Publication no. C-2001-0608-05R |  VIEW ARTICLE

Surface Properties of Gluten Investigated by a Fluorescence Approach.

Elena Sironi (1,2), Nicoletta Guerrieri (1), and Paolo Cerletti (1). (1) Dipartimento di Scienze Molecolari Agroalimentari (DISMA), Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy. (2) Corresponding author. E-mail: <sironi6@utenti.unimi.it> Fax: 39-02-58356801. Cereal Chem. 78(4):476-480. Accepted March 20, 2001. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc., 2001.

The surface properties of glutens isolated from a durum wheat cultivar (Capeiti) and two bread wheats (Riband and Hereward) were investigated using intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescence. Intrinsic fluorescence decreased on increasing protein concentration and increased after urea addition. The extrinsic fluorescence was evaluated by a titration with 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulphonate (ANS), an hydrophobic probe. The saturating concentration for ANS and its dissociation constant (Kd) were determined. The hydrophobicity of durum and bread wheat gluten showed a different behavior increasing the protein concentration: Capeiti was not influenced, but there was a change on the gluten surface for Riband and Hereward. The significance in understanding gluten structure and the relevance of the surface properties are discussed.