Molecular characterisation of soybean polysaccharides: an approach by size exclusion chromatography, dynamic and static light scattering methods Original Research Article

Water soluble polysaccharides from soybean (SSPS) have a pectin-like structure and are used as stabilisers in acidified beverages. Physicochemical properties such as structure, molecular weight and shape or conformation are primary factors controlling their functional properties. Two soybean polysaccharides, a native SSPS and a modified SSPS treated with β-(1→4)-d-galactosidase (GPase/SSPS) were studied by dynamic and static light scattering (DLS, SLS) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Consecutive filtrations using a range of membrane pore size removed a small fraction of macromolecular aggregates from dilute polysaccharide solutions with relatively little effect on the major component molecules as monitored by DLS and SEC measurements. Access to aggregate-free dilute solutions of SSPS and GPase/SSPS allowed the direct measurement of molecular characteristics. SLS results showed that SSPS had a weight average molecular weight of (645 ± 11) × 103 g/mol and a radius of gyration, Rg, of (23.5 ± 2.8) nm. By comparing Rg with the hydrodynamic radius, Rh (21.1 ± 0.5 nm) obtained from DLS, the structural parameter ρ (Rg/Rh) was found to be 1.1, suggesting that SSPS has an overall globular shape due to a highly branched structure. The modified SSPS had a significantly lower molecular weight (287 ± 18) × 103 g/mol but a similar radius of gyration (23.2 ± 1.7 nm). The structure parameter ρ of GPase/SSPS was higher (ρ = 1.3) because of a smaller hydrodynamic radius (17.7 ± 1.8 nm). This suggests that GPase/SSPS has a much less branched structure yet still differs significantly from a linear random coil conformation (ρ = 1.7–2.0). The results derived from SLS and DLS are in agreement with the conclusions obtained from a chemical analysis where the reduction of molecular weight of GPase/SSPS was caused by the cleavage of galactan side chains.