title: Role of non-covalent interactions in the production of visco-elastic material from zein.
abstract: The role of non-covalent interactions in the formation of visco-elastic material from zein was investigated. Hydrophobic interactions were evaluated through the addition of various salts from the Hofmeister series. Urea, ethanol, and beta mercaptoethanol (β-ME) were used to evaluate the effects of protein denaturation and disulfide bonds on zein's ability to form a visco-elastic material. The addition of NaI and NaSCN altered the properties of visco-elastic materials made from zein, making them softer and more extensible, as did urea and ethanol. The addition of NaCl and Na2SO4 negatively impacted the ability of zein to from a visco-elastic material and at higher concentrations completely disrupted the formation of visco-elastic material. These results indicate that manipulating non-covalent interactions in zein can alter and in some cases, completely disrupt the formation of a visco-elastic material. Specifically this may be due to disruption of hydrophobic interactions within individual zein proteins or interactions between proteins. The reducing agent β-ME had little effect on zein's ability to form a visco-elastic material. Therefore, the visco-elastic properties of zein arise as a result of non-covalent interactions.
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS Center for Grain and Animal Health Research, 1515 College Ave., Manhattan, KS 66502, USA. Electronic address: bmsmith10@alaska.edu.
authors.forename: Brennan M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Scott R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bean
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Selling
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sessa
authors.forename: Fadi M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Aramouni
mesh_terms: D004548:Elasticity; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D015394:Molecular Structure; D014783:Viscosity; D015028:Zein / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D015028:Zein
keywords: Gluten; Gluten free; Protein functionality; Viscoelastic; Zein