An electron microscope study of the internal structure of casein micelles

Micelas de caseína: dos monômeros à estrutura supramolecular

Resumo A importância primária das micelas de caseína reside no fato de que os processos empregados na transformação do leite em quaisquer de seus derivados dependem, direta ou indiretamente, de sua estabilidade ou de sua desestabilização controlada. Assim, o objetivo do presente trabalho é apresentar uma revisão atualizada sobre a organização estrutural das micelas de caseína. Em termos físico-químicos, as micelas de caseína podem ser definidas como agregados supramoleculares esféricos e porosos, altamente hidratados, carregados negativamente, com diâmetro médio de 200 nm, e que apresentam aproximadamente 104 cadeias polipeptídicas. Além de água, as micelas são constituídas por quatro tipos de caseínas, chamadas de αS1, αS2, β, e κ-caseínas, que estão unidas por meio de interações hidrofóbicas e eletrostáticas, e pela presença de minerais, sobretudo sais de fosfato de cálcio, os quais são os principais responsáveis pela manutenção da estrutura micelar. A estabilidade das micelas de caseína é atribuída à presença de uma camada externa difusa, formada basicamente por κ-caseína. Apesar de as propriedades coloidais das micelas de caseína serem conhecidas, ainda não há consenso sobre como as moléculas de caseína estão estruturadas em seu interior. Portanto, os principais modelos que descrevem a organização interna das micelas de caseína são apresentados na parte final do artigo.

A 100-Year Review: Progress on the chemistry of milk and its components

Understanding the chemistry of milk and its components is critical to the production of consistent, high-quality dairy products as well as the development of new dairy ingredients. Over the past 100 yr we have gone from believing that milk has only 3 protein fractions to identifying all the major and minor types of milk proteins as well as discovering that they have genetic variants. The structure and physical properties of most of the milk proteins have been extensively studied. The structure of the casein micelle has been the subject of many studies, and the initial views on submicelles have given way to the current model of the micelle as being assembled as a result of the concerted action of several types of interactions (including hydrophobic and the formation of calcium phosphate nanoclusters). The benefits of this improved knowledge of the type and nature of casein interactions include better control of the cheesemaking process, more functional milk powders, development of new products such as cream liqueurs, and expanded food applications. Increasing knowledge of proteins and minerals was paralleled by developments in the analysis of milk fat and its synthesis together with greater knowledge of its packaging in the milk fat globule membrane. Advances in analytical techniques have been essential to the isolation and characterization of milk components. Milk testing has progressed from gross compositional analyses of the fat and total solids content to the rapid analysis of milk for a wide range of components for various purposes, such as diagnostic issues related to animal health. Up to the 1950s, research on dairy chemistry was mostly focused on topics such as protein fractionation, heat stability, acid-base buffering, freezing point, and the nature of the calcium phosphate present in milk. Between the 1950s and 1970s, there was a major focus on identifying all the main protein types, their sequences, variants, association behavior, and other physical properties. During the 1970s and 1980s, one of the major emphases in dairy research was on protein functionality and fractionation processes. The negative cloud over dairy fat has lifted recently due to multiple reviews and meta-analyses showing no association with chronic issues such as cardiovascular disease, but changing consumer misconceptions will take time. More recently, there has been a great deal of interest in the biological and nutritional components in milk and how these materials were uniquely designed by the cow to achieve this type of purpose.

An electron-microscope study of the structure of Domiati cheese

A technique is described for preparing ultrathin sections from cheese for electron-microscopic examination. The internal structure of fresh Domiati cheese was found to be composed of a framework of large, spherical casein aggregates held by bridges and enclosing fat.

After pickling, the casein aggregates were partly disintegrated into small spherical particles forming a loose structure.

