Formation of micelles and micellar calcium phosphate-cross-linkage in artificial buffalo casein micelles.

Artificial buffalo casein micelles, in which calcium, inorganic phosphate (Pi) and citrate concentrations were 10-40, 12-27, and 10 mM, respectively, were prepared at pH 6.7, and the formation of micelles and micellar calcium phosphate (MCP)-cross-linkage was examined. The results were compared with those of artificial bovine casein micelles. There were almost no differences in the micellar casein and calcium contents between artificial buffalo and bovine casein micelles. The contents of MCP-cross-linked casein were 15.34 and 45.38% for the buffalo micelles formed at 20 mM calcium and 17 mM Pi, and 30 mM calcium and 22 mM Pi, respectively, which were higher than those of corresponding bovine casein micelles. The organic phosphorus contents of buffalo and bovine casein used were 0.73 and 0.82%. The lack of phosphorylation at site 115 of buffalo-α s1 -casein was the positive effect upon the formation of cross-linked casein by MCP in buffalo casein micelles systems.