NEUTRON REFLECTION STUDY OF BOVINE BETA-CASEIN ADSORBED ON OTS SELF-ASSEMBLED MONOLAYERS

Specular neutron reflection has been used to determine the structure a nd composition of bovine beta-casein adsorbed on a solid surface from an aqueous phosphate-buffered solution at pH 7. The protein was adsorb ed on a hydrophobic monolayer self-assembled from deuterated octadecyl trichlorosilane solution on a silicon (111) surface. A two-layer struc ture formed consisting of one dense layer of thickness 23 +/- 1 angstr oms and a surface coverage of 1.9 milligrams per square meter adjacent to the surface and an external layer protruding into the solution of thickness 35 +/- 1 angstroms and 12 percent protein volume fraction. T he structure of the (beta-casein) layer is explained in terms of the c harge distribution in the protein.