Intermicellar relationships in rennet-treated separated milk: I. Preparation of representative electron micrographs

Separated milk was treated with rennet at 30 °C for known proportions of the visually-determined clotting time. Samples were fixed with glutaraldehyde, which inhibited aggregation of casein micelles, mixed with agar, and stained sections examined. Bias in the preparation of the electron micrographs was minimized by replication, particularly in the early stages of sample preparation, and, for thin (60–90 nm) sections, by systematic selection of the areas examined.

Whole casein micelles, viewed in stereo micrographs of thick (about 1 μm) sections, had open, diffuse structures and their appearance did not change on treatment with rennet. Micrographs of thick sections taken at 90° to each other showed that casein micelles form a network-type of gel, with the same structure in all dimensions. Counts of micelles larger than about 20 nm diam. in fields of thin sections showed that each of 3 sets of fields was similar and representative for each sample. The number of micelles/μm2 appeared to increase between 60 and 130 % of the clotting time, but this change was not statistically significant.

The structure of the deposit formed on the membrane during the concentration of milk by reverse osmosis

Concentration of milk by reverse osmosis is severely hindered by the formation of deposits on the membrane. Electron micrographs of this deposit show a thin (11nm) continuous electron-dense layer adjacent to the membrane. An electronlucent zone (10–15nm thick) separates this layer from the main bulk of the deposit which is 30 μm thick and consists largely of granules with some vesicles in a diffuse matrix. The density of packing of the granules increases with proximity to the membrane. Their appearance, size and digestion with pronase suggest that these are milk protein granules. The order and nature of these various layers could explain the pattern of flux decline.

Structural changes in whole milk during the production of sterile concentrates: an electron microscope study

Electron microscopy was used to study the effect of addition of NaOH, forewarming, homogenization, concentration, and heat sterilization on the structure of whole milk during the production of 4 heat-sterilized concentrates that showed different degrees of physical stability. The samples were prepared for electron microscopy by adding fixative either to liquid or freeze-dried material, and then embedding for sectioning.

Noticeable structural changes occurred during forewarming of samples containing added NaOH, during homogenization, and during heat sterilization. Addition of NaOH and forewarming decreased the closeness of packing of the subunits in the casein micelles. Homogenization reduced the average size of the fat globules, and protein became attached to their surfaces. Heat sterilization caused coalescence of protein. In non-homogenized sterilized concentrate with added NaOH, protein bodies of about 100 times the volume of the original casein micelles were formed; these were free-floating and the concentrate was stable. In non-homogenized sterilized concentrate with no added NaOH the protein bodies were about 15 times the size of the casein micelles and bridged to each other, thereby forming a sediment consisting of large irregular particles. Very large protein bodies containing fat globules formed during heat sterilization of the homogenized samples, both in the presence and in the absence of NaOH, and were responsible for the formation of sediment in these 2 products.

Needle crystals observed in most samples were identifed as CaCO3. H2O by selected area diffraction; KC1 crystals were also detected.

An electron microscope study of the ultrastructure of bovine and human casein micelles in fresh and acidified milk

When examined under the electron microscope, bovine casein micelles were seen as aggregates of spheroidal granules arranged in spherical symmetry. The granules were of 2 kinds—one transparent in the electron beam and the other relatively opaque. With increasing acidity of the milk the regular arrangements of granules tended to break down, and bridges composed of granules, formed between neighbouring micelles. The average diameter of the granules was about 8 mμ, from which a molecular weight of about 225000 was calculated. Evidence was adduced for the identity of these granules with the macromolecules of native casein in equilibrium with whey.

Human casein micelles showed the same structural features. The average diameter of the granules was about 6 mμ, from which a molecular weight of about 100000 was calculated.

