Chemical and Structural Characterizations of Suberin.

Description of impact

Suberin is a highly complex natural polymer that contains a glycerol based fatty acid polyester esterified with aromatic compounds. Little is known about the three dimensional structure of the polymer and its interaction with other cell wall components, mainly waxes, lignin and polysaccharides. To clarify the role of different components in the structure and properties of the polymer we apply chromatographic techniques and mass spectrometry and for the analysis of both natural and genetically modified suberins in collaboration with the Analytical and Environmental Chemistry research group at University of Girona. These techniques also allow studying cork from different genetic backgrounds and qualities in order to establish relationships between chemical composition, quality and environmental and genetic factors.