Beta-lactoglobulin molten globule induced by high pressure.

Beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) was treated with high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) at 600 MPa and 50 degrees C for selected times as long as 64 min. The intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of beta-LG indicated that HHP treatment conditions induced a conformational change. HHP treatment conditions also promote a 3-fold increase in the extrinsic fluorescence of 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate and a 2.6-fold decrease for cis-paraneric acid, suggesting an increase in accessible aromatic hydrophobicity and a decrease in aliphatic hydrophobicity. Far-ultraviolet circular dichroism (CD) spectra reveal that the secondary structure of beta-LG converts from native beta-sheets to non-native alpha-helices following HHP treatment, whereas near-ultraviolet CD spectra reveal that the native tertiary structure of beta-LG essentially disappears. Urea titrations reveal that native beta-LG unfolds cooperatively, but the pressure-treated molecule unfolds noncooperatively. The noncooperative state is stable for 3 months at 5 degrees C. The nonaccessible free thiol group of cysteine121 in native beta-LG became reactive to Ellman's reagent after adequate HHP treatment. Gel electrophoresis with and without beta-mercaptoethanol provided evidence that the exposed thiol group was lost concomitant with the formation of S-S-linked beta-LG dimers. Overall, these results suggest that HHP treatments induce beta-LG into hydrophobic molten globule structures that remain stable for at least 3 months.     

Influence of binding of sodium dodecyl sulfate, all-trans-retinol, palmitate, and 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate on the heat-induced unfolding and aggregation of beta-lactoglobulin B

Heat treatment of bovine beta-lactoglobulin B (beta-LG) causes it to partially unfold and aggregate via hydrophobic association and intra- and interprotein disulfide bonds. The first stage, which involves a "loosening" of the native structure, is influenced by the environmental conditions, such as pressure, pH, and added solutes. In the present study, four potential beta-LG ligands [palmitate, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS), and all-trans-retinol (retinol)] were added to beta-LG solutions prior to heat treatment for 12 min at temperatures between 40 and 93 degrees C. The extent of the changes in secondary and tertiary structures, unfolding, and aggregation at 20 degrees C were determined by circular dichroism, fluorescence, and alkaline- and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Both palmitate and SDS stabilized the native structure of beta-LG against heat-induced structural flexibility, subsequent unfolding, and denaturation. Retinol was less effective, probably because of its lower affinity for the calyx-binding site, and ANS did not stabilize beta-LG, suggesting that ANS did not bind strongly in the calyx. It was also noted that holding a beta-LG solution with added SDS or ANS promoted the formation of a hydrophobically associated non-native dimer.     

Beta-lactoglobulin structure and retinol binding changes in presence of anionic and neutral detergents

Bovine beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) in vivo (in milks) has been found in complexes with lipids such as butyric and oleic acids. To elucidate the still unknown structure-function relationship in this protein, the structural changes of beta-lactoglobulin variant A (beta-LG A) in the presence of anionic surfactant such as sodium n-dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and in the presence of nonionic surfactant such as Triton X-100 have been investigated. Subsequently, the retinol binding by beta-LG has been investigated in the presence of various amounts of these surfactants as its binding indicator. The results of UV-vis and fluorescence studies show a higher denaturating effect of SDS at acid pH that can be due to greater positive charges of beta-LG at this pH indicating also the nonspecific hydrophobic interactions of Triton X-100 with beta-LG at all studied pHs. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) measurements indicate the endothermic nature of beta-LG/SDS interactions and the exothermic nature of Triton X-100/beta-LG interactions. The analysis of the binding data demonstrates the absence of considerable changes in retinol binding properties of beta-LG in the presence of various amounts of these surfactants. This implies that surfactant binding does not change the conformation of beta-LG in the regions defining the retinol-binding site.     