Association of lipases with micellar and soluble casein complexes

The association of lipase with casein micelles and soluble casein complexes was investigated by gel-filtration on Sephadex G-200 and Sepharose 2B columns which were equilibrated with synthetic milk serum. Gel-filtration indicated that the molecular weight of casein micelles in milk is > 108whereas the casein in colloidal phosphate-free milk is present as soluble complexes of molecular weightca.2×106containing αs-, β- and κ-casein. The soluble complexes appear to be stabilized in the micelle by colloidal calcium phosphate linkages. On addition of pancreatic lipase to milk, activity was impaired due to binding of the enzyme both to micellar and to soluble casein complexes. The enzyme dissociated from the latter during gel-filtration on Sepharose 2B columns. The binding of lipase to casein was not dependent on the presence of colloidal phosphate and consequently complete micellar structure is not essential for association of lipase with casein. Binding of the lipase to phosvitin did not result in a loss of enzyme activity. Lipases in milk appear to be involved in the equilibrium between micellar and soluble casein. The activity of lipases in milk is apparently influenced by this equilibrium. Some problems encountered in the use of gel-filtration to study the interactions of lipases with caseins are described.

Kareish cheese prepared from ultrafiltered milk

Kareish cheese was made from ultrafiltered milk (UF) and standard milk and the chemical composition, organoleptic properties and microstructure of the cheese compared. Cheese made with the UF had higher moisture, protein, fat, pH, soluble N, non-protein N, amino acid N, tryptophan and free amino acids than the standard cheese. The microstructure of both types of cheese was very similar, while the organoleptic properties were more acceptable in the UF cheese.

Structure of the casein micelle. A proposed model

On the basis of complete permeability by high molecular weight reagents of casein micelles in milk and a uniform distribution of the 3 different casein subunits, a model of the micelle structure is proposed. It is composed of an average repeating unit of 1 κ-, 2 αs1;- and β-casein subunits assembled in a 3-dimensional network or branched polymer made of 130–130000 monomers, in which the trimers of κ-casein occupy the nodes and the copolymers of αs1;- and β-caseins make up the branches. All the associations between subunits are through non-covalent bonds. The chemical composition varies with the number of αs1;- and β;-casein subunits in the branches. This proposed structure is strongly supported by evidence from electron microscopy and a scale model has been made. It leads to an understanding of the role of κ-casein in micelle formation and opens new perspectives in explaining some properties of the caseins. It offers an interesting example of a new type of quaternary structure of protein subunits.

A study of the properties of dissociated bovine casein micelles

Although casein micelles are disrupted by removal of Ca, individual caseins remain aggregated in sub-micellar casein aggregates or sub-units. These sub-units have been studied by: (1) the use of gel filtration on Sepharose 4B at 6, 20 and 37°C at pH 6·7 and 0·1 ionic strength, (2) ultracentrifugation and (3) electron microscopy. At 37°C the protein composition of the sub-units varied across the gel-filtration peak, with κ-casein being eluted towards the leading edge and the ratio of αs1- to β-casein being almost constant across the peak. Re-chromatography of the protein from the leading edge of this peak gave a new wide peak with the κ-casein again being eluted towards the leading edge. However, αs1-casein was eluted before β-casein in the leading edge of the new peak. Prior treatment of the casein micelles by dispersion with 6 m-urea solution, precipitation with acid or reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol did not alter the gel-filtration pattern. An examination of the purified casein components and their mixtures showed that a 1:1 ratio mixture of αs1- and β-casein had the same peak maximum elution volume as casein micelle sub-units. κ-Casein by itself eluted at the void volume of the gel-filtration column, but after admixture with a sample of small micelles it eluted at the leading edge of the sub-unit peak and was indistinguishable from the κ-casein normally present. These results suggest that the sub-units are in equilibrium with their component caseins and that their size distribution is determined by only those factors (such as protein concentration, pH, temperature and ionic strength) which determine the strength of association between the casein components. The results from electron microscopy and ultracentrifugation support these conclusions.

Partition of casein between polymer phases

Casein derived from the micelles of milk by removing the calcium has been subjected to partition and counter current distribution between phases containing polyethylene glycol and dextran. The results show that at least 2 kinds of casein complex exist which differ in structure, in size or in both. There are also differences in composition with respect to minor components, though both types contain predominantly α- and β-casein.

