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Biomedical subjects

P F Fox

Publications and source records attributed to P F Fox.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Water-soluble peptides in Cheddar cheese: isolation and identification of peptides in the diafiltration retentate of the water-soluble fraction.

The water-soluble extract of Cheddar cheese was fractionated by diafiltration using 10 kDa cut-off membranes. Peptides were isolated from the diafiltrate retentate by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose with a linear NaCl gradient in 50 mM-Tris-HCl. pH 8.6, and reversed-phase HPLC or electroblotting from urea-PAGE gels. Peptides were identified by determining N-terminal amino acid sequences and mass spectrometry. Most (45) of the total 51 peptides identified in the diafiltrate retentate originated from beta-casein, especially from a short region in the N-terminal half of the molecule. Only six peptides originated from alpha s1-casein; beta-lactoglobulin was also identified in the retentate. The origin of most of these peptides could be explained on the basis of known specificities of lactococcal cell envelope proteinases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Purification and Characterization of an Extracellular Proteinase from Brevibacterium linens ATCC 9174.

An extracellular serine proteinase from Brevibacterium linens ATCC 9174 was purified to homogeneity. pH and temperature optima were 8.5 and 50(deg)C, respectively. The results for the molecular mass of the proteinase were 56 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 126 kDa by gel filtration, indicating that the native enzyme exists as a dimer. Mg(sup2+) and Ca(sup2+) activated the proteinase, as did NaCl; however, Hg(sup2+), Fe(sup2+), and Zn(sup2+) caused strong inhibition. The sequence of the first 20 N-terminal amino acids was NH(inf2)-Ala-Lys-Asn-Asp-Ala-Val-Gly-Gly-Met-Gly-Tyr-Leu-Ser-Met-Ile-Pro-Se r-Gln-Pro-Gly.

Journal Article↗

Susceptibility of beta-lactoglobulin and sodium caseinate to proteolysis by pepsin and trypsin.

The susceptibility of beta-LG and sodium caseinate to proteolysis by pepsin and trypsin was investigated using SDS or urea-PAGE. The effects were studied of heat, urea, and 2-mercaptoethanol on proteolysis. Native beta-LG was resistant to hydrolysis by pepsin or trypsin because of its compact globular structure. Heat treatment of beta-LG solutions at 90 to 100 degrees C for 5 or 10 min caused changes in the structure or conformation of the protein that rendered it accessible to pepsin and enhanced the extent of proteolysis by trypsin. The susceptibility of beta-LG to proteolysis by pepsin was markedly increased in the presence of urea (3 to 6 M), and the effect was reversible after removal of urea by dialysis. Proteolysis by trypsin was also increased by the presence of 2% 2-mercaptoethanol. Sodium caseinate was very accessible to pepsin without pretreatment and was extensively hydrolyzed at pH 1 to 5 in the presence of 5 M urea (which prevented the protein from precipitation in the isoelectric region); optimal pH was about 2. The activity of pepsin on sodium caseinate at pH 2 was not significantly affected by urea concentration up to about 8 M. The results indicated that the changes in conformation and structure of beta-LG that were induced by heating, reduction, or urea rendered the protein susceptible to peptic hydrolysis.

Animals↗

Proteolysis of bovine alpha s2-casein by chymosin.

Proteolysis of bovine alpha s2-casein by chymosin (E. C. 3.4.23.4) in solution in 100 mM Na phosphate buffer, pH 6.5, at 30 degrees C was studied by reversed-phase (RP)-HPLC and urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Chymosin hydrolyzed alpha s2-casein in solution to eight peptides detectable by urea-PAGE. Peptides soluble in acetate buffer, pH 4.6, were isolated by RP-HPLC on a C18 column using an acetonitrile/water gradient and identified from their N-terminal amino acid sequence. The chymosin cleavage sites were at the bonds Phe88-Tyr89, Tyr95-Leu96, Gln97-Tyr98, Tyr98-Leu99, Phe163-Leu164, Phe174-Ala175 and Tyr179-Leu180. Chymosin cleavage sites were restricted to the hydrophobic regions of the molecule. The bond-type in alpha s2-casein cleaved by chymosin was in agreement with that found to be susceptible to chymosin in other caseins. The primary site of chymosin action on alpha s2-casein appeared to be at Phe88-Tyr89.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Effect of genetically modifying the lactococcal proteolytic system on ripening and flavor development in cheddar cheese.

