One-step chromatographic method to purify α-lactalbumin from whey for nanotube synthesis purposes

Clara Fuciños; Pablo Fuciños; Natalia Estévez; Lorenzo M Pastrana; Antonio A Vicente; María Luisa Rúa

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.09.144

One-step chromatographic method to purify α-lactalbumin from whey for nanotube synthesis purposes

Food Chem. 2019 Mar 1:275:480-488. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.09.144. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

Authors

Clara Fuciños¹, Pablo Fuciños², Natalia Estévez³, Lorenzo M Pastrana², Antonio A Vicente⁴, María Luisa Rúa³

Affiliations

¹ Biotechnology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, University of Vigo, As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain; Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar s/n, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: clarafg@gmail.com.
² The International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Avenida Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal.
³ Biotechnology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, University of Vigo, As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain.
⁴ Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar s/n, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.

PMID: 30724223
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.09.144

Abstract

A one-step anion-exchange chromatography method (NaCl gradient elution on a DEAE Sepharose™ Fast Flow gel column) was developed to purify α-lactalbumin (α-LA) from whey protein isolate. α-LA nearly 100% pure (based on the total protein content) was obtained with a yield of about 39%. Besides pure α-LA, which was the main objective of this work, highly pure β-lactoglobulin was also obtained with a yield of about 59%. The high purity of the obtained α-LA samples allowed its use to synthesise protein nanotubes with excellent gelation properties for their use as food thickeners and bioactive carriers. The samples' purity degree obtained (based on the total protein content) was critical in the formation of proper nanotubes instead of random aggregates, which produced opaque and weak gels, less useful for food applications.

Keywords: AEC chromatography; Nanotubes; Protein gels; Purification; Whey proteins; α-Lactalbumin.

MeSH terms

Animals
Chromatography, Ion Exchange / methods*
Lactalbumin / chemistry
Lactalbumin / isolation & purification*
Nanotechnology*
Nanotubes / chemistry*
Whey Proteins / chemistry*

Substances

Whey Proteins
Lactalbumin