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Effects of Calcium Concentration in Potato Tuber Cells on the Formation of Cross-Links between Pectin Molecules by Ca2+

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Abstract

The formation of cross-links between pectin molecules via Ca2+ in the potato tuber cell wall is a determinant factor on processing properties of potato and the quality of its products such as French fries. Thus, in this study, potato tubers varying significantly in their calcium concentrations were analyzed to investigate whether an increased absorption of calcium by a potato tuber led to an increase in the calcium concentration in the cell wall and how the calcium concentration in the cell wall influenced on the formation of cross-links between pectin molecules via Ca2+. Correlation analysis revealed that calcium absorbed by a potato tuber was bound to the cell wall as a water insoluble form 99 days after planting or later. Furthermore, with an increase in the calcium concentration in the cell wall, the content of chelator soluble pectin increased throughout tuber bulking and maturation stages. However, the degree of methylation was not a limiting factor in the formation of cross-links between pectin chains via Ca2+. Atomic force microscopy images of parenchyma cell walls prepared from mature potato tubers indicated an increase in the amount of calcium cross-linked pectin molecules with an increase in the calcium concentration in the cell wall. The present study demonstrated that the calcium concentration of the cell wall of potato tubers significantly affected the formation of cross-linkages between pectin molecules and, consequently, contributed to an enhanced formation of pectin-calcium networks in the cell wall.

Resumen

La formación de enlaces cruzados entre moléculas de pectina vía Ca2+ en la pared celular del tubérculo de papa es un factor determinante en las propiedades de procesamiento de la papa y en la calidad de sus productos, como las papas a la francesa. De aquí que, en este estudio, se analizaron tubérculos de papa que variaban significativamente en sus concentraciones de calcio, para investigar si un incremento en la absorción de este elemento por un tubérculo de papa conducía a un aumento en la concentración de calcio en la pared celular y como su concentración en la pared celular influenció en la formación de enlaces cruzados entre moléculas de pectina vía Ca2+. El análisis de correlación reveló que el calcio absorbido por un tubérculo de papa estaba unido a la pared celular como una forma insoluble al agua 99 días después de la siembra o después. Aún más, con un aumento en la concentración de calcio en la pared celular, el contenido de pectina quelante soluble aumentó a lo largo del crecimiento del tubérculo y de las etapas de maduración. No obstante, el grado de metilación no fue un factor limitante en la formación de enlaces cruzados entre cadenas de pectina vía Ca2+. Las imágenes de microscopía atómica forzada de paredes celulares del parénquima preparadas de tubérculos de papa maduros indicaron un aumento en la cantidad de moléculas de pectina de enlaces cruzados de calcio con un aumento en la concentración de calcio en la pared celular. El presente estudio demostró que la concentración de calcio de la pared celular de los tubérculos de papa afectó significativamente la formación de enlaces cruzados entre moléculas de pectinas, y consecuentemente, contribuyó a un aumento en la formación de redes de calcio-pectina en la pared celular.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge Mr. Naoki Moriura and his family who provided the potato samples for this research. We would like to thank Dr. Naomichi Baba, Dr. Hiroko Tada and Dr. Tetsuya Uchida from Okayama University for their help with the AFM experiment. We also thank Dr. Jun Kasuga, Dr. Yoshihiko Tokuji, Dr. Takuji Ohwada and Dr. Daisuke Kondo from Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine for their valuable suggestion and technical assistance on the microscopic observation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8550, Japan

    Daiki Murayama

  2. Research Center for Global Agromedicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-0834, Japan

    Masayuki Tani & Hiroshi Koaze

  3. Department of Food Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    Shinya Ikeda

  4. Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    Jiwan P. Palta

  5. Department of Food Science, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-0834, Japan

    Samanthi W. Pelpolage & Hiroaki Yamauchi

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  1. Daiki Murayama
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Correspondence to Hiroshi Koaze.

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Murayama, D., Tani, M., Ikeda, S. et al. Effects of Calcium Concentration in Potato Tuber Cells on the Formation of Cross-Links between Pectin Molecules by Ca2+ . Am. J. Potato Res. 94, 524–533 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-017-9589-x

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