THREE BATCHES OF SIX CHEDDAR CHEESES WERE MANUFACTURED BY USING THE FOLLOWING LACTOCOCCAL STRAINS: (i) UC317 as a control; (ii) JL3601, a proteinase-negative derivative of UC317 transformed with high-copy-number plasmid pCI3601 containing the cloned proteinase gene complex from UC317; (iii) AM312, a proteinase-negative derivative of UC317 transformed with plasmid pMG36enpr containing the neutral proteinase gene from Bacillus subtilis; (iv) AC322, JL3601 transformed with pMG36enpr; (v) AC311, UC317 transformed with plasmid pNZ1120, which contains the aminopeptidase N (pepN) gene from Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis MG1363; and (vi) AC321, JL3601 transformed with pNZ1120. Organoleptic and chemical analyses indicated that (i) the control cheeses, which were made with UC317, were of the highest quality; (ii) cheeses made with strains harboring pCI3601 in addition to either pMG36enpr (AC322) or pNZ1120 (AC321) did not ripen in a significantly different manner than cheeses made with AM312 (containing only pMG36enpr) or AC311 (containing only pNZ1120), respectively; (iii) cheeses made with strains that overproduce pepN did not have improved body, texture, and flavor characteristics; and (iv) cheeses made with strains harboring the neutral proteinase from B. subtilis (AM312 and AC322) underwent greatly accelerated proteolysis.

Journal Article↗

Proteolytic specificity of chymosin on bovine alpha s1-casein.

The proteolytic specificity of chymosin (EC 3.4.23.4) on bovine alpha s1-casein at 30 degrees C in phosphate buffer, pH 6.5 and at pH 5.2 in the presence of 5% (w/v) NaCl was investigated. Peptides (pH 4.6-soluble) were isolated by reversed-phase HPLC and identified from their amino acid sequence; the identity of some peptides was confirmed by mass spectrometry and/or amino acid composition. The small peptides produced at pH 6.5 were Arg1-Phe23, Phe24-Phe28, Phe24-Leu40(?), Phe150-Phe153, Phe150-Leu156, Tyr154-Tyr159, Tyr154-Trp164, Asp157-Trp164 and Tyr165-Trp199. The same peptides, except Tyr154-Trp164, were produced at pH 5.2 in the presence of NaCl and, in addition, the peptides Arg1-Leu11, Phe24-Phe32, Lys102-Leu142, Ala143-Leu149 and Tyr165-Phe179. The rates of production of individual peptides differed under the two conditions studied but Arg1-Phe23 and Tyr165-Trp199 were the first and second peptides produced under both conditions. Pathways are proposed to interpret the proteolysis of alpha s1-casein in solution under the conditions of this study.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The contribution of lactococcal starter proteinases to proteolysis in cheddar cheese.

The contribution of the lactococcal proteinase to proteolysis and flavor development in Cheddar cheese was investigated using the starter strains Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis UC317, its proteinase-negative derivative FH041, and variants of UC317 modified in proteinase production, location, and specificity. Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis FH041 was transformed by electroporation with plasmids pCI3601, pCI3602, or pNZ521. Plasmids pCI3601 and pCI3602 harbor the cloned proteinase genes of L. lactis ssp. lactis UC317 on a high copy number vector and, as such, encode an increased concentration of cell wall-associated and secreted enzymes, respectively. Plasmid pNZ521 contains the cloned proteinase genes from Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris SK11. Assessment of proteolysis and flavor development in Cheddar cheese made with these strains revealed that starter proteinases are required for the accumulation of small peptides and free amino acids in Cheddar cheese. Proteolysis was not enhanced by an approximately threefold increase in concentration of the lactococcal proteinase. The strain in which the proteinase remained attached to the cell wall appeared to contribute more to proteolysis than the strain that secreted the enzyme. Water-soluble peptides unique to Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris SK11 and L. lactis ssp. lactis UC317 were detected by PAGE and HPLC, respectively. Sensory evaluation showed that the flavors of all cheeses made with proteinase-positive starters were similar, but cheeses made with proteinase-negative starters lacked flavor.

Amino Acids↗

Glycolysis and related reactions during cheese manufacture and ripening.

Fermentation of lactose to lactic acid by lactic acid bacteria is an essential primary reaction in the manufacture of all cheese varieties. The reduced pH of cheese curd, which reaches 4.5 to 5.2, depending on the variety, affects at least the following characteristics of curd and cheese: syneresis (and hence cheese composition), retention of calcium (which affects cheese texture), retention and activity of coagulant (which influences the extent and type of proteolysis during ripening), the growth of contaminating bacteria. Most (98%) of the lactose in milk is removed in the whey during cheesemaking, either as lactose or lactic acid. The residual lactose in cheese curd is metabolized during the early stages of ripening. During ripening lactic acid is also altered, mainly through the action of nonstarter bacteria. The principal changes are (1) conversion of L-lactate to D-lactate such that a racemic mixture exists in most cheeses at the end of ripening; (2) in Swiss-type cheeses, L-lactate is metabolized to propionate, acetate, and CO2, which are responsible for eye formation and contribute to typical flavor; (3) in surface mold, and probably in surface bacterially ripened cheese, lactate is metabolized to CO2 and H2O, which contributes to the increase in pH characteristic of such cheeses and that is responsible for textural changes, (4) in Cheddar and Dutch-type cheeses, some lactate may be oxidized to acetate by Pediococci. Cheese contains a low level of citrate, metabolism of which by Streptococcus diacetylactis leads to the production of diacetyl, which contributes to the flavor and is responsible for the limited eye formation characteristic of such cheeses.

Animals↗

Binding of zinc to bovine and human milk proteins.

