep eutectic solvent method was used to extract the polysaccharides of Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae (PCRP), and the ultrasound-assisted DES extraction process was optimized by Box-Behnken response surface test using the extraction rate of the PCRP as an index; the in vitro activities of purified the PCRP(PCRPs-1) were investigated by determining the scavenging rate of DPPH• and ABTS• + as well as by enzyme inhibition assay. The monosaccharide composition was analyzed by HPLC. The best process conditions for response surface optimization were a material-liquid ratio of 1:37 g/mL, water content of 44%, time of 89 min, and power of 320 W. The polysaccharide extraction rate was measured to be 5.41%, which was well optimized when compared with that of the ordinary aqueous extraction method of 3.92%. By α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition activity test, it showed that the PCRPs-1 had hypoglycemic activity. The DPPH radical scavenging activity test and ABTS + scavenging activity test indicated that the PCRPs-1 had good biological activity. Analysis of the monosaccharide fractions showed that the PCRPs-1 consisted of mannose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose, xylose, and arabinose, with molar ratios of 1:39.24:4.41:8.91:7.83:86.00:1.02:9.17. The activity studies showed that PCRPs-1 possessed certain hypoglycaemic and antioxidant activities., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical Approval: This article contains no studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors. Consent to Participate: Not applicable. This study did not use any human or animal subjects. Consent for Publication: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bge. (AA), a traditional Chinese medicine, is used clinically to treat inflammation, diabetes, osteoporosis, and tumors. Polysaccharides are the most abundant components in AA, and have antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, anti-osteoporosis, and laxative effects. It is necessary to conduct a comprehensive analysis on the structure and pharmacological activity of the polysaccharides from AA (PAAs). This review systematically summarizes the structural characteristics of PAAs, including the monosaccharide compositions, molecular weights, and backbone structures. We discuss the relationship between the structure and pharmacological activities of PAAs. The chemical modification methods of PAAs, including zinc chelation, carboxymethylation, and sulfation, are then reviewed. This review may offer new insights for research on the PAAs and polysaccharides with similar structures., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All the authors have no personal or financial conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The mucilage is an interesting compound found in cladodes of species of Opuntia (Cactaceae). The aim of this work was to extract the mucilages from Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) and O. quimilo (OQ) cladodes and to examine their physicochemical characteristics, microstructure, and functional properties in solution. The mucilages exhibited high contents of carbohydrates, proteins, and minerals. Both mucilages presented a diverse monosaccharide composition, mainly constituted of galactose and arabinose. The FTIR spectra showed characteristic polysaccharide nature, whereas the diffractograms demonstrated an amorphous structure. The intrinsic viscosity of OFI mucilage was 3.08 dL/g, while that of OQ mucilage was 10.33 dL/g. Although the molecular weights of both mucilages are in the order of those of commercial gums, that of OQ was higher. This is consistent with the pseudoplastic behavior of OQ mucilage. However, OFI mucilage showed Newtonian behavior over the range of concentrations evaluated. This is fully consistent with that of semi-diluted solutions and in accordance with the lower molecular weight of this mucilage. The mucilages presented maximum solubility at 60 °C, although the mucilage of OFI was slightly more soluble than that of OQ. The chemical composition and functional properties of the mucilages can be affected by the extraction method and conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this study, a highly branched glucomannan (SCP-1) from Schizophyllum commune fruiting body with good solubility was isolated, and its structural characteristics and antitumor properties were analyzed. The monosaccharides of SCP-1 were fucose, glucosamine hydrochloride, galactose, glucose and mannose with a relative molar ratio of 14:6:210:593:177, and the molecular weight (Mw) of SCP-1 was 15.1 kDa. SCP-1 showed a rough and dense surface, and it was aggregated to particles in distilled water, though it might have triple-helix conformation. The main backbone chain of SCP-1 was →[3)-β-D-Glcp-(1] 3 →3)-β-D-Glcp-(1→2)-α-D-Manp-(1→2)-α-D-Manp-(1→3)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ and three sides chains including α-D-Glcp-(1→[6)-β-D-Glcp-(1] 2 →, α-D-Glcp-(1→3)-α-D-Manp-(1→ and α-D-Glcp-(1→[6)-α-D-Galp-(1] 3 → were linked with 1,6-glycosidic bond, which was significantly different with the schizophyllan isolated from the mycelia of S. commune. SCP-1 could significantly inhibit the growth of A549 cells, the inhibition rate reached 41.62 % and the percentage of cells in S phase increased from 27.17 % to 56.40 % (400 μg/mL, 48 h). Moreover, SCP-1 could induce cell apoptosis and the total apoptosis rate reached 28.13 %. SCP-1 exerted apoptosis inducing effect probably by reducing the expression ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and the p-PI3K, p-Akt and p-mTOR expression level. The results showed that SCP-1 might have the potential to act as an antitumor agent for lung cancer therapy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In recent years, polysaccharides extracted from berries have received great attention due to their various bioactivities. However, the preparation and application of berry polysaccharides have been greatly limited due to the lack of efficient extraction techniques, unclear structure-activity relationships, and ambiguous functional mechanisms. This review discusses the technological progress in solvent extraction, assisted extraction, critical extraction, and combination extraction. The structure-activity relationship and functional mechanism (antioxidation, hypoglycemic, immunoregulation etc.) of berry polysaccharides are reviewed. After systematic exploration, we believe that industrial production is more suitable for using efficient and low-cost extraction methods, such as ultrasonic assisted extraction and microwave assisted extraction. And some of the bioactivities (antioxidant activity, hypoglycemic activity, etc.) of berry polysaccharides are closely related to their structure (molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, branching structure, etc.). Besides, berry polysaccharides exhibit bioactivities by regulating enzyme activity, cellular metabolism, gene expression, and other pathways to exert their effects on the body. These findings indicate the potential of berry polysaccharides as functional foods and drugs. This paper will contribute to the preparation, bioactivity research, and application of berry polysaccharides., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Dandelion polysaccharides contribute to a variety of biological activities. This study evaluated the effect of different extraction temperatures (4 °C and 80 °C) on the structural characteristics and antioxidant activity of dandelion leaf polysaccharides (DLP). The findings demonstrated that the extraction efficiency improved at the higher temperature, while molecular weight exist a trend of degradation with increasing extraction temperature. Ion chromatography (IC) analysis indicated that the polysaccharides DLP4 and DLP80 were structurally complex heteropolysaccharides mainly composed of galactose, arabinose, glucose and mannose, with galactose and arabinose dominating. FT-IR and methylation analysis revealed that DLP4 and DLP80 had similar chemical structures and branches. DLP4 contained a higher amount of 6-Galactose. Microstructure analysis showed that heat treatment caused conformational changes in DLP4 and DLP80. Both had excellent free radical scavenging ability including DPPH·, ABTS ·+ , OH· and reducing power. The Reactive Oxygen Species assay indicated that the protective effect of DLP4 against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative damage in vitro was stronger than that of DLP80. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) measurements also confirmed that the antioxidant effect of DLP4 was more prominent. Overall, low temperature extracted DLP can be used as an antioxidant in the areas of food, medicine and biomaterials., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors confirm that there is no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this work the mucilage obtained from the cladodes of a not previously investigated accession of Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw. (syn. Opuntia dillenii (Ker-Gawl) Haw), collected in Sicily, was analysed by 13 C-NMR. The yield of mucilage extracted from cladodes in aqueous medium was 2.55%. The monosaccharides identified, after acidic hydrolyses of the mucilage, were arabinose (36.48%), galactose (32.31%), xylose (15.33%), glucose (10.45%) and rhamnose (5.40%). The mucilage showed a sufficient antimicrobial activity and excellent antioxidant property.

Plants of the genus Atractylodes are perennial herbaceous plants in the family Asteraceae, whose rhizome is often used in the production of medicines and health products. There are 6 main species in this genus, namely A. macrocephala, A. lancea, A. chinensis, A. carlinoides, A. koreana and A. japonica. Among them, A. lancea and A. macrocephala are the most extensively investigated. Polysaccharides as the main active ingredients extracted and isolated from plants in this genus, show good pharmacological activities in vivo and in vitro, such as immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic and intestinal protective activities. The pharmacological activities of polysaccharides are closely related to their extraction methods and physicochemical properties. This article discusses the extraction and separation methods, molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, chemical structure characteristics and pharmacological activities of polysaccharides from the genus Atractylodes. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the relationship of monosaccharide composition, relative molecular weight and structural modifications with the pharmacological activities of polysaccharides of the genus Atractylodes was carried out, which provided a reference for the development and utility of polysaccharides., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that the review was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc. (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) is an edible and medicinal fungus used as a natural superior tonic. It is considered as scarce fungus with a high market demand. Therefore, as an alternative, fermentation technology has been proposed to produce artificial cordyceps (fermented C. sinensis) to address the shortage of cordyceps resources for industrialization and commercial utilization. Numerous studies have proved that polysaccharides are the important bioactive substances in the fermented C. sinensis, but the research data lack systematic review. In this review, current relevant research data regarding the preparation (including extraction, fractionation, and purification), structural characterization (including molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, glycosidic bond type, structural and conformational features), bioactivities, structure-activity relationships (SAR) and applications of polysaccharides from different sources of fermented C. sinensis last decade were analyzed and discussed. The findings highlight that the most commonly employed methods for preparing fermented Cordyceps sinensis polysaccharides (FCSPs) involve water extraction and alcohol precipitation, combing with sophisticated chromatographic techniques such as ion exchange and gel permeation chromatography. From these processes, 34 different polysaccharides were identified including 5 glucans and 7 heteropolysaccharides that were thoroughly characterized. FCSPs exhibited a broad spectrum of biological activities, ranging from antioxidant and renal protective effects to immunomodulatory, antitumor, and hypolipidemic properties. The structure-activity relationships (SAR) demonstrated that key factors, such as molecular weight, monosaccharide composition and glucosidic bond types, play critical roles in determining the bioactivity of FCSPs. Nevertheless, there remain unknown elements that continue to influence SAR, leaving room for further exploration. Furthermore, the limitation of existing studies and some new perspectives for future investigations on FCSPs were proposed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The firmness of the two apple varieties: Idared and Pinova was similar during ripening, while it decreased significantly during 3-month storage only for Idared. Pectin-rich fractions were isolated from apple flesh tissue: water-soluble pectin (WSP), imidazole-soluble pectin (ISP), and hemicellulose-rich fractions: natively acetylated hemicelluloses (LiCl-DMSO), deacetylated hemicelluloses (KOH). It was shown that the degree of acetylation (DAc) of the hemicelluloses fraction (LiCl-DMSO) increased during apple ripening and storage, with higher values for Idared. Furthermore, the DAc of the hemicellulose fraction (LiCl-DMSO) was shown to be negatively correlated with apple firmness, and thus, among other factors, the effect of the degree of acetylation of hemicelluloses on fruit softening during storage. In the WSP and ISP, galacturonic acid content increased during ripening and storage of apples, which also showed a correlation with firmness. A higher content of linear pectin was recorded for Idared, while the contribution of rhamnogalacturonans was higher for Pinova., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Natural polysaccharides have complex structural properties and a wide range of health-promoting effects. Accumulating evidence suggests that the effects are significantly mediated through fermentation by gut microbiota. In recent years, the relationship between the structures of natural polysaccharides and their properties in regulating gut microbiota has garnered significant research attention as researchers attempt to precisely understand the role of gut microbiota in the bioactivities of natural polysaccharides. Progress in this niche, however, remains limited. In this review, we first provide an overview of current research investigating this