Analysis of the effect of temperature changes combined with different alkaline pH on the β-lactoglobulin trypsin hydrolysis pattern using MALDI-TOF-MS/MS

Seronei Chelulei Cheison, Janina Brand, Elena Leeb, Ulrich Kulozik

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

Temperature and pH influence the conformation of the whey protein β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) monomer, dimer, and octamer formation, its denaturation, and solubility. Most hydrolyses have been reported at trypsin (EC 3.4.21.4) optimum conditions (pH 7.8 and 37 °C), while the hydrolysate mass spectrometry was largely limited to peptides with <4 kDa. There are few reports on trypsin peptide release patterns away from optimum. This work investigated the influence of alkaline (8.65 and 9.5) and optimum (7.8) pH at different temperatures (25, 37.5, and 50 °C) on β-Lg (7.5%, w/v) hydrolysis. Sample aliquots were drawn out before the addition of trypsin (blank sample) and at various time intervals (15 s to 10 min) thereafter. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS/MS) was used to monitor peptide evolution over time with the use of two matrixes: α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (HCCA) and 2.5-dihydroxyacetophenone (DHAP). Mass analysis showed that the N- and C-terminals (Lys8-Gly9, Lys100-Lys 101, Arg124-Thr125, Lys141-Ala 142, and Arg148-Leu149) of β-Lg were cleaved early (15 s) implying the ease of trypsinolysis at the exposed terminals. Hydrolyses at 25 °C and pH 7.8 as well as at 50 °C and pH 9.5 were slowed down and ordered. Nonspecific chymotrypsin-like behavior occurred more at higher temperatures (50 °C) than at lower ones (25 and 37.5 °C). In addition to our earlier work in the acid pH region, it can be concluded that there is potential for controlled hydrolysis outside the trypsin optimum, where different target peptides with predictable biofunctionalities could be produced.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1572-1581
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of agricultural and food chemistry
Volume59
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 9 Mar 2011

Keywords

  • MALDI-TOF-MS(/MS)
  • Trypsin hydrolysis
  • alkaline pH
  • β-lactoglobulin

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