Comparative micelle structure: II. Structure and composition of casein micelles in ovine and caprine milk as compared with those in bovine milk

The casein micelles of sheep (Ovis aries), goat (Capra hircus) and cow (Bos taurus) milks have been examined by electron microscopy. The ovine micelles were smaller than bovine micelles, most being below 80 nm diam. The caprine micelles were either large (c. 200 nm diam.), easily sedimented and electron-dense, or small (below 80 nm) and similar to the ovine micelles. Examination of the micelles using the freeze-etch technique showed, however, that they were all composed of subunits of similar dimensions (10–15 nm diam.).

Electrophoresis of the caseins showed that there were differences between them, with the caprine casein containing a smaller proportion of its protein in the more mobile components. The mineral contents of the milks were also different, but these were apparently related to the different pH and casein contents of the milks. It is likely that the diiferences in micelle size distribution are determined by the physical and chemical properties of the casein components.

Separation of the submicelles from micellar casein by high performance gel chromatography on a TSK-GEL G4000SW column

Bovine caseins from skim-milk (micellar casein and acid precipitated casein) were separated into 4 discrete components by high performance gel chromatography on a TSK-GEL G4000SW columm. The resolution was better than that obtained by conventional gel chromatography which resulted in separation into 2 components at best. Our results showed that the second and third components consisted of αs1- and κ-caseins and αs1- and β-caseins respectively. They are presumed to be submicellar fractions. Samples prepared by removal of Ca phosphate from large and small micelles were rich in the third and the second components respectively. It is suggested that casein micelles consist of αs1- and κ-casein complexes and complexes and polymers of αs1- and β-casein which are situated preferentially on the periphery and in the interior of the micelles respectively.

The nature of casein aggregates in heated and stored milk

Gel filtration on Sepharose 6-B was used to study the size distribution of sub-micellar casein aggregates in colloidal phosphate-free milk, and comparisons were made between the elution profiles obtained for fresh, heated, ultra-hightemperature (UHT) treated and stored UHT milks. Increase in length of storage of UHT milk gave rise to an increase in proportion of casein aggregates excluded from Sepharose 6-B, but no corresponding increase in size of included casein aggregates was observed.

On the mechanism of milk clotting by rennin

Two possible hypotheses for the mechanism of milk clotting were tested. The results obtained constituted strong evidence against one and suggested that the second is improbable. Milk was separated into a 5-fold-concentrated casein micelle suspension and milk serum. Pre-renneting of the serum did not reduce the rate of clotting on subsequent addition to the micelle suspension whether or not the conditions were such that the para-κ-casein became extensively aggregated. Washing of casein micelles up to 3 times with milk dialysate at 23°C extracted very little casein from the micelles and did not increase the clotting time of micelles resuspended to about the same concentration as in milk. The results appear to constitute decisive evidence against the hypothesis of milk clotting proposed by Parry & Carroll (1969). S-carboxymethyl-κ-casein, S-carboxymethyl-κ-casein containing 2·5 dimethylaminonaphthalene sulphonyl residues per mole, and rennin-treated dimethylaminonaphthalene sulphonated-S-carboxymethyl-κ-casein all bound Ca to the same extent at 30°C and pH 6·5, over the range 0·5–15·3 mM-CaCl2. This adds support to existing evidence that milk clotting does not involve formation of Ca bridges between casein micelles.

