Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026

11:37
Sigma's Non-specific Protease Activity Assay - Casein as a Substrate
Published on: September 17, 2008
THE EFFECT OF RENNIN UPON CASEIN : II. FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPERTIES OF PARACASEIN
1Department of Physical Chemistry, Laboratories of Physiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston.
The Journal of General Physiology
|October 30, 2009
Summary
Paracasein is distinct from casein, even when casein is exposed to alkaline conditions or partial hydrolysis. This protein, paracasein, is not simply a modified form of casein.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Protein Chemistry
Background:
- Casein is a major milk protein with specific solubility properties.
- Understanding casein modifications is crucial for dairy science and food technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the properties of paracasein and compare them with casein.
- To determine if paracasein is a derivative of casein.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of casein and paracasein preparations.
- Solubility tests of casein under various alkaline and hydrolysis conditions.
Main Results:
- Casein maintains its solubility in sodium hydroxide (NaOH) even after significant alkali exposure, recovery from hydrolysis, or prolonged storage at its isoelectric point.
- Paracasein exhibits different properties compared to casein treated with excess alkali.
Conclusions:
- Paracasein is not identical to casein modified by alkaline treatment.
- The preparation of paracasein does not involve the partial hydrolysis of casein in the presence of NaOH.
Related Concept Videos
SN1 Reaction: Stereochemistry
This lesson provides an in-depth discussion of the stereochemical outcomes in an SN1 reaction.
In the first step of an SN1 reaction, the bond between the electrophilic carbon and the leaving group ionizes to generate the carbocation intermediate. The second step of the mechanism is the nucleophilic attack.
In the formed carbocation, the positively charged carbon is sp2 hybridized with a trigonal planar geometry. As all the three substituents lie on the same plane, a plane of symmetry for the...
In the first step of an SN1 reaction, the bond between the electrophilic carbon and the leaving group ionizes to generate the carbocation intermediate. The second step of the mechanism is the nucleophilic attack.
In the formed carbocation, the positively charged carbon is sp2 hybridized with a trigonal planar geometry. As all the three substituents lie on the same plane, a plane of symmetry for the...
Stereochemical Effects of Enolization
The chiral α-carbon of the carbonyl compound is the stereocenter of the molecule. As shown in the figure below, when such a carbonyl compound undergoes racemization under an acidic or basic condition, an achiral enol is formed.
Stereoisomerism of Cyclic Compounds
In this lesson, we delve into the role of ring conformation and its stability, which determines the spatial arrangement and, consequently, the molecular symmetry and stereoisomerism of cyclic compounds. 1,2-Dimethylcyclohexane is used as a case study to evaluate the possible number of stereoisomers. Here, given the multiple (n = 2) chiral centers, there are 2n = 4 possible configurations that lack a plane of symmetry, as the ring skeleton exists in a non-planar chair conformation. In addition,...
Properties of Enantiomers and Optical Activity
It is essential to understand the difference between chiral and achiral interactions and the implications thereof in optical activity and their applications. Just as our feet, which are chiral, interact uniquely with chiral objects, such as a pair of shoes, but identically with achiral socks, enantiomers of a molecule exhibit different properties only when they interact with other chiral media. An example of a significant implication from this facet is the phenomenon known as optical activity,...
Racemic Mixtures and the Resolution of Enantiomers
A racemic mixture, or racemate, is an equimolar mixture of enantiomers of a molecule that can be separated using their unique interaction with chiral molecules or media. Racemic mixtures are denoted by the (±)- prefix. This ‘optical rotation descriptor’ applies to the whole solution of a racemic mixture rather than a specific stereoisomer. Enantiomers typically have the same physical and chemical properties. Hence, they are not easily separable. However, enantiomers can exhibit different...
Chirality in Nature
Chirality is the most intriguing yet essential facet of nature, governing life’s biochemical processes and precision. It can be observed from a snail shell pattern in a macroscopic world to an amino acid, the minutest building block of life. Most of the snails around the world have right-coiled shells because of the intrinsic chirality in their genes. All the amino acids present in the human body exist in an enantiomerically pure state, except for glycine - the sole achiral amino acid. The...