structure-property relationship. We then present a detailed correlation analysis between the structural characteristics of 159 purified natural polysaccharides and their effects on gut microbiota reported over the past two decades. The analysis revealed that diverse gut bacteria show specific correlations with the molecular weight, glycosidic linkages, and monosaccharide composition of natural polysaccharides. Multifaceted molecular mechanisms, including carbohydrate binding, enzymatic degradation, and cross-feeding, were proposed to be collectively involved in these correlations. Finally, we offer our perspective on future studies to further improve our understanding of the relationship between polysaccharide structure and gut microbiota regulation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Radical C-glycosylation presents a flexible and efficient method for synthesizing C-glycosides. Existing methods always require multistep processes for generating anomeric radicals. In this study, we introduce a streamlined approach to produce anomeric radicals through direct C-OH bond homolysis of unmodified saccharides, eliminating the need for protection, deprotection, or activation steps. These anomeric radicals selectively couple with activated alkenes, yielding C-glycosylation products with high stereoselectivity (>20:1). This method is applicable to a variety of native monosaccharides, such as l-arabinose, d-arabinose, d-xylose, l-xylose, d-galactose, β-d-glucose, α-d-glucose, and l-ribose, as well as oligosaccharides including α-lactose, d-(+)-melibiose, and acarbose. We also extend this approach to C-glycosylation of amino acid and peptide derivatives, and demonstrate a streamlined synthesis of an anti-inflammatory agent.

Drug leads with a high Fsp 3 index are more likely to possess desirable properties for progression in the drug development pipeline. This paper describes the first detailed NMR analysis of the borylated intermediate 3-deoxy-3-boronodiethanolamine-1,2:5,6-di- O -isopropylidene-α-d-galactofuranose and of the corresponding free monosaccharide analogue 3-boronic-3-deoxy-d-galactose in the early stage of the concurrent equilibrium processes of mutarotation and borarotation. A discussion of all potential equilibria is also presented alongside a comparison with relevant 11 B-NMR data available from the scientific literature and our own library.

Degradation of polysaccharides is an effective method to improve the physicochemical properties and biological activities. In this study, self-extracting ginseng oligosaccharides (SGOs) and commercial ginseng oligosaccharides (CGOs) were compared with self-extracting ginseng polysaccharides (SGPs) and commercial ginseng polysaccharides (CGPs). The four saccharides were composed of different types and proportions of monosaccharides. And the molecular weight (Mw) size order was SGP > CGP > CGO > SGO. The SGO and CGO had better solubility with smaller particle size, 97.63 ± 0.42 % and 96.23 ± 1.12 %, respectively. Fourier transform infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy characterized the structures of four saccharides. It was found that the structural features of saccharides did not change after enzymatic hydrolysis. The results of bioactivities showed that SGO and CGO had better antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic activities. Compared with polysaccharides, oligosaccharides could significantly promote the proliferation and phagocytic ability of RAW 264.7 cells. Oligosaccharides induced RAW 264.7 cells to produce more NO and had better immune activity. Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis confirmed the bioactivities were negatively correlated with the Mw of ginseng saccharides. This study suggests that reducing the Mw of saccharides is an effective strategy to enhance their bioactivities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Monosaccharide composition and glycosidic linkages analysis are essential for the structural characterization and biological activity research of polysaccharides. To simplify the analysis steps and improve detection efficiency, this study developed monosaccharide compositions and glycosidic linkages detection methods based on UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS, and established a plant polysaccharide glycosidic linkages library. Furthermore, the detailed analysis process of monosaccharide compositions and glycosidic linkages was presented through a plant polysaccharide (Chinese bayberry wine polysaccharide, CPW) example. The results showed that the monosaccharide analysis method could identify and quantify 20 monosaccharides within 13 min by 6 chromatograms. By this method, 7 monosaccharides were detected in CPW, which was consistent with previous results obtained using ion chromatography. Meanwhile, the UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS based method could analyze 112 glycosidic linkages of 9 plant monosaccharides within 30 min, and the results were distributed on 11 chromatograms. According to the approach, 44 different glycosidic linkages were identified in CPW. Based on Congo red assay and molecular weight as well as our findings of monosaccharide composition and glycosidic linkages, we proposed that CPW may consist of two distinct sugar chains: One composed of 1-2,4-Rha, 1-3,4-GalA, and 1-F-Ara, and the other composed of 1-3,4-Gal, 1-4-Gal, 1-3,4,6-Gal, and 1-F-Ara., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ginger was dried by microwave infrared dual-field coupled drying (MIDFCD). The composition, structure, physicochemical properties and biological activity of ginger polysaccharides at various stages of MIDFCD were investigated. The MIDFCD significantly impacted the chemical composition, molecular weight (Mw), microstructure, and physicochemical properties of ginger polysaccharides. However, there were no notable differences in functional group composition. The Mw and chemical composition were notably influenced by microwave-infrared exposure and prolonged drying time. The degradation of polysaccharides due to high temperatures in the later stage resulted in further decreases in Mw and alterations in monosaccharide composition. These changes in chemical composition and Mw affected thermal properties, crystallization properties, particle size, rheological properties, antioxidant capacity, and hypoglycemic activity. These findings suggest that MIDFCD enhances the quality and bioactivity of natural polysaccharides. This study offers theoretical support for MIDFCD processing and the value-added utilization of ginger., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide found primarily in brown algae, is known for exhibiting various biological activities, many of which have been attributed to its sulfate content. However, recent advancements in techniques for analyzing polysaccharide structures have highlighted that not only the sulfate groups but also the composition, molecular weight, and structures of the polysaccharides and their monomers play a crucial role in modulating biological effects. This review comprehensively provides the monosaccharide composition, degree of sulfation, molecular weight distribution, and linkage of glycosidic bonds of fucoidan, focusing on the diversity of its biological activities based on various characteristics. The implications of these findings for future applications and potential therapeutic uses of fucoidan are also discussed.

