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Structural characterization of mucin in aqueous solution by static and dynamic light scattering measurements

Polymer Journal (2025)Cite this article

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Abstract

Mucin is a biological compound that consists of high-molecular-weight glycoproteins and plays an important role in the evaporation of water from respiratory droplets. Accurate characterization of the molecular structure of mucin in aqueous solution was performed using light scattering measurements. The molecular weight, M = 2.92 × 107, and the radius of gyration, Rg = 289 nm, were determined from static light scattering, and the hydrodynamic radius, Rh = 198 nm, was determined from dynamic light scattering. The Rg/Rh ratio of 1.46 and the observed particle scattering function reveal that the molecular structure of mucin is elongated rather than spherical. As the size of molecules approaches the wavelength of the detected light, the analysis of light scattering measurements requires careful consideration. The calculation method devised by H. Fujita enables measurement of the molecular structure with extremely high accuracy.

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Funding

This study was funded by a Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory) (22K19849).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

    Kayori Takahashi, Kenjiro Iida & Hiromu Sakurai

  2. Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan

    Nobuyuki Takegawa

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  1. Kayori Takahashi
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Correspondence to Kayori Takahashi.

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Takahashi, K., Iida, K., Sakurai, H. et al. Structural characterization of mucin in aqueous solution by static and dynamic light scattering measurements. Polym J (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-025-01096-8

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