Study of plant protein aggregation to yield new functional properties

植物蛋白除了具有很高的营养价值外，由于其可持续性、生物降解性和功能性，越来越多地被用于食品和非食品领域。尽管植物蛋白在创造新的食品和生物材料(如乳剂、泡沫、凝胶)方面引起了极大的兴趣，但它们的功能的分子基础仍然很不清楚。我的计划的长期目标是不断扩大我们对植物蛋白质结构-功能关系的基本理解，并将这些知识应用于开发更健康的食品和生物材料。短期目标集中在研究植物蛋白质聚集以产生新的功能特性。豆类和燕麦中的球蛋白将被选为模型。 球蛋白通常形成三种不同形态的聚集体：原纤维、球形颗粒和链状。使用具有良好特征的结构的特定蛋白质聚集体来创建功能是新的，并引起了科学兴趣。例如，细长的形态允许纤维在低体积下创建空间填充网络，使其有利于增稠和凝胶成分。聚集体的形态在很大程度上决定了其功能性。为了获得最佳功能，需要控制聚合过程以特定的形态为目标；如果了解聚合机制，就可以做到这一点。因此，具体地说，在本研究中，我们旨在了解植物球蛋白在控制聚集体形态中的聚集机制。然后，我们将研究如何使用不同形态的聚集体来创建新的功能，重点是Pickering乳液和纤维/渗滤凝胶。随后，这些乳剂和凝胶将被转化为生物活性分子的天然释放系统，以提高它们的稳定性，并在小肠中受控释放，以更好地吸收或有益于健康。 通过这项研究获得的知识将为食品工业开发高质量的乳液和凝胶食品提供变革性的工具，这些食品具有更好的特性，如延长货架期或更好的感官特性。这些工具还将使该行业能够将生物活性分子(例如-3、叶黄素、酶)定制成新的功能食品，以降低慢性病的风险并改善公众健康。结果也将使制药、个人护理和生物制品行业受益，这些行业也需要天然和可持续的植物来源。从农业的角度来看，燕麦和豆类生产是加拿大的关键和主要农业部门。拟议的研究将为燕麦和豆类蛋白质创造新的增值机会，从而提高加拿大生产商和加工商的盈利能力和可持续性。

Plant proteins are increasingly used in food and non-food areas owing to their sustainability, biodegradability and functionality in addition to their high nutritive value. Despite the great interest in plant proteins for creating new foods and biomaterials (e.g. emulsions, foams, gels), the molecular basis of their functionality is still far from clear. The long-term goal of my program is to continuously expand our basic understanding of the structure-function relationships of plant proteins and to apply this knowledge to develop healthier foods and biomaterials. The short-term goal focuses on study of plant protein aggregation to yield new functional properties. Globulin proteins from pulses and oats will be selected as models. Globulin proteins generally form three types of aggregates with distinct morphologies: fibrils, spherical particles and strands. The use of specific protein aggregates with well characterized structures to create functionality is new and has attracted scientific interests. For example, the elongated morphology allows fibrils to create a space filling network at low volume, making them advantageous thickening and gelling ingredients. Aggregate morphology largely determines its functionality. For optimal functionality the aggregation process needs to be controlled to target specific morphology; this can be done if the aggregation mechanisms are understood. Therefore, specifically in this research, we aim to understand the plant globulin protein aggregation mechanisms in controlling aggregate morphology. We will then study how aggregates of different morphology can be used to create new functionality with emphasis on Pickering emulsions and fibirllar/percolating gels. Subsequently, these emulsions and gels will be converted into natural delivery systems of bioactive molecules to improve their stability and controlled release them in the small intestine for better absorption or health benefits. The knowledge gained through this research will represent a transformative tool for the food industry to develop emulsion- and gel-based foods of superior quality, with improved characteristics such as a prolonged shelf-life or better sensory properties. These tools will also enable the industry to tailor bioactive molecules (e.g. -3, lutein, enzymes) into novel functional foods to lower the risk of chronic disease and improve public health. The outcomes will benefit pharmaceutical, personal care and bio-product industries as well, which are also demanding natural and sustainable sources of plant origin. From an agricultural perspective, oat and pulse production represent key and major agricultural sectors in Canada. The proposed research will create new value-added opportunities for oat and pulse proteins and thus can enhance the profitability and sustainability of Canadian producers and processors alike.