Dioscorea has a history spanning over 2000 years for both medicinal and edible purposes in China. It contains rich polysaccharides, which are frequently utilized as thickening and stabilizing agents in the food industry. However, there has been relatively little focus on polysaccharides from common Dioscorea species besides D. opposita, such as D. alata and D. esculenta. In this study, non-starch crude polysaccharides were isolated from D. opposita (BD), D. alata (WC), and D. esculenta (GZ). Their structures, physicochemical compositions, and functional properties were characterized and compared. The results indicated three polysaccharides all exhibited characteristic peaks of polysaccharides and possessed triple-helix structures. The Glc (36.78-83.90 %), Man (6.71-26.68 %), and GalA (8.54-10.22 %) were identified as the primary monosaccharide components. In terms of functionality, three polysaccharide solutions demonstrated non-Newtonian flow characteristics and displayed commendable thermal stability. It is worth noting that the antioxidant and emulsifying properties of polysaccharides isolated from D. opposita (BD) and D. alata (WC) were superior to those of D. esculenta (GZ), making them more suitable for use as antioxidants and stabilizers. By comparing polysaccharides derived from different Dioscorea species, this study provides valuable insights into the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries based on the unique properties of these different polysaccharides., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Ficus carica (F. carica), commonly referred to as the fig tree, has received considerable attention due to its delectable and nutritious fruits. F. carica polysaccharides (FPs) are one of the key bioactive constituents of F. carica, demonstrating various biological activities such as antioxidative, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects, among others. Nevertheless, the extraction and purification techniques for FPs still require innovations to address their structural characteristics in order to elucidate the intricate mechanisms affecting their biological activities. Given this, the current review systematically summarizes the recent advancements in FPs, covering extraction, purification, structural characteristics, bioactivities, structure-activity relationships (SARs), current applications, challenges and future prospects. The composition of FPs predominantly includes Glu, Gal, and Rha, with a broad molecular weight distribution (ranging from 21.9 kDa to 6890 kDa). The SARs analysis suggests that the bioactivities of FPs are closely linked to their monosaccharide composition, molecular weight, uronic acid content, and configuration characteristics, underscoring the significant role of FPs in driving the development of novel bioactive compounds in the health, food, and medical sectors. In conclusion, this review would contribute the valuable research insights and provide the updated information to foster the advancement of FPs for diverse therapeutic and industrial applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that there were no competing financial interests or personal relationships., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Pyrene-urea derivatives and acetate anions were used to investigate the excited-state intermolecular proton transfer (ESPT) reaction, where a molecule undergoes intermolecular proton transfer to form a tautomer species in the excited state. Since ESPT occurs when intermolecular hydrogen bonds exist between urea compounds and acetate species, we hypothesize that this reaction might be influenced by compounds with hydroxy groups. In this study, cyclodextrins, saccharides, and ethanol were examined to assess the effects of hydroxy groups on the ESPT reaction. After introducing various hydroxy compounds into the urea-acetate system in dimethylformamide, we observed differences in the fluorescence spectra and fluorescence decay curves. These differences indicate varying interactions between the hydroxy compounds and complexes, leading to distinct fluorescence lifetime behaviors, which makes fluorescence lifetime imaging technology particularly suitable.

We present a revised version of the Drude polarizable carbohydrate force field (FF), focusing on refining the ring and exocyclic torsional parameters for hexopyranose monosaccharides. This refinement addresses the previously observed discrepancies between calculated and experimental NMR 3 J coupling values, particularly in describing ring dynamics and exocyclic rotamer populations within major hexose monosaccharides and their anomers. Specifically, α-MAN, β-MAN, α-GLC, β-GLC, α-GAL, β-GAL, α-ALT, β-ALT, α-IDO, and β-IDO were targeted for optimization. The optimization process involved potential energy scans (PES) of the ring and exocyclic dihedral angles computed using quantum mechanical (QM) methods. The target data for the reoptimization included PES of the inner ring dihedrals (C1-C2-C3-C4, C2-C3-C4-C5, C5-O5-C1-C2, C4-C5-O5-C1, O5-C1-C2-C3, C3-C4-C5-O5) and the exocyclic torsions, other than the pseudo ring dihedrals (O1-C1-O5-C5, O2-C2-C1-O5, and O4-C4-C5-O5) and hydroxyl torsions used in the previous parametrization efforts. These parameters, in conjunction with previously developed Drude parameters for hexopyranose monosaccharides, were validated against experimental observations, including NMR data and conformational energetics, in aqueous environments. The resulting polarizable model is shown to be in good agreement with a range of QM data, experimental NMR data, and conformational energetics of monosaccharides in aqueous solutions. This offers a significant improvement of the Drude carbohydrate force field, wherein the refinement enhances the accuracy of accessing the conformational dynamics of carbohydrates in biomolecular simulations.

