Decoding the Complexity of Fucans for Innovative Applications
CD BioGlyco is a leader in marine carbohydrate research, engaged in the Extraction, Purification, Characterization, and application development of complex polysaccharides from various marine sources (such as seaweed and marine invertebrates). Our comprehensive services enable researchers and industry to understand the structural, compositional, and functional properties of these marine carbohydrates to unlock their potential in various applications. Fucan is a class of sulfated polysaccharides typically extracted from brown algae with potential applications in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic industries. Our characterization services involve the use of advanced methods to ensure a thorough understanding of the biochemical and biophysical properties of fucan. Our services include:
Extraction of Fucan
The collected algae samples are washed to remove impurities, dried, and ground into a fine powder. An acid extraction process (such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid) is used to break down the cell structure and release the fucan and heated under controlled conditions to facilitate extraction. Filtration is performed to remove solid residues and the fucan is precipitated with ethanol. The precipitate is then collected by centrifugation or filtration and dried to obtain a crude polysaccharide extract.
Purification of Fucan
- Dialysis: The precipitated fucan is dialyzed into distilled water to remove small molecules and salts and further purify the polysaccharide.
- Ion exchange chromatography (IEX): The crude fucan solution is eluted through an ion exchange column according to the charge characteristics of the fucan.
- Size exclusion chromatography (SEC): To obtain fucan with uniform molecular weight, SEC is used to separate the fucan according to molecular size.
Characterization of Fucan
- Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR): Identifies the type and sequence of sugar units, glycosidic bonds, and substituents such as sulfate groups in fucan polymers.
- Mass spectrometry (MS): Provides information on the molecular weight and composition of fucan.
- Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR): Identifies functional groups and confirms the presence of sulfate esters.
- High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC): Separates different fractions based on the size and charge of fucan.
- Capillary electrophoresis (CE): Separates fucan molecules based on their size and charge under an electric field, obtaining high-resolution data on sugar heterogeneity.
Publication
Technology: Anion exchange chromatography, one-dimensional (1D)/two-dimensional (2D) NMR, MS
Journal: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
IF: 4.9
Published: 2022
Results: Based on a bottom-up strategy, crude sulfated polysaccharides were extracted from the sea cucumber Holothuria fuscopunctata and purified by strong anion exchange chromatography to obtain fucan sulfate I (FSI) for subsequent characterization and activity assays. The precise structural sequences of disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides released by weak acid hydrolysis were investigated by 1D/2D NMR and MS. The results showed that the glycosidic bonds in these oligosaccharides were all α1,3-linked without any α1,4 type. The structure of FSI is [-L-Fuc2S4S-α1,3-L-Fuc(2S)-α1,3-L-Fuc2S-α1,3-L-Fuc0S-α1,3-1-]n.
Fig.1 MS spectra of oligosaccharides. (Gao, et al., 2022)
Applications
- Fucan is being explored for its role in tissue engineering, wound healing, and regenerative medicine. Detailed structural characterization helps understand its mechanism of action and optimize its use in biomedical applications.
- Fucan is increasingly being used in dietary supplements and functional foods. Characterization services provide detailed analysis of its molecular composition to ensure product consistency, potency, and safety.
- Fucan has anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anticancer properties. Characterization services help identify the specific structural components responsible for these activities, thereby aiding the development of new therapeutic agents.
Advantages of Us
- We combine HPLC, MS, NMR, FTIR, CE, and other advanced technologies to fully analyze the structural and functional properties of fucan.
- Our advanced equipment and methods save time and resources for researchers by shortening the project cycle as much as possible while ensuring the quality of analysis.
- Our characterization services include detailed molecular weight determination, monosaccharide composition analysis, structural elucidation, and functional group identification, providing a holistic understanding of fucan samples.
- Our laboratories follow strict quality control measures and standardized protocols to ensure the reproducibility and accuracy of results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is fucan characterization important?
Fucan has a variety of biological activities including anticoagulant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Detailed characterization to understand its precise structure, composition, and functional properties enables its optimal use in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and biotechnology, helping to develop high-value products and ensure product consistency and effectiveness.
Are your characterization methods validated?
Of course, our characterization methods are rigorously validated to ensure the highest quality and reliability of the results. We perform comprehensive analyses of fucan using industry-standard protocols and state-of-the-art instrumentation, and these methods are subject to inter-laboratory comparisons, reference material calibrations, and validation studies. Our commitment to methodological rigor ensures that our clients receive reliable, reproducible, and scientifically sound data.
CD BioGlyco uses advanced analytical techniques to elucidate the structural and functional properties of fucan from various marine organisms. Our characterization data not only assists in quality control but also facilitates product development and innovation. Please feel free to contact us for characterization solutions of fucan from a variety of sources.
References
- Gao, L.; et al. Structure elucidation of fucan sulfate from sea cucumber Holothuria fuscopunctata through a bottom-up strategy and the antioxidant activity analysis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022, 23(9): 4488.
- From Wikipedia: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Capo Gallo Dicotoma.jpg.
