The interaction of bovine milk caseins with the detergent sodium dodecyl sulphate. II. The effect of detergent binding on spectral properties of caseins

Summary

The dissociation of casein aggregates by the detergent sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) gave rise to difference spectra and these spectra were characteristic for each of the different types of casein. Increase in absorption by the chromophore groups, tyrosine and tryptophan, when α_s1- and β-casein aggregates were dissociated indicated binding of the detergent at regions of the molecule containing these residues. A decrease in absorption when κ-casein was dissociated indicated that the tyrosine and tryptophan residues were not in the region of the molecule to which the detergent was bound and that in the κ-casein aggregate these residues were in a more hydrophobic environment. Peaks on the difference spectra were obtained at 280 and 288 nm for α_s1-casein and 284 and 291 nm for β-casein and troughs at 278 and 286 nm for κ-casein. The difference spectrum reached a maximum value when the α_sl- and β-casein aggregates were dissociated and the further binding of SDS did not alter this value. The large negative change in the difference spectrum of κ-casein did not occur until after most of the aggregates were dissociated and did not reach a maximum until binding with SDS was complete. The value obtained for ΔOD was found to be temperature-dependent for β-casein-SDS interaction, but not for α_s1- and κ-casein. Changes in spectra were also observed when α_s1- and κ-casein interacted to form aggregates. The data obtained confirmed the importance of hydrophobic binding in casein aggregate formation and indicated the possible involvement of tyrosine and tryptophan residues in this binding.