As different monosaccharides exhibit different redox characteristics, this paper presented a novel colorimetric sensor array based on the glucose oxidase-like (GOx-like) activity of Au nanoparticles (NPs) for monosaccharides identification. AuNPs can use O 2 , ABTS +• , or [Ag(NH 3 ) 2 ] + as an electron acceptor to catalyze the oxidation of monosaccharides in different velocity, resulting in cross-responsive signals. The current sensor array can distinguish between different monosaccharides or their mixtures through linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). Moreover, the glucose and fructose concentrations can be estimated simultaneously using a neural network regression model based on the sensor array. This method shows potential for monosaccharide detection in industrial, medical, and biological applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Adlay bran, often discarded or used as animal feed, holds untapped potential. This study explores the beneficial properties of water-soluble polysaccharides (ABPs), extracted using a hot water method, with the aim of transforming what is commonly regarded as waste into a valuable resource. The response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to fine-tune the extraction parameters, establishing conditions at 80.0 °C, 2.5 h, and a water-to-material ratio of 31.6 mL/g. Structural studies showed that ABPs consist of different monosaccharides, including rhamnose, arabinose, glucosamine, glucose, galactose, xylose, mannose, and glucuronic acid, with respective molar ratios of 2.12%, 2.40%, 0.52%, 77.12%, 7.94%, 3.51%, 2.55%, and 3.82%. The primary component of these polysaccharides has a molecular weight averaging 12.88 kDa. The polysaccharides feature eight distinct linkage types: →3,4)-Rha p -(1→ at 5.52%, →4)-Glc p -(1→ at 25.64%, Glc p -(1→ at 9.70%, →3,4)-Glc p -(1→ at 19.11%, →4)-Xyl p -(1→ at 7.05%, →3)-Glc p -(1→ at 13.23%, →3,4)-Gal p -(1→ at 9.26%), and →4,6)-Gcl p -(1→ at 12.49%. The semi-crystalline properties of ABPs and their shear-thinning characteristics were validated by X-ray diffraction and rheology tests. In vitro assays highlighted the strong antioxidant activities of ABPs, as evidenced by DPPH and ABTS hydroxyl radical scavenging tests, along with significant metal chelating and reducing powers. Additionally, ABPs showed significant inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, making them attractive as versatile additives or as agents with antioxidant and blood-sugar-lowering properties in both the food and pharmaceutical sectors. These findings support the utilization of adlay bran for higher-value applications, harnessing its bioactive components for health-related benefits.

The approach of metabolic chemical reporters (MCRs) for labeling proteins has been widely used in the past several decades. Nevertheless, artificial side reaction generated with fully protected MCRs, termed S-glyco-modification, occurs with cysteine residues through base-promoted β-elimination and Michael addition, leading to false positives in the proteomic identification. Therefore, next generation of MCRs, including partially protected strategy and modifications on the backbone of monosaccharides, have emerged to improve the labeling efficiency. In this paper, we prepared fifteen kinds of unnatural monosaccharides to investigate the relationships of structures and S-glyco-modification labeling. Our results demonstrated that Ac 4 GlcNAz and Ac 4 GalNAz exhibited the most remarkable labeling effects among the detected compounds. Of note, Ac 4 ManNAz, Ac 4 6AzGlucose and Ac 4 6AzGalactose containing similar structures but did not show similar robust signals as them. Moreover, other modifications on the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 6-site indicated minimal side reactions of S-glyco-modification, raising a possibility that subtle modifications of monosaccharide substrate may alter its role in the process of biosynthesis, for example, by change of electronegativity or enhancement of steric hindrance effects. In conclusion, our discoveries provide a new avenue to choose appropriate probe for selective label proteins in vitro and in vivo without undesired S-glyco-modification., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Natural polysaccharides exhibit a wide range of biological activities, which are closely related to their structural characteristics, including their molecular weight distribution, size, monosaccharide composition, glycosidic bond types and spatial conformation, etc. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4), as two potent separation techniques, both harbor potential for continuous development and enhancement. This manuscript reviewed the fundamental principles and separation applications of SEC and AF4. The structural information and spatial conformation of polysaccharides can be obtained using SEC or AF4 coupled with multiple detectors. In addition, this manuscript elaborates in detail on the shear degradation of samples such as polysaccharides separated by SEC. In addition, the abnormal elution that occurs during the application of the two methods is also discussed. Both SEC and AF4 possess considerable potential for ongoing development and refinement, thereby offering increased possibilities and opportunities for polysaccharide separation and characterization., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In recent years, the isolation, purification, structural characterization of plant polysaccharides from natural resources have arrested widespread attention. Aralia elata (Miq.) Seem (A. elata) belongs to the Aralia genus of the Araliaceae family, which is one of the most popular edible mountain vegetables in East Asia. A. elata has been widely distributed in China, particularly in Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces in northeast China, in which it has been used as a traditional herbal medicine for thousands of years to treat various diseases, such as hepatitis and rheumatoid arthritis. A. elata polysaccharides (AEPs) are one of the major active ingredients of A. elata, the monosaccharide composition of which consist primarily of Gal, Glc, Man, Ara, and Rha, with molecular weights ranging from 1.56 × 10 4 Da to 1.12 × 10 5 Da. AEPs have attracted worldwide attention owing to their various biological activities, including antioxidant activity, antitumor activity and hepatoprotection. The present review aims to comprehensively summarize the research advances on the polysaccharides isolated from A. elata, including the extraction, separation, physical-chemical properties, structural characteristics, and bioactivities over the past few decades. This review would establish a solid foundation for further development and application in the field of AEPs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