Influence of binding of sodium dodecyl sulfate, all-trans-retinol, and 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate on the high-pressure-induced unfolding and aggregation of beta-lactoglobulin B

Bovine beta-lactoglobulin B (beta-LG) is susceptible to pressure treatment, which unfolds it, allowing thiol-catalyzed disulfide bond interchange to occur, facilitating intermolecular bonding (both noncovalent and disulfide). In the present study, beta-LG was mixed with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), all-trans-retinol (retinol), or 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) on a 1:1.1 molar basis, and aliquots were held at pressures between 50 and 800 MPa for 30 min at pH 7.2 and 20 degrees C. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) showed that beta-LG alone (control) was converted into a non-native monomer and a series of dimers, trimers, etc., at pressures beyond 100 MPa; SDS inhibited the formation of non-native species up to 200 MPa, and neither retinol nor ANS inhibited the formation of the non-native species as effectively as SDS. At pressures beyond 350 MPa, SDS ceased to have any inhibitory effect, but both ANS and retinol showed significant inhibition. The near- and far-UV CD patterns and the ANS fluorescent data were consistent with the PAGE data, but the retinol fluorescent data did not show sufficient change to interpret. The results suggested that there were three discernible structural stages. In Stage I (0.1-150 MPa), the native structure is stable; in Stage II (200-450 MPa), the native monomer is reversibly interchanging with non-native monomers and disulfide-bonded dimers; and in Stage III (>500 MPa), the free CysH in non-native monomer and dimer interacts with -S-S- bonds to produce high molecular weight aggregates of beta-LG. SDS inhibited the Stage I to Stage II transition at 200 MPa, and ANS and retinol inhibited the Stage II to Stage III transition at 600 MPa.     

Ethanol effect on the structure of beta-lactoglobulin b and its ligand binding

The changes of structure and ligand binding properties of beta-LG B have been studied by fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy in ethanolic solutions. Fluorescence measurements of retinol/beta-LG interactions at 480 nm in various ethanol concentrations show that the maximal fluorescence intensity induced by this interaction between retinol and beta-LG is observed around 20% v/v of ethanol. It is reduced to zero at 40% and 50% of ethanol. These results suggest that there are two distinct structural changes in beta-LG occurring between 20% and 30% and around 40% of ethanol. The first transition, which increases affinity and the apparent number of binding sites for retinol, may be related or similar to the Tanford transition. The strong quenching of retinol emission at 480 nm in 40% of ethanol indicates the radical transformation of beta-LG tertiary structure and the release of retinol. CD spectra at the aromatic region show that secondary and tertiary structures of beta-LG are not significantly affected between 0% and 20% of ethanol. In 30% of ethanol, beta-sheet percentage of beta-LG decreases with respect to native beta-LG (from 55% to 46%). beta-Sheet percentage in beta-LG increases in 40% and 50% alcohol (51% and 53%) relative to 30% of ethanol, which also indicates the strong rearrangement of the secondary structure of beta-LG, while its tertiary structure and beta-LG interactions are radically changed.     

Comparison of protein surface hydrophobicity measured at various pH values using three different fluorescent probes

The influence of type of fluorescent probe on the surface hydrophobicity values determined for three native and heated proteins was assessed using uncharged [6-propionyl-2-(N, N-dimethylamino)naphthalene or PRODAN] versus anionic aliphatic (cis-parinaric acid or CPA) and aromatic (1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid or ANS) probes. Surface hydrophobicities of whey protein isolate, beta-lactoglobulin, and bovine serum albumin under heated (80 degrees C for 30 min) and unheated conditions and at varying pH values (3.0, 5.0, 7.0, and 9. 0) were measured using ANS, CPA, and PRODAN. ANS and CPA yielded opposing results for the effects of pH and heating on protein hydrophobicity. Hydrophobicity was lower at pH 3.0 than at other pH values for all proteins measured by PRODAN, whereas the values measured by ANS and CPA at pH 3.0 were quite high compared to those at other pH values, suggesting the influence of electrostatic interactions on anionic probe-protein binding. These results suggest that the presence or absence of a permanent charge as well as the aromatic and aliphatic nature of fluorescent probes can affect protein hydrophobicity values measured under various pH conditions.     

Structural rearrangement of ethanol-denatured soy proteins by high hydrostatic pressure treatment

The effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment (100-500 MPa) on solubility and structural properties of ethanol (EtOH)-denatured soy β-conglycinin and glycinin were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared and ultraviolet spectroscopy. HHP treatment above 200 MPa, especially at neutral and alkaline pH as well as low ionic strength, significantly improved the solubility of denatured soy proteins. Structural rearrangements of denatured β-conglycinin subjected to high pressure were confirmed, as evidenced by the increase in enthalpy value (ΔH) and the formation of the ordered supramolecular structure with stronger intramolecular hydrogen bond. HHP treatment (200-400 MPa) caused an increase in surface hydrophobicity (F(max)) of β-conglycinin, partially attributable to the exposure of the Tyr and Phe residues, whereas higher pressure (500 MPa) induced the decrease in F(max) due to hydrophobic rearrangements. The Trp residues in β-conglycinin gradually transferred into a hydrophobic environment, which might further support the finding of structural rearrangements. In contrast, increasing pressure induced the progressive unfolding of denatured glycinin, accompanied by the movement of the Tyr and Phe residues to the molecular surface of protein. These results suggested that EtOH-denatured β-conglycinin and glycinin were involved in different pathways of structural changes during HHP treatment.     

