Transition from fractal to spherical aggregates of globular proteins: Brownian-like activation and/or hydrodynamic stress?

Curr Top Med Chem. 2014 Mar;14(5):630-9. doi: 10.2174/1568026614666140118211906.

Abstract

We report on the structure of whey protein aggregates formed by a short heating coupled to shear at high temperatures (80-120) and neutral pH in scale-up processing conditions, using gel filtration chromatography, light scattering, small angle neutron scattering, and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. The results are interpreted in terms of coexistence of residual non-aggregated proteins and aggregates. The characteristics of aggregates such as the size, the aggregation number and the shape evidence two different morphologies. Whereas aggregates formed at 80 °C show a selfsimilar structure down to a length scale of the monomer with a fractal dimension typical for reaction limited cluster aggregation (D~2.2), aggregates formed at higher temperature show a spherical morphology, with the structure from small angle neutron scattering data best modelled with the form factor of a polydisperse sphere. We compare the structure of these aggregates to that of aggregates formed in quiescent conditions at lab scale. The structure transition is interpreted in terms of a non-trivial interplay between three perturbation factors: interparticle interaction, temperature and shear.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Fractals*
  • Hydrodynamics*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Milk Proteins / chemistry*
  • Protein Folding
  • Temperature
  • Whey Proteins

Substances

  • Milk Proteins
  • Whey Proteins