sCAP was obtained by the nitrate‑sodium selenite method. SEM, molecular weight evaluation, monosaccharide composition, FT-IR and NMR of sCAP were carried out. Compared with CAP, sCAP had a relatively smooth and lamellar sheet morphology with edge folds on the surface, presented molecular weights in range of 0.90-97.08 KDa, and was mainly composed of GalA, Ara and Gal. sCAP had both α and β configurations of the pyranose ring, the characteristic vibrational peak of Se-O-C and the signal of galacturonic acid residue. The phagocytic activity of immature BMDCs, the expression of CD40, CD80, CD86, and MHCII on BMDCs were detected by flow cytometry, the ability of sCAP-treated BMDCs to stimulate the proliferation of allogeneic lymphocytes, presentation of antigens, cytokines in the supernatants and the protein in MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway were detected. The results showed that the phagocytic activity of immature BMDCs was significantly enhanced when sCAP was at 3.92-1.96 μg·mL -1 . The levels of IL-6, TGF-β1, INF-γ, and TNF-α were significantly elevated, IL-1β and MIP-1α were significantly reduced. These results indicate that sCAP could be as a new immunopotentiator by increasing MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. This study provides a reference for the research and development of new dosage forms of polysaccharide., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Pectic polysaccharides are considered the highly complex natural plant polysaccharides which plays a vital role in plant tissue structure and human health. Detailed characterization of the monosaccharide composition can provide insights into the pectic polysaccharide structure. Nevertheless, when analyzing the monosaccharides of pectic polysaccharide, it is crucial to address the issue of incomplete hydrolysis that can occur due to the formation of acid-induced precipitates. Based on above, the main purpose of this article is to provide an optimized method for monosaccharide analysis of pectic polysaccharides through acid hydrolysis optimization using high-performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC) The results indicate that reducing the sample concentration to 0.5 mg/mL effectively reduces the acid gelling phenomenon and promotes the complete hydrolysis of pectin polysaccharides. The optimized parameters for acid hydrolysis involve 110 °C for 6 h in 2 M TFA. Furthermore, the consistency of this method is assessed, along with its ability to analyze pectin polysaccharides from various fruits. This hydrolysis approach holds promise for enabling accurate quantification of monosaccharide composition in pectic polysaccharides., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this study, a carboxymethylated Anemarrhena asphodeloides polysaccharide (CM-AARP) with an molecular weight (M w ) of 7.8 × 10 4  Da was obtained. CM-AARP was composed of four monosaccharides including d-mannose, d-glucose, d-galactose, and l-arabinose. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra revealed that the skeleton of CM-AARP was identical to that of AARP. Compared with AARP, CM-AARP had a superior inhibition effect on the gelatinization of wheat starch (WS) under the same condition. The addition of CM-AARP and AARP at 12 % enhanced the gelatinization temperature (60.47 ± 1.30 °C) of WS to 73.88 ± 0.49 °C and 69.75 ± 0.52 °C, respectively. CM-AARP could maintain the crystal structure of WS during gelatinization, the relative crystallinity with the 12 % CM-AARP addition was determined as 29.18 % ± 1.49 %, exceeding that of pure WS at 21.96 % ± 0.66 %. Moreover, CM-AARP influenced the rheological behavior of the gelatinized WS by reducing the viscosity and improving the fluidity. The results suggested that CM-AARP played an essential role in starch gelatinization and was a potential stabilizer in the starch-based food industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

A homogeneous polysaccharide from Bletilla striata fresh tuber (BSPS) was prepared and extensively characterized using HP-GPC, colorimetry, FT-IR, methylation, GC-MS, NMR, Congo red experiment, SEM, and AFM. The molecular weight of BSPS was 722.90 kDa. BSPS consisted of glucose and mannose in the molar ratio of 1 : 2.5. BSPS had a linear chain structure consisting mainly of →4)-β-d-Glc p -(1→ and →4)-β-d-Man p -(1→ residues. O-acetyl group linked to C 2 of →4)-β-d-Man p -(1→ residue. Its monosaccharide molar ratio, molecular weight, and O-acetyl substituted position were different from that of the polysaccharide from B. striata dried tuber reported previously. Furthermore, BSPS at concentrations of 3.125-25 μg/mL significantly promoted the viability (ca. 10%), differentiation (1.5-4 folds), migration (15%-70%), and invasion (1.84-4.65 folds) of C2C12 cells. Of note, BSPS remarkably accelerated the epidermal regeneration and wound healing in mice. This study for the first time reported the structure of polysaccharides in B. striata fresh tubers. The results demonstrated that BSPS could be explored as a novel natural wound-healing drug., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Given the limited specificity and accuracy observed in the current official colorimetric quantification of polysaccharide in Lycium barbarum, our study aims to establish a novel, specific, accurate, and economic pre-column derivatization ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method for determining the monosaccharide and polysaccharide content in L. barbarum. The optimization of extraction, hydrolysis, and derivatization (using 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone) processes for polysaccharide from L. barbarum was conducted initially, followed by separation of nine monosaccharides within 20 min using UHPLC with a C18 column. Subsequently, a novel method known as quantitative