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Published on: April 22, 2022
Covalent conjugates of selenium-enriched brown rice protein and phenolic acids: mechanisms, stability, and digestion
Xiaomei Gao1, Xin Mei2, Zhenzhou Zhu3
1Institute of Agro-Products Processing and Nuclear agricultural Technology, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Cold Chain Logistics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hubei Key Laboratory of Characteristic Resources and Utilization, Wuhan 430064, China; School of Modern Industry for Selenium Science and Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University/National R&D Center for Se-Rich Agricultural Products Processing/Hubei Engineering Research Center for Deep Processing of Green Se-rich Agricultural Products, Wuhan 430023, China.
Abstract:
To address the poor functionality of brown rice protein (BRP) and the low stability of phenolic acids, this study utilized selenium-enriched brown rice protein (Se-BRP) to construct covalent conjugates with three hydroxycinnamic acids, investigating their structural evolution, molecular binding mechanisms, and gastrointestinal behavior. SDS-PAGE and multispectroscopy confirmed covalent conjugation via alkaline-induced CN and CS linkages. Molecular docking revealed that phenolic acids docked primarily at the Q5N725 subunit, while selenium imparted crucial conformational rigidity. Conjugation significantly reduced particle size (43.55%-72.63%) and improved emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsifying stability index (ESI), while markedly enhancing both UV and thermal stability. In vitro digestion demonstrated that these conjugates accelerated protein digestibility and selenium bioaccessibility. Notably, the Se-BRP and ferulic acid conjugate (JS-FA) exhibited superior gastric resistance and the maximum intestinal release of phenolic acid (PCmax 9.95 mg/mL). These findings reveal Se-BRP-phenolic acid interactions, providing a theoretical foundation for developing selenium-fortified, gastrointestinal-responsive delivery systems.
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