Mammary epithelial stem cells

It has recently been shown that the progeny from a single cell may comprise the epithelial population of a fully developed lactating mammary outgrowth in mice. Serial transplantation of epithelial fragments from this clonally derived gland demonstrates that the subsequently generated outgrowths are also comprised of progeny from the original antecedent. All epithelial cell types were found to be present within these clonal normal populations including luminal, myoepithelial, ductal, and lobule-committed epithelial progenitors and fully competent mammary epithelial stem cells. These observations demonstrate the presence of multipotent tissue-specific epithelial stem cells among the parenchyma of the murine mammary gland. Similarly, genetic analysis of contiguous portions of individual human mammary ducts within the same breast indicates their clonal derivation. Here, we discuss the properties, location, division-potential, senescence, and plasticity associated with mammary epithelial stem cells and present the developing evidence for their presence in human breast and their important role in the risk for breast cancer development. Further, we review the present morphologic and genetic evidence for the characterization of specific stem cell markers and lineage-limited progenitor cells in human and rodent mammary epithelium. Microsc. Res. Tech. 52:190-203, 2001. Published 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Structures and functionalities of milk proteins

During the last decade, marked progress has been made in the study of the fine details of the structures of milk proteins such as caseins, beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, and lactotransferrin. Many of the functional properties of the individual milk proteins, as well as the milk protein products, may be described at the molecular level. This article is an attempt to thoroughly review the three-dimensional structures of major milk proteins, and to correlate them with the functional aspects of these proteins as food ingredients.

Characteristics of the interaction of calcium with casein submicelles as determined by analytical affinity chromatography

Interaction of calcium with casein submicelles was investigated in CaCl2 and calcium phosphate buffers and with synthetic milk salt solutions using the technique of analytical affinity chromatography. Micelles that had been prepared by size exclusion chromatography with glycerolpropyl controlled-pore glass from fresh raw skim milk that had never been cooled, were dialyzed at room temperature against calcium-free imidazole buffer, pH 6.7. Resulting submicelles were covalently immobilized on succinamidopropyl controlled-pore glass (300-nm pore size). Using 45Ca to monitor the elution retardation, the affinity of free Ca2+ and calcium salt species was determined at temperatures of 20 to 40 degrees C and pH 6.0 to 7.5. Increasing the pH in this range or increasing the temperature strengthened the binding of calcium to submicelles, similar to previous observations with individual caseins. However, the enthalpy change obtained from the temperature dependence was considerably greater than that reported for alpha s1- and beta-caseins. Furthermore, the elution profiles for 45Ca in milk salt solutions were decidedly different from those in CaCl2 or calcium phosphate buffers and the affinities were also greater. For example, at pH 6.7 and 30 degrees C the average dissociation constant for the submicelle-calcium complex is 0.074 mM for CaCl2 and calcium phosphate buffers, vs 0.016 mM for the milk salt solution. The asymmetric frontal boundaries and higher average affinities observed with milk salts may be due to binding of calcium salts with greater affinity in addition to the binding of free Ca2+ in these solutions.

A multinuclear, high-resolution NMR study of bovine casein micelles and submicelles

High-resolution, natural abundance 13C[1H] (100.5 MHz), 31P[1H] (161.8 MHz) and 1H (400.0 MHz) NMR spectroscopy was used to identify the calcium-binding sites of bovine casein and to ascertain the dynamic state of amino acid residues within the casein submicelles (in 125 mM KCl, pD = 7.4) and micelles (in 15 mM CaCl2/80 mM KCl, pD = 7.2). The presence of numerous, well-resolved peaks in the tentatively assigned 13C-NMR spectra of submicelles (90 A radius) and micelles (500 A radius) suggests considerable segmental motion of both side chain and backbone carbons. The partly resolved 31P-NMR spectra concur with this. Upon Ca2+ addition, the phosphoserine beta CH2 resonance (65.8 ppm vs DSS) shifts upfield by 0.2 ppm and is broadened almost beyond detection; a general upfield shift (up to 0.3 ppm) is also observed for the 31P-NMR peaks. The T1 values of the alpha CH envelope for submicelles and micelles are essentially identical corresponding to a correlation time of 8 ns for isotropic rotation of the caseins. Significant changes in the 31P T1 values accompany micelle formation. Data are consistent with a loose and mobile casein structure, with phosphoserines being the predominant calcium-binding sites.

