Intermolecular interaction and complex coacervation between bovine serum albumin and gum from whole flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Effects of Mixing Ratio and pH on the Electrostatic Interactions of Hydrolyzed Alaska Pollock Protein and κ-Carrageenan

In order to widen the application of Alaska Pollock salt-soluble protein and improve the properties of κ-carrageenan (KC), we evaluated whether the electrostatic interaction between KC and hydrolyzed protein (HP) improved the solubility of salt-soluble proteins and assessed acid hydrolysis-induced changes in the viscosity of KC. Moreover, we determined the effects of pH, KC, and HP mixing weight ratio (R, from 1:8 to 8:1) on the properties of mixtures. ζ-Potential results demonstrated that there were electrostatic interactions between KC and HP. Results of solution transmission and precipitation diagram analysis demonstrated that increasing the ratio of KC in KC-HP mixtures expanded the pH range of HP water solubility and prevented HP from precipitating, even at pH values around the pI. The highest viscosity of the solution measured by rheology analysis occurred at pH 3.5, and the ratio of KC:HP (R) was 1:1. These findings suggested that Alaska Pollock protein could be modified appropriately for use in acidic solutions and semisolid foods; moreover, KC-HPs have a potential application as thickeners in acid condition.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

These findings suggested that Alaska Pollock protein could be modified appropriately for use in acidic solutions and semisolid foods and that KC-HP may have applications as a new acid thickener.

Complex Coacervation of Milk Proteins with Sodium Alginate

Beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) coacervate formation with sodium alginate (ALG) was investigated by turbidimetric analysis, zeta potential, particle size, viscosity, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and isothermal titration calorimetric (ITC) measurements as a function of pH (1.0-7.0) and protein/alginate mixing ratio (1:1, 1.5:1, 2:1, 1:0, and 0:1 wt.). Critical pH values of phase transitions for BSA-ALG complexes (pH_C, pH_φ1, and pHφ_φ2) representing the formation of soluble and insoluble complexes of a protein-ALG mixture (2:1) at pH 4.8, 4.2, and 1.8, respectively. In the case of BLG-ALG, critical pH values (pH_C, pH_φ1, and pH_φ2) were found to be 4.8, 4.2, and 1.6, respectively. The pH_opt values, expressed by the highest optical density, were pH 2.8 for BSA-ALG and 2.4 for BLG-ALG. TEM and zeta-potential results showed that maximum coacervate formation occurred at pH 4.2 for both protein-polysaccharide solutions. The interaction between BLG-ALG and BSA-ALG was spontaneously exothermic at pH 4.2 according to ITC measurements. The findings of this study provide insights to a thorough understanding about the nature of interactions between milk proteins and ALG and formulate new applications for food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetics applications.

Effects of Ultrasound Treatment on Physiochemical Properties and Antimicrobial Activities of Whey Protein-Totarol Nanoparticles

Totarol is a natural antimicrobial compound extracted from the heartwood of Podocarpus totara, a conifer native to New Zealand. The effects of whey protein-totarol nanoparticles treated with ultrasound on the physiochemical properties and the growth of Staphylococcus aureus were investigated. The particle size of whey protein-totarol nanoparticles was reduced by ultrasound treatment from 31.24 ± 5.31 to 24.20 ± 4.02 nm, and the size distribution was also narrowed by the treatment. Viscosity and modulus data indicated that the flow behaviors of whey protein-totarol nanoparticles seemed to be Newtonian and exerted a typical viscoelastic fluid at protein content of 15% (w/v). Rheological properties were more insensitive to ultrasonic time. Time-killing assays, agar diffusion tests, the cell membrane damage analysis, and microstructure were exploited to study the antibacterial properties of whey protein-totarol nanoparticles. The MIC of whey protein-totarol nanoparticles after ultrasound treatment decreased from 4 to 2 μg/mL compared with that without ultrasound treatment. Whey protein-totarol nanoparticles treated with ultrasound resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in time killing after 24 h. The agar diffusion results showed that the inhibition zones of whey protein-totarol nanoparticles were 12 and 36 mm for untreated and treated with ultrasound, respectively. The cell membrane damages and the microstructure changes also proved that whey protein-totarol nanoparticles treated with ultrasound had strong antibacterial activities against S. aureus and that the antibacterial effectiveness enhanced with the increasing of ultrasonic time. These findings suggested that whey protein-totarol nanoparticles treated with ultrasound were more effective against S. aureus than untreated nanoparticles.

Heteroprotein complex coacervates of ovalbumin and lysozyme: Formation and thermodynamic characterization

The formation of heteroprotein coacervates obtained by the interaction of ovalbumin (Ova) and lysozyme (Lys) was investigated using turbidimetric analysis and the zeta potential at different protein ratios, pH values and concentrations of NaCl. The complexes were formed over a wide pH range with a 1:1 (Ova:Lys) ratio and the highest turbidity was observed at pH 7.5, which optimal biopolymer interactions occurring. The addition of NaCl disfavored formation, even at low concentrations, and suppressed it at 300mM. The complex coacervate formation occurred in the region between the isoelectric points (pI) of the proteins, predominantly by electrostatic interactions but with participation of hydrogen bonds. The structures formed had an average size of ∼2μm, which was well above the isolated proteins, and microscopic analysis revealed that the complexes had a globular structure. The interaction was exothermic and spontaneous with a favorable entropic and unfavorable entropic contribution during interaction.

Complex coacervation for the development of composite edible films based on LM pectin and sodium caseinate

Coacervation between sodium caseinate (CAS) and low methoxyl pectin (LMP) at pH 3 was investigated as a function of protein/polysaccharide ratio. The highest amount of complex coacervates was formed at a CAS/LMP ratio of 2 at which the ζ-potential value was zero and the turbidity reached its highest value. Then, the properties of films based on these complex coacervates were studied. Coacervation resulted in decreasing water content and water sorption of films as the protein concentration increased. The mechanical properties of films were highly influenced by the formation of electrostatic complexes. The highest values of Young's modulus (182.97± 6.48MPa) and tensile strength (15.64±1.74MPa) with a slight increase of elongation at break (9.35±0.10%) were obtained for films prepared at a CAS/LMP ratio equal to 0.05. These findings show that interactions between LMP and CAS can be used to develop innovative packaging containing active molecules.

Coacervation and precipitation in polysaccharide-protein systems

Precipitation poses a consistent problem for the growing applications of biopolymer coacervation, but the relationship between the two types of phase separation is not well understood. To clarify this relationship, we studied phase separation as a function of pH and ionic strength, in three systems of proteins with anionic polysaccharides: β-lactoglobulin (BLG)/hyaluronic acid (HA); BLG/tragacanthin (TG); and monoclonal antibody (mAb)/HA. We found that coacervation and precipitation are intrinsically different phenomena, responsive to different factors, but their simultaneity (for example with changing pH) may be confused with transitions from one state to another. We propose that coacervate does not literally turn into precipitate, but rather that both coacervate and precipitate are in equilibrium with free protein and polyanion, so that dissolution of one and formation of the other can overlap in time. While protein-polyanion complexes must achieve neutrality for coacervation, precipitation only requires tight binding which leads to the expulsion of counterions and water molecules. The pH-dependence of phase separation, considered in terms of protein and polyion charge, revealed that the electrostatic magnitude of the protein's polymer-binding site ("charge patch") plays a key role in the strength of interaction. These findings were supported by the inhibition of precipitation, seen when the bulky side chains of TG impede close protein-polymer interactions.