Interactions between bovine beta-lactoglobulin and peptides under different physicochemical conditions

The aim of this study was to determine if peptides could interact with beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) and what the physicochemical conditions promoting their interaction with the protein are. The binding of negatively charged (beta-LG 125-135 and 130-135), positively charged (beta-LG 69-83 and 146-149), and hydrophobic (alphaS1-CN 23-34 and beta-LG 102-105, both bioactive peptides) peptides to bovine beta-LG was determined using an ultrafiltration method under different physicochemical conditions: pH 3.0, 6.8, and 8.0; buffers of 0.05 and 0.1 M; 4, 25, and 40 degrees C; beta-LG/peptide ratios of 1:5 and 1:10. At pH 3.0, none of the peptides interacted with beta-LG at any temperature, buffer molarity, or beta-LG/peptide ratio probably due to electrostatic repulsions between the highly protonated species. At pH 6.8 and 8.0, charged peptides beta-LG 130-135, 69-83, and 146-149 bound to beta-LG under some physicochemical conditions, possibly by nonspecific binding. However, both hydrophobic peptides probably bind to the inner cavity (beta-barrel) of beta-LG, provoking the release of materials absorbing at 214 nm. Given the known biological activities of the hydrophobic peptides used in this study (opioid and ACE-inhibitory activities), their binding to beta-LG may be relevant to a better understanding of the physiological function of the protein.     

Reduced immunogenicity of beta-lactoglobulin by conjugation with carboxymethyl dextran differing in molecular weight

To reduce the immunogenicity of beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG), two beta-LG-carboxymethyl dextran (CMD) conjugates (Conj. 40 and Conj. 162) were prepared by using water-soluble carbodiimide (EDC). The molar ratios of beta-LG to CMD in Conj. 40 and Conj. 162 were 8:1 and 7:1, respectively. Each conjugate maintained approximately 50% of the retinol binding activity of beta-LG. Structural analyses by intrinsic fluorescence, CD spectra, and ELISA with monoclonal antibodies indicated that the surface of beta-LG in each conjugate was covered by CMD without great disruption of native conformation. By conjugation with CMD, the antibody response to beta-LG was reduced in BALB/c, C3H/He, and C57BL/6 mice, which was eminent in Conj. 162. The results of B cell epitope scanning using overlapping synthesized peptides showed that the linear epitope profiles of the conjugates were similar to those of beta-LG, whereas the antibody response to each epitope was reduced, which was eminent in Conj. 162. It was concluded that conjugation with CMD of higher molecular weight is effective in reducing the immunogenicity of beta-LG and that masking of epitopes by CMD is responsible for the reduced immunogenicity.     

Heat treatment of beta-lactoglobulin: structural changes studied by partitioning and fluorescence

Functional properties of whey protein concentrates (WPC) are primarily dependent on the degree of denaturation of beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG), the major globular whey protein. Irreversible modifications in the tertiary structure and association state of beta-LG after heat treatment were studied by partition in aqueous two-phase systems and fluorescence quenching. Partitioning of preheated beta-LG in two-phase systems containing 5% (w/w) poly(ethylene glycol) and 7% (w/w) dextran, between pH 6.0 and7.0, are appropriately related with the intensity of heat treatment. An increase in the partition coefficient of beta-LG was observed with increasing temperature of heat treatment. On the other hand, fluorescence quenching of beta-LG by acrylamide was used to study the conformational flexibility of the protein at pH values between 4. 0 and 9.0. The values of bimolecular quenching rate constant (k(q)) obtained showed that beta-LG appears to be more flexible at high pH values, while at low pH the protein assumes a more compact form. The efficiency of acrylamide quenching on preheated beta-LG was substantially more pronounced than for the untreated protein. This difference can be ascribed to the presence of unfolded monomers and aggregates of denatured molecules formed after heat treatment, whose tryptophanyl residues are more exposed to the solvent. In conclusion, the results suggest that partition studies in aqueous two-phase systems and fluorescence quenching are very useful tools to detect changes in conformation and aggregation of beta-LG induced by heat treatment.     

