Cereal Chem 63:342-345   |  VIEW ARTICLE
Effects of Progressive Succinylation on Some Molecular Properties of Soy Glycinin.

S. H. Kim and J. E. Kinsella. Copyright 1986 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of succinylation for improving the molecular flexibility of soy glycinin. Eighty and 90 percent succinylation of the free amino groups of glycinin was obtained with a 0.2:1 and 1:1 ratio of succinic anhydride to protein, respectively. Progressive succinylation up to 75% of free amino groups caused a gradual increase in specific viscosity of glycinin, but above 75% succinylation there was a sharp increase in viscosity. Succinylation of up to 50% of available amino groups gradually increased the hydrophobicity of glycinin. This was accompanied by gradual exposure of tyrosine and tryptophan residues to the polar medium as indicated by ultraviolet and fluorescence spectrophotometric analyses. The data indicated a gradual dissociation and/or unfolding of the component polypeptides of glycinin, with up to 50% succinylation followed by refolding or reassociation of polypeptides after further modification.