59D-16

Hydrophobic binding properties of high pressure treated b-lactoglobulin affected by pH, NaCl, KIO3 and N-ethylmaleimide

J. YANG1, J. R. Powers1, K. A. Dunker2, S. Clark1, and B. G. Swanson1. (1) Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Washington State University, P.O. BOX 646376, Pullman, WA 99164-6376, (2) Department of Biochemistry and Biphysics, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164

The molten globule is an intermediate structural state of protein between the folded and fully unfolded states possessing a unique hydrophobic structure with potentially advantageous functional properties. b-lactoglobulin (b-Lg) is induced into the molten globule state by high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and stabilized by intermolecular disulfide bonds. HHP treatment conditions directly affect the observed hydrophobicity of b-Lg in the molten globule state.

Our objective was to investigate the effects of pH, NaCl, KIO3 and N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) during HHP treatment on the hydrophobic affinity of b-Lg.

b-Lg solutions (27µM) at selected pH, NaCl, KIO3 or NEM concentrations were treated at 600 MPa at 50°C for 16 min. Fluorescence intensity of 1-anilino-naphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS) was used to assess hydrophobicity of b-Lg.

b-Lg treated with HHP at pH 7.0 exhibited a 1.9X or 1.1X greater ANS fluorescence intensity than b-Lg treated at pH 2.0 or 9.0. ANS fluorescence intensity of b-Lg increased when treated in the presence of NaCl and KIO3. b-Lg treated with HHP at pH 7.0 in 0.16M NaCl or 0.2mM KIO3 exhibited a 1.5X increase of ANS fluorescence intensity. Addition of NaCl after HHP treatment of b-Lg solutions increased ANS fluorescence intensity. With the addition of 0.8M NaCl, HHP treated b-Lg with or without KIO3 exhibited a 5.0X or 4.2X increase of ANS fluorescence intensity when compared to native b-Lg. b-Lg treated with HHP in the presence of NEM resulted in a 2.2X increase in ANS fluorescence intensity when compared to the ANS fluorescence intensity of HHP treated b-Lg containing no NEM.

The molten globule state of b-Lg induced by HHP at pH 7.0 exhibited greater hydrophobic affinity than b-Lg treated with HHP at pH 2.0 or 9.0. Addition of NaCl and KIO3 to b-Lg during or after HHP treatment at pH 7.0 may improve hydrophobic functional properties of whey proteins.

Session 59D, Food Chemistry: Proteins and Physicochemical Properties
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM, 2001-06-25 Room Hall D

2001 IFT Annual Meeting - New Orleans, Louisiana