A novel pH dependent dimerization motif in beta lactoglobulin from pig (sus scrofa)

Biophysical Structural Chemistr

Disulphide bond formation in food protein aggregation and gelation

In this short review we discuss the role of cysteine residues and cystine bridges for the functional aggregation of food proteins. We evaluate how formation and cleavage of disulphide bonds proceeds at a molecular level, and how inter- and intramolecular disulfide bonds can be detected and modified. The differences between heat-, high-pressure-, and denaturant-induced unfolding and aggregation are discussed. The effect of disulphide bonding between aggregates of proteins and protein mixtures on the functional macroscopic properties of space filling networks in protein gels is briefly presente

X-ray and light scattering study of the structure of large protein aggregates at neutral pH

The structure of large ovalbumin and ß-lactoglobulin aggregates formed after heat-denaturation at neutral pH was studied using a combination of light and small-angle X-ray scattering. The effect of the electrostatic interactions was investigated by varying the ionic strength. The results were compared with images obtained using cryo-TEM. The structure of ovalbumin aggregates is compatible with that of semi-flexible strings of monomers that are more flexible and increasingly branched with increasing ionic strength. The persistence length increases with decreasing ionic strength. ß-lactoglobulin aggregates consist of clusters of primary aggregates that are formed in the first step of the aggregation process. At low ionic strength the association of primary aggregates is mostly head to tail, while with increasing ionic strength denser clustering of the primary aggregates is observed

Role of calcium as trigger in thermal beta-lactoglobulin aggregation

Divalent calcium ions have been suggested to be involved in intermolecular protein-Ca2+-protein cross-linking, intramolecular electrostatic shielding, or ion-induced protein conformational changes as a trigger for protein aggregation at elevated temperatures. To address the first two phenomena in the case of-lactoglobulin, a combination of chemical protein modification, calcium-binding, and aggregation studies was used, while the structural integrity of the modified proteins was maintained. Although increasing the number of carboxylates on the protein by succinylation results in improved calcium-binding, calcium appears to be less effective in inducing protein aggregation. In fact, the larger the number of carboxylates, the higher the concentration of calcium that is required to trigger the aggregation. Lowering the number of negative charges on the protein surface via methylation of carboxylates reduces calcium-binding properties, but calcium-induced aggregation at low concentration is improved. Monovalent sodium ions cannot take over the specific role of calcium. The relation between net surface charge and number of calcium ions bound required to trigger the aggregation suggests that calcium needs to bind site specific to carboxylates with a threshold affinity. Subsequent site-specific screening of surface charges results in protein aggregation, driven by the partial unfolding of the protein at elevated temperatures, which is then facilitated by the absence of electrostatic repulsion

Heat-induced denaturation and aggregation of ovalbumin at neutral pH described by irreversible first-order kinetics

The heat-induced denaturation kinetics of two different sources of ovalbumin at pH 7 was studied by chromatography and differential scanning calorimetry. The kinetics was found to be independent of protein concentration and salt concentration, but was strongly dependent on temperature. For highly pure ovalbumin, the decrease in nondenatured native protein showed first-order dependence. The activation energy obtained with different techniques varied between 430 and 490 kJ.mole(-1). First-order behavior was studied in detail using differential scanning calorimetry. The calorimetric traces were irreversible and highly scan rate-dependent. The shape of the thermograms as well as the scan rate dependence can be explained by assuming that the thermal denaturation takes place according to a simplified kinetic process N -->(k) D where N is the native state, D is denatured (or another final state) and k a first-order kinetic constant that changes with temperature, according to the Arrhenius equation. A kinetic model for the temperature-induced denaturation and aggregation of ovalbumin is presented. Commercially obtained ovalbumin was found to contain an intermediate- stable fraction (IS) of about 20% that was unable to form aggregates. The denaturation of this fraction did not satisfy first-order kinetics

Physical and chemical interactions in cold gelation of food proteins

pH-Induced cold gelation of whey proteins is a two-step process. After protein aggregates have been prepared by heat treatment, gelation is established at ambient temperature by gradually lowering the pH. To demonstrate the importance of electrostatic interactions between aggregates during this latter process, -lactoglobulin aggregates with a decreased iso-electric point were prepared via succinylation of primary amino groups. The kinetics of pH-induced gelation was affected significantly, with the pH gelation curves shifting to lower pH after succinylation. With increasing modification, the pH of gelation decreased to about 2.5. In contrast, unmodified aggregates gel around pH 5. Increasing the iso-electric point of -lactoglobulin via methylation of carboxylic acid groups resulted in gelation at more alkaline pH values. Comparable results were obtained with whey protein isolate. At low pH disulfide cross-links between modified aggregates were not formed after gelation and the gels displayed both syneresis and spontaneous gel fracture, in this way resembling the morphology of previously characterized thiol-blocked whey protein isolate gels (Alting, et al., J. Agric. Food Chem. 2000, 48, 5001-5007). Our results clearly demonstrate the importance of the net electric charge of the aggregates during pH-induced gelation. In addition, the absence of disulfide bond formation between aggregates during low-pH gelation was demonstrated with the modified aggregate

Role of calcium as trigger in thermal beta-lactoglobulin aggregation

Divalent calcium ions have been suggested to be involved in intermolecular protein-Ca2+-protein cross-linking, intramolecular electrostatic shielding, or ion-induced protein conformational changes as a trigger for protein aggregation at elevated temperatures. To address the first two phenomena in the case of-lactoglobulin, a combination of chemical protein modification, calcium-binding, and aggregation studies was used, while the structural integrity of the modified proteins was maintained. Although increasing the number of carboxylates on the protein by succinylation results in improved calcium-binding, calcium appears to be less effective in inducing protein aggregation. In fact, the larger the number of carboxylates, the higher the concentration of calcium that is required to trigger the aggregation. Lowering the number of negative charges on the protein surface via methylation of carboxylates reduces calcium-binding properties, but calcium-induced aggregation at low concentration is improved. Monovalent sodium ions cannot take over the specific role of calcium. The relation between net surface charge and number of calcium ions bound required to trigger the aggregation suggests that calcium needs to bind site specific to carboxylates with a threshold affinity. Subsequent site-specific screening of surface charges results in protein aggregation, driven by the partial unfolding of the protein at elevated temperatures, which is then facilitated by the absence of electrostatic repulsion