FT-Raman spectroscopy, fluorescent probe, and solvent accessibility study of egg and milk proteins

Due to possible contribution of both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, use of anionic fluorescent probes such as 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid (ANS) and cis-parinaric acid (CPA) for the measurement of protein surface hydrophobicity (S0) has been controversial. A neutral probe, 6-propionyl-2-(dimethylamino)-naphthalene (PRODAN), may circumvent this problem. To select the best indicator of S0, in this study, the data for nine model proteins in phosphate buffer, pH 7.5, measured using the above-mentioned probes, was compared to their FT-Raman spectra and calculated solvent accessibility values. Log S0 measured using CPA had the highest correlation (r = 0.874) with the intensities of Raman spectral signals at 760 cm(-1) and 2800-3100 cm(-1), which were combined using a mixture design based on the random-centroid optimization. The order of correlation of Raman spectral parameters with S0 values were CPA > PRODAN > ANS. FT-Raman spectroscopy, therefore, identified CPA, followed by PRODAN, as the fluorescent probe of choice for describing surface hydrophobicity. However, the amino acid surface accessibility calculated using the PredictProtein software was not useful in identifying the best fluorescent probe for the measurement of S0.     

Reduced immunogenicity of beta-lactoglobulin by conjugation with acidic oligosaccharides

Bovine beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) was conjugated with the acidic oligosaccharides, alginic acid oligosaccharide (ALGO) and phosphoryl oligosaccharides (POs) by the Maillard reaction to reduce the immunogenicity of beta-LG. The molar ratios of beta-LG to ALGO and POs in the conjugates were 1:6 and 1:8. The carbohydrate-binding sites in the beta-LG-ALGO conjugate were partially identified to be (60)Lys, (77)Lys, (100)Lys, (138)Lys, and (141)Lys. The isoelectric point of each conjugate was lower than that of beta-LG. CD spectra indicated that the secondary structure of beta-LG was almost maintained after conjugation. The results of fluorescence studies indicated that the conformation around Trp had not changed in each conjugate and that the surface of each conjugate was covered with a saccharide chain. Structural analyses with monoclonal antibodies indicated that the conformation around (8)Lys-(19)Trp (beta-sheet, random coil, short helix) in the conjugates had changed, whereas the native structure was maintained around (15)Val-(29)Ile (beta-sheet) and (125)Thr-(135)Lys (alpha-helix). The beta-LG-ALGO and beta-LG-POs conjugates maintained 77 and 70% of the retinol binding activity of beta-LG. Conjugation with ALGO and POs substantially enhanced the thermal stability of beta-LG. The anti-beta-LG antibody response was markedly reduced after immunization with both conjugates in BALB/c, C57BL/6, and C3H/He mice. B cell epitopes of beta-LG and the conjugate recognized in these mice were determined with 15-mer multipin peptides, and the linear epitope profiles of the conjugates were found to be similar to those of beta-LG, whereas the antibody response to each epitope was dramatically reduced. In particular, effective reduction of the antibody response was observed in the vicinity of the carbohydrate-binding sites. Conjugation of beta-LG with these acidic oligosaccharides was effective in reducing the immunogenicity of beta-LG. The conjugates obtained in this study are edible, so they would be very useful for food application.     

Pressure-induced unfolding and aggregation of the proteins in whey protein concentrate solutions

