Solvent effects on the molecular structures of crude gliadins as revealed by density and ultrasound velocity measurements

Characterization of the ergometric properties of commercial bioactive dairy peptides

The thermodynamic properties of bioactive peptides provide insights into their functional behavior and their biological efficacy. We conducted precise analyses of the density, the ultrasonic velocity and the relative attenuation of serial dilutions of three commercial dairy peptides prepared by enzymatic methods. From these we determined the partial specific volume and the partial specific adiabatic compressibility coefficient for the peptides. At concentrations greater than ~2.5 ​mg ​mL⁻¹, the apparent values for specific volume and adiabatic compressibility were constant, differing between the three peptides at ±3% for specific volume and ±70% for compressibility. Both specific volume and adiabatic compressibility were highly dependent on concentration, indicating the importance of precise low concentration measurements to obtain correct values for these thermodynamic parameters. From these parameters it was apparent that restructuring of water molecules around the peptides (and their associated counterions) led to compact solutes that were also incompressible. These thermodynamic analyses are critical for understanding how the properties and the beneficial effects of bioactive peptides are influenced by their chemical environment.

•

Dissolved dairy peptide properties distinguishable from ergometric analyses.

•

Specific volume and adiabatic compressibility evaluate bioactive peptide hydration.

•

Commercial bioactive dairy peptides are compact and incompressible.

•

Compactness and incompressibility of peptide affected by hydrogen-bonding amino acids.

•

Solution concentration affects values of measured thermodynamic parameters.

Dynamics of liquid-liquid phase separation of wheat gliadins

During wheat seeds development, storage proteins are synthetized and subsequently form dense protein phases, also called Protein Bodies (PBs). The mechanisms of PBs formation and the supramolecular assembly of storage proteins in PBs remain unclear. In particular, there is an apparent contradiction between the low solubility in water of storage proteins and their high local dynamics in dense PBs. Here, we probe the interplay between short-range attraction and long-range repulsion of a wheat gliadin isolate by investigating the dynamics of liquid-liquid phase separation after temperature quench. We do so using time-resolved small angle light scattering, phase contrast microscopy and rheology. We show that gliadins undergo liquid-liquid phase separation through Nucleation and Growth or Spinodal Decomposition depending on the quench depth. They assemble into dense phases but remain in a liquid-like state over an extended range of temperatures and concentrations. The analysis of phase separation kinetics reveals that the attraction strength of gliadins is in the same order of magnitude as other proteins. We discuss the respective role of competing interactions, protein intrinsic disorder, hydration and polydispersity in promoting local dynamics and providing this liquid-like behavior despite attractive forces.

Ultrasonic Characterization of Amyloid-Like Ovalbumin Aggregation

Thermal processing conditions, pH, and salt content affect the formation of egg white ovalbumin amyloid, which was investigated using high-precision measurements of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation. These were related to fluorescence and particle size measurements. Fluorescence changes indicated the formation of amyloid-like aggregates that was enhanced by increasing time-temperature treatments. The ultrasonic velocity of ovalbumin after heating at neutral pH (60 min at 70 or 80 °C) was lower than that of unheated ovalbumin, whereas the attenuation was higher. The decrease in the velocity represents increased compressibility associated with a change in the compactness of the protein, whereas changes in attenuation are due to protein conformational changes. Heating ramp studies revealed transitions at approximately 58 and 73 °C. During heating at a constant temperature, the ultrasonic velocity decreased slowly with increasing heating time, indicating an increase in ovalbumin compressibility. It is suggested that the obtained amyloid-like ovalbumin aggregates contain a compact core surrounded by loosely packed protein segments.

Osmotic compression of anisotropic proteins: interaction properties and associated structures in wheat gliadin dispersions

In this Article, we investigated the interaction properties of wheat gliadins, properties that are at the basis of their functionality in wheat grain and in food matrixes. We established the equation of state of our isolate by osmotic compression and characterized the concentration-induced structural transitions, from the secondary structure of proteins to the rheological properties. We evidenced three thermodynamical regimes corresponding to several structuring regimes. First, for Φ < 0.03, gliadins behave as repulsive colloids, with a positive second virial coefficient, arising presumably from their surface charge density and/or their steric repulsion. No intermolecular interaction was detected by FT-IR, suggesting that proteins form a stable dispersion. In the second regime, the system becomes more easily compressible, i.e., less repulsive and/or more attractive. It is associated with the disappearance of β-sheet intramolecular structures of the proteins in favor of random coils/α-helix and intermolecular β-sheet interactions. This coincides with the appearance of elasticity and the increase of the apparent viscosity. Finally, in the last regime, for Φ > 0.16, FT-IR spectra show that proteins are strongly interacting via intermolecular interactions. A correlation peak develops in SAXS, revealing a global order in the dispersion. Interestingly, the osmotic pressure applied to extract the solvent is higher than expected from a hard-sphere-like protein and we highlighted a liquid-like state at very high concentration (>450 g L(-1)) which is in contrast with most proteins that form gel or glass at such concentration. In the discussion, we questioned the existence of supramolecular assemblies and the role of the solvation that would lead to this specific behavior.