THE INFLUENCE OF CALCIUM-IONS, ACETATE AND L-GLYCERATE GROUPS ON THE GELLAN DOUBLE-HELIX

A computer-assisted linked-atom least-squares program has been used to visualize the crystal structure of calcium gellan and to examine the ability of acetate and l-glycerate groups in native gellan to sustain the doublehelix and to maintain the potassium gellan crystal packing. The results explain the strong and brittle gelation behavior at low ionic strength of calcium gellan and suggest that the weak and rubbery gelation behavior of native gellan is perhaps due to the l-glycerate groups. © 1990.