Whey protein concentrate solutions (12% w/v, pH 6.65 +/- 0.05) were pressure treated at 800 MPa for 20-120 min and then examined using size exclusion chromatography (SEC), small deformation rheology, transmission electron microscopy, and various types of one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The pressure-treated samples showed a time-dependent loss of native whey proteins by SEC and 1D PAGE and a corresponding increase in non-native proteins and protein aggregates of different sizes. These aggregates altered the viscosity and opacity of the samples and were shown to be cross-linked by intermolecular disulfide bonds and by noncovalent interactions using 1D PAGE [alkaline (or native), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and SDS of reduced samples (SDS(R))] and 2D PAGE (native:SDS and SDS:SDS(R)). The sensitivity of the major whey proteins to pressure was in the order beta-lactoglobulin B (beta-LG B) > beta-LG A > bovine serum albumin (BSA) > alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-LA), and the large internal hydrophobic cavity of beta-LG may have been partially responsible for its sensitivity to high-pressure treatments. It seemed likely that, at 800 MPa, the formation of a beta-LG disulfide-bonded network preceded the formation of disulfide bonds between alpha-LA or BSA and beta-LG to form multiprotein aggregates, possibly because the disulfide bonds of alpha-LA and BSA are less exposed than those of beta-LG either during or after pressure treatment. It may be possible that intermolecular disulfide bond formation occurred at high pressure and that hydrophobic association became important after the high-pressure treatment.     

Effect of physicochemical conditions on peptide-peptide interactions in a tryptic hydrolysate of beta-lactoglobulin and identification of aggregating peptides

The objective of this study was to characterize the changes in peptide solubility resulting from changing some physicochemical conditions in a tryptic hydrolysate of beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG). The turbidity (500 nm) of a 1% solution of tryptic peptides was measured at pH 3-10, at 5, 25, and 50 degrees C, in the presence of different salt concentrations (0, 0.5, and 1 M NaCl), in the presence of denaturing and reducing agents (6 M urea, 5% SDS, or 5% beta-mercaptoethanol), and under an electric field (isoelectric focusing). The results reveal an increase in turbidity of the peptide solution at pH 4, but a slight increase in turbidity was also observed at pH 8, which is attributable to peptides linked by disulfide bridges. The effect of temperature and ionic strength on the turbidity occurring at pH 4 indicates that mainly hydrophobic interactions are involved in the aggregation process. The material in the precipitate at pH 4 was identified as the peptides beta-LG 1-8, 15-20, and 41-60 and non-hydrolyzed alpha-lactalbumin. These results suggest that a limited number of peptides are involved in the aggregation process observed at pH 4, some of which having bioactive (beta-LG 15-20, ACE inhibitor, and opioid) or emulsifying properties (beta-LG 41-60). Aggregation of these peptides at acidic pH indicates that a simple acidification step could represent an easy process for isolating peptidic fractions enriched in bioactive or functional peptides.     

Characterization and in vitro digestibility of bovine beta-lactoglobulin glycated with galactooligosaccharides

Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) are well-known prebiotic ingredients which can form the basis of new functional dairy products. In this work, the production and characterization of glycated beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) with prebiotic GOS through the Maillard reaction under controlled conditions ( a(w) = 0.44, 40 degrees C for 23 days) have been studied. The extent of glycation of beta-LG was evaluated by formation of furosine which progressively increased with storage for up to 16 days, suggesting that the formation of Amadori compounds prevailed over their degradation. RP-HPLC-UV, SDS-PAGE, and IEF profiles of beta-LG were modified as a consequence of its glycation. MALDI-ToF mass spectra of glycated beta-LG showed an increase of up to approximately 21% in its average molecular mass after storage for 23 days. Moreover, a decrease in unconjugated GOS (one tri-, two tetra-, and one pentasaccharide) was observed by HPAEC-PAD upon glycation. These results were confirmed by ESI MS. The stability of the glycated beta-LG to in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion was also described and compared with that of the unglycated protein. The yield of digestion products of glycated beta-LG was lower than that observed for the unglycated protein. The conjugation of prebiotic carbohydrates to stable proteins and peptides could open new routes of research in the study of functional ingredients.     

Hydrophobicity of whey protein concentrates measured by fluorescence quenching and its relation with surface functional properties

Surface hydrophobicity of whey protein concentrate (WPC) under heated (85 degrees C for 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 60 min) and unheated conditions was measured using cis-parinaric acid (CPA), 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS), and a fluorescence quenching method using acrylamide as a quencher. This last method evaluates the degree of exposure of tryptophanyl residues in proteins to the solvent. The initial slope of Stern-Volmer plots, K(app), was used as an index of protein hydrophobicity. Surface hydrophobicity of WPC exhibited good relation with surface functional properties such as emulsifying and foaming. Analysis of the data obtained in this work showed that the fluorescence quenching method gave results similar to those obtained using CPA and ANS. Therefore, this simple technique is satisfactory in effectively obtaining information about the hydrophobicity of whey proteins.     

