Effects of enzymatic deamidation by protein-glutaminase on structure and functional properties of wheat gluten

Protein-glutaminase (PG) purified from Chryseobacterium proteolyticum was used to investigate its deamidation effects on wheat gluten. Water-insoluble gluten was able to be deamidated to the extent of deamidation degree (DD) 72% in 200 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7) at 40 degrees C for 30 h. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis exhibited an upper shift of gluten bands with only deamidation for 1.5-2.0 h (DD 35-45%) compared to the bands of nondeamidated gluten. Results of Fourier transform infrared analysis revealed alterations in secondary structure of gluten by PG deamidation. The assignment within amide I region showed decreases in both inter- (around 1695 cm(-1)) and intramolecular, beta-sheets (around 1680 cm(-1)) by deamidation suggesting the deterioration of the aggregation ability of gluten molecules. Solubility and emulsification properties of gluten at pH 7 were improved by deamidation, while both properties at pH 3 were deteriorated by deamidation. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay identified that allergenicity of deamidated gluten as compared to the nondeamidated cohorts was decreased remarkably as the deamidation time was prolonged.