Skip to main content
  • Published:

Kappa-Casein in Milk An Immunochemical Investigation of the ϰ-Casein Content in Milk From Danish Cattle Breeds

Kappa-kasein i mælk. En immunkemisk undersøgelse af ϰ-kaseinindholdet i mælk fra danske kvægracer

Abstract

The ϰ-casein content in milk from the Danish cattle breeds SDM, RDM and Jersey was investigated by means of immunoquantitation in antibody containing agarose gels. The method, which determines the total ϰ-casein complex, is suitable for routine work. The reproducibility of the method was found to be ± 4.1 %.

The ϰ-casein concentration, expressed as percentage of the total protein content in milk, was significantly lower in milk from SDM (21.5%) and RDM (21.3%) than in Jersey (23.9%). The investigation showed that the ϰ-casein constitutes a greater part of the protein in milk than previously assumed.

The amount of ϰ-casein was positively correlated with the protein content in milk, but there was no relation between the relative ϰ-casein content and the percentage of fat, milk yield and the time after calving.

Sammendrag

ϰ-kaseinindholdet i mælk fra SDM, RDM og Jersey blev bestemt ved kvantitativ immunelektroforese i antistofholdig agarosegel.

Metoden, der bestemmer det totale ϰ-kaseinkompleks, er velegnet til rutinemæssige undersøgelser. Reproducerbarheden var ±4,1 %.

Der blev i procent af total protein fundet signifikant lavere ϰ-kaseinindhold i mælk fra SDM (21,5 %) og RDM (21,3 %) end i mælk fra Jersey (23,9 %). Undersøgelsen sandsynliggør, at ϰ-kaseinet udgør en større del af mælkens totalprotein end tidligere antaget.

ϰ-kaseinmængden var positivt korreleret med mælkens proteinindhold. Derimod var der ingen relation mellem det procentiske ϰ-kaseinindhold og fedtprocenten, ydelsen og tidspunktet i laktationen.

References

  • Aschaffenburg, R.: Reviews of the progress of dairy science. Genetic variants of milk proteins: their breed distribution. J. Dairy Res. 1968, 35, 447–460.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aschaffenburg, R. & W. Michalak: Simultaneous phenotyping procedure for milk proteins — Improved resolution of the β-lactoglobulins. J. Dairy Sci. 1968, 51, 1949.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brummerstedt-Hansen, E.: Immunological conditions of transferrin types in cattle. Acta vet. scand. 1962, 3, 245–255.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, H. G. M. & T. Freeman: A quantitative immuno-electrophoresis method (Laurell electrophoresis). Prot. Biol. Fluids 1966, 14, 503–509.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsen, B. & Mariann Thymann: Studies on milk protein polymorphism in Danish cattle and the interaction of the controlling genes. Acta vet. scand. 1966, 7, 189–205.

  • Larson, B. L. & K. A. Kendall: Protein production in the bovine. Daily production of the specific milk proteins during the lactation period. J. Dairy Sci. 1957, 40, 377–386.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Larson, B. L. & Judith M. Twarog: Determination of β-lactoglobulin in complex systems by a simple immunological procedure. J. Dairy Sci. 1961, 44, 1843–1856.

  • Larson, B. L. & Elizabeth C. Hageman: Determination of a-lactalbumin in complex systems. J. Dairy Sci. 1963, 46, 14–18.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Laurell, C.-B.: Quantitative estimation of proteins by electrophoresis in agarose gel containing antibodies. Analyt. Biochem. 1966, 15, 45–52.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mackinlag, A. G. & R. G. Wake: ϰ-casein and its attack by rennin (chymosin). In Milk Proteins, Chemistry and Molecular Biology. ed. H. A. McKenzie, Acad. Press 1971, vol. II, 175–215.

  • Manning, P. B., R. Jenness & C. V. Morr: Quantitation of ϰ-casein by sulfhydryl group analysis. J. Dairy Sci. 1971, 54, 753.

  • Marier, J. R., H. Tessier & Dyson Rose: Sialic acid as an index of the ϰ-casein content of bovine skim milk. J. Dairy Sci. 1963, 46, 373–379.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meilander, O.: Elektrophoretische Untersuchung von Casein. (Electrophoretic investigation of casein). Biochem. Z. 1939, 300, 240–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moustgaard, J. & A. Neimann-Sørensen: Komælkens proteinindhold. (The protein content of cow milk). Kgl. Vet.-og Landbohøjsk., Inst. Sterilitetsforsk. Årsberetn. 1959, 113–135. København.

  • Neelin, J. M.: Variants of ϰ-casein revealed by improved starch gel electrophoresis. J. Dairy Sci. 1964, 47, 506–509.

  • Parry, R. M. & R. J. Carroll: Location of ϰ-casein in milk micelles. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 1969, 194, 138–150.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ribadeau Dumas, B.: Simultaneous determination of-, β-, and ϰ-casein in whole casein using carboxypeptidase A. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 1968, 168, 274–281.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rolleri, G. D., B. L. Larson & R. W. Touchberry: Protein production in the bovine. Breed and individual variation in the specific protein constituents of milk. J. Dairy Sci. 1956, 39, 1683–1689.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rose, D., D. T. Davies & M. Yaguchi: Quantitative determination of the major components of casein by column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. J. Dairy Sci. 1969, 52, 8–12

  • Schmidt, D. G.: Starch-gel electrophoresis of ϰ-casein. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 1964, 90, 411–414.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tessier, H., D. Rose & J. R. Marier: Turbidimetric method for estimating sum of β- and ϰ-casein in whole casein. J. Dairy Sci. 1963, 46, 651–655.

  • Wake, R. G. & R. L. Baldwin: Analysis of casein fractions by zone electrophoresis in concentrated urea. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 1961, 47, 225–239.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Waugh, D. F. & P. H. von Hippel: ϰ-casein and the stabilization of casein micelles. J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 1956, 78, 4576–4582.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yaguchi, M,, D. T. Davies & Y. K. Kim: Preparation of ϰ-casein by gel filtration. J. Dairy Sci. 1968, 51, 473–477.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zittle, C. A. & J. H. Curster: Purification and some of the properties of αs-casein and ϰ-casein. J. Dairy Sci. 1963, 46, 1183–1188.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thymann, M. Kappa-Casein in Milk An Immunochemical Investigation of the ϰ-Casein Content in Milk From Danish Cattle Breeds. Acta Vet Scand 13, 539–553 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547159

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547159

Keyword