analysis of multiple components by single marker was developed, utilizing either additive 2-deoxy-D-ribose or any monosaccharide present in the sample as a single reference standard to simultaneously detect the contents of polysaccharide and nine monosaccharides in L. barbarum. To validate the accuracy of the established method, the quantitative results of our approach were compared to both external and internal standard method methods. The minimal relative errors in the quantitative determination of monosaccharides among the three methods confirmed the dependability of the method. By analyzing 20 batches of L. barbarum samples, D-galacturonic acid exhibited the highest content and the polysaccharide levels ranged from 3.02 to 13.04 mg/g. All data implied the specificity and accuracy of the method., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The degradation of Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC. polysaccharides was carried out by five concentrations of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) (1-5 mol/L), and their physicochemical properties, degradation kinetics and anticomplementary activity were investigated. The findings revealed a notable reduction in the molecular weight of BCP, from an initial value of 2.622 × 10 5  g/mol to a final value of 6.255 × 10 4  g/mol, and the water solubility index increased from 90.66 ± 0.42 % to 97.78 ± 0.43 %. The degraded polysaccharides of B. chinensis exhibited a comparable monosaccharide composition comprising Man, GalA, Glc, Gal, and Ara. As the concentration of TFA increased, the degradation rate constant increased from 1.468 × 10 -3 to 5.943 × 10 -3 , and the process followed the first-order degradation kinetic model (R 2  > 0.97) and the random fracture model (R 2  > 0.96). Furthermore, the five degraded polysaccharides still exhibit good thermal stability. In vitro experiments showed that DBCP-3 exhibited more potent anticomplementary activity than the original polysaccharides and positive drugs, which was strongly correlated with its Mw (r = 0.6-0.8), inhibiting complement activation by blocking C2 and C4. These results indicated that TFA degradation has a positive effect on polysaccharides, of which DBCP-3 is expected to treat diseases involving hyperactivation of the complement system., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The genus Rhodiola L., an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine and Tibetan medicine in China, exhibits a broad spectrum of applications. This genus contains key compounds such as ginsenosides, polysaccharides, and flavonoids, which possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypoglycaemic, immune-enhancing, and anti-hypoxic properties. As a vital raw material, Rhodiola L. contributes to twenty-four kinds of Chinese patent medicines and 481 health food products in China, finding extensive application in the health food sector. Recently, polysaccharides have emerged as a focal point in natural product research, with applications spanning the medicine, food, and materials sectors. Despite this, a comprehensive and systematic review of polysaccharides from the genus Rhodiola L. polysaccharides (TGRPs) is warranted. This study undertakes a systematic review of both domestic and international literature, assessing the research advancements and chemical functional values of polysaccharides derived from Rhodiola rosea. It involves the isolation, purification, and identification of a variety of homogeneous polysaccharides, followed by a detailed analysis of their chemical structures, pharmacological activities, and molecular mechanisms, structure-activity relationship (SAR) of TGRPs. The discussion includes the influence of molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and glycosidic bonds on their biological activities, such as sulfation and carboxymethylation et al. Such analyses are crucial for deepening the understanding of Rhodiola rosea and for fostering the development and exploitation of TGRPs, offering a reference point for further investigations into TGRPs and their resource utilization., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A portfolio of six modified 2'-deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) derivatives derived from 5-substituted pyrimidine or 7-substituted 7-deazapurine bearing different carbohydrate units (d-glucose, d-galactose, d-mannose, l-fucose, sialic acid and N-Ac-d-galactosamine) tethered through propargyl-glycoside linker was designed and synthesized via the Sonogashira reactions of halogenated dNTPs with the corresponding propargyl-glycosides. The nucleotides were found to be good substrates for DNA polymerases in enzymatic primer extension and PCR synthesis of modified and hypermodified DNA displaying up to four different sugars. Proof of concept binding study of sugar-modified oligonucleotides with concanavalin A showed positive effect of avidity and sugar units count., (© 2024 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Saccharides, being one of the fundamental molecules of life, play essential roles in the physiological and pathological functions of cells. However, their intricate structures pose challenges for detection. Nanopore technology, with its high sensitivity and capability for single-molecule-level analysis, has revolutionized the identification and structural analysis of saccharide molecules. This review focuses on recent advancements in nanopore technology for carbohydrate detection, presenting an array of methods that leverage the molecular complexity of saccharides. Biological nanopore techniques utilize specific protein binding or pore modifications to trigger typical resistive pulses, enabling the high-sensitivity detection of monosaccharides and oligosaccharides. In solid-state nanopore sensing, boronic acid modification and pH gating mechanisms are employed for the specific recognition and quantitative analysis of polysaccharides. The integration of artificial intelligence algorithms can further enhance the accuracy and reliability of analyses. Serving as a crucial tool in carbohydrate detection, we foresee significant potential in the application of nanopore technology for the detection of carbohydrate molecules in disease diagnosis, drug screening, and biosensing, fostering innovative progress in related research domains.

