Alpha casein micelles show not only molecular chaperone-like aggregation inhibition properties but also protein refolding activity from the denatured state.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2010;
404:494-7. [PMID:
21144837 DOI:
10.1016/j.bbrc.2010.12.009]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2010] [Accepted: 12/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Casein micelles are a major component of milk proteins. It is well known that casein micelles show chaperone-like activity such as inhibition of protein aggregation and stabilization of proteins. In this study, it was revealed that casein micelles also possess a high refolding activity for denatured proteins. A buffer containing caseins exhibited higher refolding activity for denatured bovine carbonic anhydrase than buffers including other proteins. In particular, a buffer containing α-casein showed about a twofold higher refolding activity compared with absence of α-casein. Casein properties of surface hydrophobicity, a flexible structure and assembly formation are thought to contribute to this high refolding activity. Our results indicate that casein micelles stabilize milk proteins by both chaperone-like activity and refolding properties.
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