Fractionation of beta-lactoglobulin tryptic peptides by ampholyte-free isoelectric focusing.

Solutions of tryptic hydrolysate of bovine beta-lactoglobulin were fractionated by liquid-phase IEF in a preparative Rotofor cell at constant power for 2 h without ampholytes in order to identify interactions between peptides. The 20 peptide fractions collected were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis and SDS-PAGE under native, denaturing, and reducing conditions. The hydrolysate was shown to be composed mainly of acidic peptides (pI 2-5, 62%) of molecular mass below 6 kDa, and numerous disulfide bonds were detected. Purified peptides (beta-LG 15-20, 71-75, 76-82, and 84-91) were also focused individually and in mixtures and matched to components of the IEF fractions obtained from the tryptic hydrolysate of beta-LG. The separation of acidic (beta-LG 84-91) and basic (beta-LG 76-82) peptides was achieved by IEF, whereas uncharged peptides (beta-LG 15-20 and 71-75) were poorly separated due to their low electrophoretic mobility. Because no peptide-peptide interaction could be identified by IEF fractionation, it is suggested that electrical fields may decrease electrostatic interactions between charged peptides.     

Modification of bovine beta-lactoglobulin by glycation in a powdered state or in an aqueous solution: effect on association behavior and protein conformation

The effect of glycation with lactose on the association behavior and conformational state of bovine beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) was studied, using size exclusion chromatography, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, proteolytic susceptibility, and binding of a fluorescent probe. Two modification treatments were used, i.e., aqueous solution glycation and dry-way glycation. The results showed that the latter treatment did not significantly alter the nativelike behavior of the protein while the former treatment led to important structural changes. These changes resulted in a specific denatured beta-LG monomer, which covalently associated via the free thiol group. The homodimers thus formed and the expanded monomers underwent subsequent aggregation into a high molecular weight species, via noncovalent interactions. The association behavior of glycated beta-LG is discussed with respect to the known multistep denaturation/aggregation process of nonmodified beta-LG.     

Phospholipid/fatty acid-induced secondary structural change in beta-lactoglobulin during heat-induced gelation

Effects of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and the predominant fatty acids (FAs) in milk, butyrate, oleate, and palmitate, on secondary structural changes in beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) during heat-induced gelation were analyzed on the basis of circular dichroism (CD) spectra. Small-strain oscillatory measurements were carried out to characterize viscoelastic properties of the heat-induced gels. In the absence of added salt, PC and FAs induced helix formation of beta-LG on heating to 80 degrees C and increased the storage moduli (G') of heat-induced gels. In the presence of 500 mM NaCl, PC did not change the CD spectrum of beta-LG but decreased G'. In contrast, butyrate substantially unfolded beta-LG in 500 mM NaCl on heating, forming very elastic gels with increased G' values. Palmitate and oleate induced beta-LG gel formation at 25 degrees C without heating; heating to 80 degrees C almost completely unfolded beta-LG in 500 mM NaCl.     

Effects of high-pressure processing at low temperature on the molecular structure and surface properties of beta-lactoglobulin

High-pressure processing (HPP) was utilized to induce unfolding of beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG). beta-Lactoglobulin solutions at concentrations of 0.5 mg/mL, in pH 7.5 phosphate buffer, were pressure treated at 510 MPa for 10 min at either 8 or 24 degrees C. The secondary structure, as determined by circular dichroism (CD), of beta-LG processed at 8 degrees C appeared to be unchanged, whereas beta-LG processed at 24 degrees C lost alpha-helix structure. Tertiary structures for beta-LG, as determined by near-UV CD, intrinsic protein fluorescence spectroscopy, hydrophobic fluorescent probe binding, and thiol group reactivity, were changed following processing at either temperature. The largest changes to tertiary structure were observed for the samples processed at 24 degrees C. Model solutions containing the pressure-treated beta-LG showed significant decreases in surface tension at liquid-air interfaces with values of 54.00 and 51.69 mN/m for the samples treated at 24 and 8 degrees C, respectively. In comparison, the surface tension for model solutions containing the untreated control was 60.60 mN/m. Changes in protein structure during frozen and freeze-dried storage were also monitored, and some renaturation was observed for both storage conditions. Significantly, the sample pressure-treated at 8 degrees C continued to display the lowest surface tension.