Inulin nanostructures: The sweet-spot of carbohydrate self-assembly

Abstract

Supramolecular architecture formation by the self-assembly of proteins and nucleic acids is well studied. Yet, the spontaneous organization of oligosaccharides, the most common polymers in nature, is less explored. Here, using inulin as a model, we identify the "sweet spot" length for oligosaccharide assembly. Inulin forms discrete spheres in a concentration-dependent manner. Size-based fractionation displayed markedly different aggregation morphologies. Based on these findings, we believe that carbohydrates could become an important source for novel self-assembling materials.