Isolation and physicochemical and functional properties of a calcium binding gluten fraction

Each milligram gluten protein isolated from bread contains 0.03-0.06 mumol calcium. On theoretical grounds we have concluded that this calcium quantity is bound to the free carboxyl groups not participating in peptide bonds of dicarbonic aminoacids, especially glutaminic acid, making up a large proportion within the aminoacids of gluten. After treatment with EGTA, a well-known calcium complex forming compound, two gluten fractions can be distinguished: water-soluble gluten-ES, and gluten-EP soluble in acetic acid. The aminoacid composition of gluten-ES is similar to that of unfractionated gluten. It is rich in aminodicarbonic acid (glu), aminodicarbonic acid amide (gln) and proline. Further properties of gluten-ES are: immunological similarity to gluten; a molecular mass of 36 000 dalton; an absorption maximum at 275.6 nm; a Ca2+-binding capacity of 0.72 mumol Ca2+/mg protein as measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and by Ca2+ ion selective electrode; inhibitory effect of a small quantity (25-30 micrograms) of the compound on the Ca2+-Mg2+ dependent ATPase and Ca2+-uptake of fragmented sarcoplasmatic reticulum. Preliminary experiments have demonstrated that gluten-ES has an influence on other calcium ion mediated systems like actomyosin superprecipitation. We put forward the hypothesis that by its Ca2+-binding capacity, gluten-ES is capable of influencing the level of free calcium and may thus play a part in the pathomechanism of coeliac disease.