As pure antipodes may differ in biological interactions, pharmacology, and toxicity, discrimination of enantiomers is important in the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. Two major challenges in enantiomer determination are transducing and amplifying the distinct chiral-recognition signals. In this study, a light-sensitive organic photoelectrochemical transistor (OPECT) with homochiral character is developed for enantiomer discrimination. Demonstrated with the discrimination of glucose enantiomers, the photoelectrochemically active gate electrode is prepared by integrating Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) and a chiral Cu(II)-metal-organic framework (c-CuMOF) onto TiO 2 nanotube arrays (TNT). The captured glucose enantiomers are oxidized to hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) by the oxidase-mimicking AuNPs-loaded c-CuMOF. Based on the confinement effect of the mesopocket structure of the c-CuMOF and the remarkable charge transfer ability of the 1D nanotubular architecture, variations in H 2 O 2 yield are translated into significant changes in OPECT drain currents (I D ) by inducing a catalytic precipitation reaction. Variations in I D confer a sensitive discrimination of glucose enantiomers with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.07 μM for L-Glu and 0.05 μM for D-Glu. This enantiomer-driven gate electrode response strategy not only provides a new route for enantiomer identification, but also helps to understand the origin of the high stereoselectivity in living systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The effects of selenium biofortification methods involving sodium selenite and selenium yeast on the structural characteristics, antioxidant activity and binding capacity of Pleurotus eryngii polysaccharides were investigated. Sodium selenite Se-enriched Pleurotus eryngii polysaccharides (Se-SPEP), selenium yeast Se-enriched Pleurotus eryngii polysaccharides (Se-YPEP), and Pleurotus eryngii polysaccharides (PEP) had Se contents of 20.548 ± 1.561, 19.822 ± 0.613, and 0.052 ± 0.016 μg/g, respectively. Compared with PEP, Se-SPEP and Se-YPEP had lower molecular weight and contained the same monosaccharides in varying molar ratios. The results of FT-IR, PS, ZP, and SEM indicated significant alterations in structural characteristics following selenium biofortification. Se-PEPs exhibited superior activity against ABTS, DPPH, and ·OH radicals, as well as the higher binding capacity for Cd 2+ and Cu 2+ compared to natural polysaccharides. The binding capacity of the polysaccharides for Cd 2+ and Cu 2+ was higher at pH 6.8 compared to pH 2.0, while the opposite was observed for Pb 2+ . Furthermore, Se-PEPs exhibited a significantly higher binding capacity for Cd 2+ and Cu 2+ at both pH levels compared to natural polysaccharides (P < 0.05). Se-YPEP displayed higher antioxidant activity than Se-SPEP, with their binding capacities reversed. These data indicated that selenium biofortification methods have different positive impacts on the structure and activity of polysaccharides compared to natural polysaccharides, making Se-PEPs promising dietary supplements for safeguarding the body against the risks posed by food-derived heavy metals., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study proposed a two-stage pressurized microwave hydrothermal treatment with a catalyst, followed by enzymatic saccharification, as a pretreatment method for efficiently converting cellulose and hemicellulose from rice straw into glucose and xylose. The use of various inorganic salts and dilute sulfuric acid as catalysts enhances sugar production. Using 1 wt% sulfuric acid as a catalyst at 150 °C for 5 min for the first-stage and then 180 °C for 5 min for the second-stage yielded the highest sugar production from rice straw compared with other inorganic salts tested. The filtrate and enzymatic saccharification solution contained a total sugar of 0.434 g/g-untreated rice straw (i.e. 0.302 g-glucose/g-untreated rice straw and 0.132 g-xylose/g-untreated rice straw). When inorganic salts such as NaCl, MgCl 2 , CaCl 2 , and FeCl 3 were used as catalysts, the highest sugar yield of 0.414 g/g-untreated rice straw (i.e. 0.310 g-glucose/g-untreated rice straw and 0.104 g-xylose/g-untreated rice straw) was obtained when using 1 wt% FeCl 3 at 170 °C for 5 min in the first-stage and 190 °C for 5 min in the second-stage, with a value close to that of 1 wt% sulfuric acid. These findings suggest that two-stage treatment with a catalyst is a suitable pretreatment method for the production of glucose and xylose from rice straw owing to the different hydrolysis temperatures of cellulose and hemicellulose., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In traditional Chinese medicine, Lycium barbarum is of rich medicinal value, and its polysaccharides are particularly interesting due to their significant pharmacological effects and potential health benefits. This study investigated the immunomodulatory effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) by examining their interaction with the TLR4/MD-2 complex and the impacts of gastrointestinal digestion on these interactions. We discovered that the affinity binding of LBPs for TLR4/MD-2 and their cytokine induction capability are influenced by molecular weight, with medium-sized LBPs (100-300 kDa) exhibiting stronger binding affinity and induction capability. Conversely, LBPs smaller than 10 kDa showed reduced activity. Additionally, the content of arabinose and galactose within the LBPs fractions was found to correlate positively with both receptor affinity and cytokine secretion. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion resulted in the degradation of LBPs into smaller fragments that are rich in glucose. Although these fragments exhibited decreased binding affinity to the TLR4/MD-2 complex, they maintained their activity to promote cytokine production. Our findings highlight the significance of molecular weight and specific monosaccharide composition in the immunomodulatory function of LBPs and emphasize the influence of gastrointestinal digestion on the effects of LBPs. This research contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the immunomodulatory effects of traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides and their practical application., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Polysaccharides, as common metabolic products in organisms, play a crucial role in the growth and development of living organisms. For humans, polysaccharides represent a class of compounds with diverse applications, particularly in the medical field. Therefore, the exploration of the monosaccharide composition and structural characteristics of polysaccharides holds significant importance in understanding their biological functions. This review provides a comprehensive overview of extraction methods and hydrolysis strategies for polysaccharides. It systematically analyzes strategies and technologies for determining polysaccharide composition and discusses common derivatization reagents employed in further polysaccharide studies. Derivatization is considered a fundamental strategy for determining monosaccharides, as it not only enhances the detectability of analytes but also increases detection sensitivity, especially in liquid chromatography (LC), capillary electrophoresis (CE), and gas chromatography (GC) techniques. The review meticulously examines pre-column and post-column derivatization techniques for monosaccharide analysis, categorizing them based on diverse detection methodologies. It delves into the principles and distinctive features of various derivatization reagents, offering a comparative analysis of their strengths and limitations. Ultimately, the aim is to provide guidance for selecting the most suitable derivatization approach, taking into account the structural nuances, biological functions, and reaction dynamics of polysaccharides., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)