[Chemical modification of proteins. 2. Blocking of amino groups and basic amino acids and crosslinking of polypeptide chains in casein and field bean globulin by reaction with dialdehyde starch].

The reaction of dialdehyde starch with casein and field-bean globulin leads to a blocking of the protein amino groups and to a decrease of free lysine, arginine and histidine. Maximum values are reached at high protein concentrations and great molar reagent excess. At best 80-93% of the amino groups or of the available lysine may be blocked in this way. For 1% casein and I and 5% globulin solutions, the pH optimum of the reaction lies at approximately 8; for 5% casein solutions, it is shifted towards the neutral to weakly acidic range. The value for the proportion of unblocked lysine is higher (approximately 5%) when determined by amino-acid analysis after acid total hydrolysis than when measured by means of the colorimetric method according to Carpenter (20%). The difference is designed as reversibly blocked lysine proportion. There is a linear correlation between the proportion of blocked lysine and the relative nutritional value as determined by means of the test organism Tetrahymena pyriformis. Dependently on protein concentration and reagent excess, gel chromatographically detectable cross-linking products of higher molecular weight are formed by the reaction of dialdehyde starch with casein. In 5% protein solutions, such products with molecular weights of less than or equal to 900 000 are the sole detectable components.