A 1H-NMR study of bovine casein micelles; influence of pH, temperature and calcium ions on micellar structure

The influence of pH, temperature and Ca depletion on bovine casein micelle suspensions in D2O containing simulated milk ultrafiltrate was studied by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. In the pH range of 5.8-7.5 the spectrum of the micelles showed very little pH dependence, indicating that no changes occurred in the dynamic behaviour of the proteins constituting the micelle. The NMR spectrum of casein micelles was strongly temperature dependent, particularly in the temperature range of 60-98 degrees C. Increase in temperature resulted in a strong increase in spectral intensity concomitant with changes in the spectral characteristics. In micelle suspensions these changes were reversible, and indicated that at elevated temperatures the rigid structure of the casein micelle started to melt, leading to an increased mobility of appreciable parts of the proteins in the micelle. Ca depletion of the casein micelles by addition of EDTA resulted in an increase in spectral intensity, which arose from the presence of casein components in the serum phase. The spectrum of these serum phase particles resembled closely the spectrum of a solution of total casein in simulated milk ultrafiltrate and was quite different from the spectrum of casein micelles. The implications of these results with respect to models of the structure of bovine casein micelles are discussed.

A phosphate-induced sub-micelle-micelle equilibrium in reconstituted casein micelle systems

In reconstituted casein systems, complete sub-micelles were previously observed only under extreme conditions of ionic strength, namely a NaCl concentration of 2 M or greater. However, studies with the analytical ultracentrifuge on phosphate-containing casein systems revealed that under certain conditions, a stable sub-micelle-micelle equilibrium was established. Conditions which were standard throughout were 7.5 mg/ml protein, 0.04 M-NaCl, pH 6.6 and 37 °C. The concentrations of added CaCl2 (Ca2+) and inorganic phosphate (P1) were variable. With no P1 present, Ca-sensitive caseins precipitated or formed micelles when k-casein was present, between 6 and 7 mM-Ca2+. With 10–20 mM-P1 precipitation or micelle formation began at about 4 mM-Ca2+ and was complete at about 5 mM-Ca2+. Over this interval, during micelle formation, a sub-micelle peak with s20, w of about 13 S was observed in equilibrium with the broad micelle peak. In a system containing a 2:2:1 weight ratio of ±sI-:²-:k-casein, this sub-micelle was isolated at 4 mM-Ca2+ and 2.5 mM-P1. The mol. wt was 760000 and it thus contained approximately 33 monomer caseins. The reconstituted micelle system formed in the absence of P1 was quite temperature sensitive, forming at 37 °C but disappearing upon cooling. In the presence of P1 the micelles formed at 37 °C but were stable to cooling as are natural micelles. Evidently, a combination of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions are involved in natural micelle formation, probably with the production of salt bridges of Ca and phosphate ions between sub-micelles.

Casein micelles: the colloid-chemical approach

The colloidal properties of micellar casein are reviewed. It is shown that behaviour of intact micelles is much at variance with the predictions from the Schulze-Hardy rule, and that therefore their stability cannot be explained by the principles of the DLVO theory. Towards electrolyte, micelles behave as a protein rather than a lyophobic colloid. Casein is a strong protective colloid. In the micelle, however, it does not completely cover the inorganic constituent which remains sensitive to changes in the ionic environment. The rate theory of the enzyme-induced clotting of casein micelles is summarized. It is shown that the lag phase in the clotting is due to the second order of the co-agulation reaction. Flocculation rate constants of micelles have been deduced from clotting times. Their relatively low values can be attributed to an orientational constraint. Practical consequences of the theory with respect to clot structure, gelation of sterilized products and cheese manufacture are discussed.

