Aggregation of beta-lactoglobulin studied by in situ light scattering

In situ light scattering, where light scattered from a sample is measured directly while the sample is heated in the instrument, is presented as a simple and effective technique for studying the heat-induced aggregation of beta-lactoglobulin. This technique was shown to be applicable not only to monitoring the initial aggregation steps, but to following the overall aggregation process with time. The experiments gave results similar to measurements carried out after a heat-quench treatment, but were more informative. From experiments on a standard NIZO beta-lactoglobulin sample, a strongly desalted standard NIZO sample, different genetic variants of beta-lactoglobulin and a mixture of these, we concluded that the standard NIZO sample was suitable for studying heat-induced aggregation. This sample has been investigated more extensively. Results with beta-lactoglobulin (10-100 g/l) at 65 degrees C fitted a kinetic model for the denaturation and aggregation of beta-lactoglobulin. This model, which held for beta-lactoglobulin dissolved in water at near neutral pH and at 60-75 degrees C. recognizes an initiation, propagation and termination reaction, by analogy with polymer radical chemistry. It gave a quantitatively correct description of the dependence of the scattering intensity on the initial beta-lactoglobulin concentration. Salt composition, pH and temperature strongly influenced the aggregation of beta-lactoglobulin, Particle size increased with salt concentration in the range studied (up to 20 mM-NaCl and 1.0 mM-CaCl2). When the pH increased from 6.9 to 8.0 particle size was strongly reduced, whereas it strongly increased when pH was lowered to 6.2. Between 61.5 and 70 degrees C temperature did not affect particle size, whereas aggregation rate strongly increased. These effects could be incorporated in the kinetic model via the reaction constants of the reaction kinetic pathway.