Surface topography nanostructure of model and natural plant cell wall assemblies

Title: Surface topography nanostructure of model and natural plant cell wall assemblies

Collaboration: The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Physics, Division of Biophysics and Medical Technology + Institute of Agrophysics PAS in Lublin, Poland

Responsible: Justyna Cybulska, host researcher: Bjørn T. Stokke

Period: February-March 2010

Financed by The Research Council of Norway

Abstract

Cell walls are the major component of a plant tissue which significantly influence on textural properties of fruit and vegetables. Geometrical dimensions of parenchyma cells are very small what makes impossible studying their properties in a natural state. An alternative is creating a model cell walls consisting of polysaccharides which imitates natural walls. As a model material polysaccharides network based on the bacterial cellulose supplemented with xyloglucan and pectin is proposed.

So far no studies have been devoted to the effect of various factors on the mechanical properties of model cell walls based on the bacterial cellulose. Calcium influences on the texture of the tissue by stabilization of the microstructure of cell walls. An influence of calcium ions on plant tissue is well documented in macro-scale but there is still little information about Ca2+ effect on the nanostructure of cell walls. For that reason the aim of this research is to estimate the effect of calcium ions on the nanostructure of the natural and model cell walls.
The experiment is planned in order to compare calcium effect on model plant cell walls with natural cell walls isolated from apple tissue. At first model and natural plant cell wall materials will be prepared in the Institute of Agrophysics in Lublin, Poland. The samples ready to AFM nanostructure observations will be delivered to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim. The AFM experiments will be carried out based on experience developed in this laboratory.

The anticipated scientific benefit from this project is determination of calcium ions effect on the nanostructure of the natural and model cell walls. Researches on this scope have not been carried out yet on the nanostructural level.

Quantitative description of the nanostructure changes after the calcium treatment may give also useful information for scientific and industrial postharvest technology groups.

Results
in press