The monomeric casein composition of different size bovine casein micelles

The fractionation by size of casein micelles from bovine skim milk was performed by chromatography on controlled-pore glass granules (CPG-10/3000). Acid precipitation of the fractionated proteins in combination with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gave no indication for monomeric caseins in the whey fractions. A factor besides low temperature appears necessary for the dissociation of, for example, beta-casein from casein micelles. The casein composition was studied by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. In bulk skim milk the alphas-, beta- and kappa-caseins were shown to occur in the following relative amounts: 52, 33 and 15%, respectively. The distribution varies with the size of the micelle. In large and medium size micelles the alphas1-casein content is almost constant; beta-casein and kappa-casein appear to be complementary so that the kappa-casein content increases with the decrease in the size of the micelle. In small micelles the relative beta-casein content is about 50%, alphas1-casein is only about 33%. We suggest that beta-casein plays a special role as initiator of micelle formation, and that alphas1-casein stabilizes the structure of the larger micelles.

Model calculations of casein micelle size distributions

A previously proposed model for the formation and structure of casein micelles from subunits of variable composition is used to calculate theoretical micelle size distributions. Using the fractional content of k-casein as the only variable but with a value near that observed in a sample of milk serum, the model successfully reproduces experimentally determined distributions. Predicted size distributions are quite sensitive to the value of the variable and shift toward smaller average size as the assumed fractional content k-casein gets larger. Also, there is a discontinuity in the distributions which predicts that there will be essentially no micelles with radii smaller than 25-30 nm. These predictions are all in accord with experimental observations. The good agreement between theory and experimenet supports the micelle structure suggested by the model.

Review: Casein micelle structure; an examination of models

The casein micelle system of bovine milk is unique in that protein aggregates of similar spherical shape but extreme variability of size are formed by the self-assembly of three major nonidentical subunits. The monomeric subunits appear to be approximately the same size and shape with similar amphiphilic natures, the chief difference in properties being in the carbohydrate-containing kappa-casein which acts to stabilize the system against precipitation by calcium ion. Micelle models with kappa-casein exclusively in the interior lack a stabilization mechanism and can be eliminated. Statistical considerations of a chain polymer model also lead to its rejection. Electron microscopy reveals spherical submicellar aggregates which at present can be accounted for by only three models. Of these three, the experimental data are predicted only by one in which, alphas 1-, beta-, and kappa-casein subunits are associated into spherical soap micelle-like particles with the kappa-casein segregated into one portion, giving these submicelles an amphiphilic nature. The alphas 1- and beta-caseins are hydrophobic while the kappa-casein portion of the submicelle surface is hydrophilic. Of particular interest is the ability of this micelle model to explain the formation of a minimum micelle which is larger than a submicellar particle.

Chemistry of milk proteins in food processing

This paper analyzes the current knowledge of mild protein chemistry to explain the reactions and their control for the major processes utilized by the modern milk processing industry. The compositon and chemical properties of casein micelles and whey proteins are summarized. The effect of processing upon denaturation, aggregration, and destabilization of milk proteins is updated. The role of milk proteins in the gelation of sterile milk concentrates, destabilization of frozen milk, rennet-clotting of milk, and stabilization of the fat emulsion in milk is also described.

Casein micelle structure: susceptibility of various casein systems to proteolysis

The susceptibility of the components of various caseinate systems (skim-milk, β-casein-depleted milks, colloidal phosphate-free (CPF) milk, sodium caseinate and isolated β-casein) to proteolysis was investigated. Isolated αs1- and β-caseins were quite susceptible to proteolysis, but their susceptibility decreased in heterogeneous soluble systems and even more so in heterogeneous aggregated systems. In skim-milk and β-casein-depleted milks only about 50% of both αs1- and β-casein was hydrolysable by high levels of rennin, and in CPF milk all αs1- and 70% of the β-casein was hydrolysable. It is suggested that about 50% of micellar β-casein is firmly fixed within the micelle and is unavailable for proteolysis, while the remainder can dissociate from the micelle on cooling and is then readily hydrolysable.

The compatibility of the data with the various published models of the casein micelle is discussed, and a modification of Rose's (1969) model is proposed.