Zn binding by whole bovine and human casein and by purified bovine caseins and whey proteins was investigated by equilibrium dialysis. Bovine alpha s1-casein had the greatest Zn-binding capacity (approximately 11 atoms Zn/mol). Protein aggregation was observed as Zn concentration was increased and the protein precipitated at a free Zn concentration of 1.7 mM. Zn binding increased with increasing pH in the range 5.4-7.0 and decreased with increasing ionic strength. Competition between Zn and Ca was observed for binding to alpha s1-casein indicating common binding sites for these two metals. Bovine beta-casein bound up to 8 atoms Zn/mol and precipitated at a free Zn concentration of approximately 2.5 mM, while kappa-casein bound 1-2 atoms Zn/mol. Whole bovine and human casein bound 5-8 atoms Zn/mol and precipitated at a free Zn concentration of approximately 2.0 mM. Scatchard plots for Zn binding to caseins showed upward convexity, possibly due to Zn-induced association of caseins. Apparent average association constants (Kapp) for all caseins were similar (log Kapp 3.0-3.2). Enzymic dephosphorylation of alpha s1- or whole bovine casein markedly reduced, but did not eliminate, Zn binding. Thus, phosphoserine residues appeared to be the primary Zn-binding sites in caseins. With the exception of bovine serum albumin, which bound over 8 atoms Zn/mol, the bovine whey proteins, beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin and lactotransferrin, had little capacity for Zn binding.

Animals↗

Zinc binding in bovine milk.

About 90% of the Zn in bovine skim milk was sedimented by ultracentrifugation at 100,000 g for 1 h. About half of the non-sedimentable Zn was non-dialysable, indicating that it was associated with protein, probably non-sedimented casein micelles. Casein micelles incorporated considerable amounts of Zn added to skim milk as ZnCl2, and at Zn concentrations greater than or equal to 16 mM coagulation of casein micelles occurred. Ca was displaced from casein micelles by increasing ZnCl2 concentration and approximately 40% of micellar Ca was displaced by 16 mM-ZnCl2. Micellar Zn, Ca and Pi were gradually rendered soluble as the pH of milk was lowered and at pH 4.6 greater than 95% of the Zn, Ca and Pi were non-sedimentable. These changes were largely reversible by readjustment of the pH to 6.7. About 40% of the total Zn in skim milk was non-sedimentable at 0.2 mM-EDTA and most of the remainder was gradually rendered soluble by EDTA over the concentration range 1-50 mM. This indicates that there are two distinct micellar Zn fractions. No micellar Ca or Pi was solubilized at EDTA concentrations up to 1.0 mM, indicating that both colloidal calcium phosphate (CCP) and casein micelles remained intact under conditions where the more loosely bound micellar Zn fraction dissolved. Depletion of casein micelles of colloidal Ca and Pi by acidification and equilibrium dialysis resulted in removal of Zn, and in colloidal Pi-free milk non-dialysable Zn was reduced to 1.2 mg/l (approximately 32% of the original Zn). Thus, approximately 32% of the Zn in skim milk is directly bound to caseins, while approximately 63% is associated with CCP. Over 80% of the Zn in colloidal Pi-free milk was rendered soluble by 0.2 mM-EDTA, indicating that the casein-bound Zn is the loosely bound Zn fraction in casein micelles. A considerable fraction of the Zn in acid whey (pH 4.6) co-precipitated with Ca and Pi on raising the pH to 6.7 and heating for 2 h at 40 degrees C, indicating that insoluble Zn phosphate complexes form readily under these conditions. Studies on dialysis of milk against water, or dilution of milk or casein micelles with water, showed that CCP and its associated Zn is very stable and dissolves only very slowly at pH 6.6. The nature of Zn binding in casein micelles may help to explain the lower nutritional bioavailability of Zn in bovine milk and infant formulae compared with human milk.

Animals↗

New methods of milk processing.

Thus, although the dairy industry is long established, it is still a dynamic industry with numerous recent or potential developments in the use of milk either in unfractionated form but more likely as fractionated components with specific functional and/or nutritional properties. Developments are still possible in such traditional products as butter.

Animals↗

Water sorption by proteins: milk and whey proteins.

The content and physical state of water in foods influence their physical, chemical, quality, safety, and functional behavior. Information concerning the sorption behavior of dairy proteins, in the water activity (Aw) range 0 to 0.9, is collated in this paper. The sorption behavior of proteins in general, the kinetics of absorption, factors affecting water binding, the phenomenon of desorption hysteresis, and the chemical and physical nature of water/protein interactions are reviewed in general terms. This is followed by a discussion of thermodynamic aspects of sorption phenomena and the adequacy of the various equations for describing sorption isotherms of proteins. After a discussion of the methods available for measuring sorption by milk proteins, the sorption behavior of various milk protein preparations, i.e., nonfat dry milk, whey proteins, caseins, and milk powders is summarized. Finally, the water activity of cheese and its relationship to solute mobility and solvent water are discussed. Some of the unique features of protein behavior, i.e., conformational changes, swelling, and solubilization are cited as possible sources of disparities between various reports.

Absorption↗