In one of the first studies of isolated intermediates in protein aggregation, we have used circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy to characterize metastable oligomers that are formed in the early steps of ␤-lactoglobulin heat aggregation. The intermediates show typical molten globule characteristics (secondary structure content similar to the native and less tight packing of the side chains), in agreement with the belief that partly folded states play a key role in protein aggregation. The far-UV CD signal bears strong resemblance to that of a known folding intermediate. Cryo-transmission electron microscopy of the aggregates reveals spherical particles with a diameter of about 50 nm and an internal threadlike structure. Isolated oligomers as well as larger aggregates bind the dye thioflavin T, usually a signature of the amyloid superstructures found in many protein aggregates. This result suggests that the structural motif recognized by thioflavin T can be formed in small oligomers.

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This study investigated the competitive adsorption between milk proteins and model milk membrane lipids at the oil-water interface and its dependence on the state of the lipid dispersion and the formation of emulsions. Both protein and membrane lipid surface load were determined using a serum depletion technique. The membrane lipid mixture used was a model milk membrane lipid system, containing dioleoylphosphatidylcholine, dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine, milk sphingomyelin, dioleoylphosphatidylserine, and soybean phosphatidylinositol. The model composition mimics the lipid composition of natural milk fat globule membranes. The interactions were studied for two proteins, beta-lactoglobulin and beta-casein. The mixing order was varied to allow for differentiation between equilibrium structures and nonequilibrium structures. The results showed more than monolayer adsorption for most combinations. Proteins dominated at the oil-water interface in the protein-emulsified emulsion even after 48 h of exposure to a vesicular dispersion of membrane lipids. The membrane lipids dominated the oil-water interface in the case of the membrane lipid emulsified emulsion even after equilibration with a protein solution. Protein displacement with time was observed only for emulsions in which both membrane lipids and beta-casein were included during the emulsification. This study shows that kinetics controls the structures rather than the thermodynamic equilibrium, possibly resulting in structures more complex than an adsorbed monolayer. Thus, it can be expected that procedures such as the mixing order during emulsion preparation are of crucial importance to the emulsification performance.

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