[Purification of kappa-caseins from sheep. Analysis of the glycan and peptide components (author's transl)]

Investigating the genetic polymorphism of sheep milk proteins: a useful tool for dairy production

Sheep is the second most important dairy species after cow worldwide, and especially in the Mediterranean and Middle East regions. In some countries, the difficult environmental conditions require a peculiar adaptation and, in these contexts, sheep are able to provide higher quality protein than cattle. In the least-developed countries, the amount of dairy sheep and ovine milk production is progressively increasing. In order to improve dairy productions, in particular those with local connotations, it is necessary to obtain in-depth information regarding milk quality and rheological properties. The genetic polymorphisms of milk proteins are often associated with quantitative and qualitative parameters in milk and are potential candidate markers that should be included in breeding strategies similar to those already available for cattle. Due to the current and growing interest in this topic and considering the large amount of new information, the aim of this study was to review the literature on sheep milk protein polymorphisms with a particular emphasis on recent findings in order to give scientists useful support. Moreover, the effects of different protein variants on milk yield and composition are discussed.

Purification and characterization of porcine κ-casein

κ-casein from porcine milk was isolated and purified by affinity chromatography on thiopropyl Sepharose followed by hydroxyapatite chromatography. The amino acid composition of this protein is similar to that of bovine κ-casein. The sugar composition was established and sow κ-casein was found to be highly glycosylated. It contains 12N-acetylneuraminic acid, 10N-acetylgalactosamine, 2N-acetylglucosamine and 22 galactose residues.

The caseins of buffalo milk

The components of whole casein from water buffalo (Bubalis L.) have been re-investigated in the light of recent studies elucidating the primary structure of all the bovine caseins (αs1, αs2, β & κ). Whole casein samples obtained from individual Italian buffaloes all contained 2 αs1- and 2αs2-casein fractions. These 4 components were isolated and identified by their amino acid compositions and terminal amino acid sequences. The 2 αs1-casein fractions seem to have identical peptide chains as do the 2 αs2 fractions, with the individual fractions within each group differing only in their phosphate content. Buffalo β-casein was also isolated and characterized by its amino acid composition and terminal sequences. The isolation of different buffalo κ-casein fractions was reported earlier (Addeo, Chobert & Ribadeau-Dumas, 1977). These fractions were purified and analysed. They were found to have the same amino acid compositions and C-terminal sequences, but to differ in their carbohydrate content. The prominent component, κ1, was treated with chymosin; the caseinomacropeptide and para κ-casein were separated from the digest and analysed. Starchgel electrophoresis at alkaline pH showed no polymorphism of αs1-, β- and κ-caseins in 170 individual buffalo whole casein samples. On 5 occasions the electrophoretic pattern of αs2-casein suggested genetic polymorphism. The behaviour of buffalo αs1−and αs2-caseins in the presence of Ca2+ was also studied.

Analysis of major ovine milk proteins by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and flow injection analysis with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Ovine milk proteins were analyzed both by coupling HPLC and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and by flow injection analysis and ESI-MS detection after separation and collection of fractions from gel permeation chromatography. These methods resolved the four ovine caseins and whey proteins and made it possible to study the complexity of these proteins associated with genetic polymorphism, post-translational changes (phosphorylation and glycosylation) and the presence of multiple forms of proteins. The experimental molecular masses of ewe milk proteins were: 19,373 for kappa-casein 3P; 25,616 for alpha(s2)-casein 10P; 23,411 for alpha(s1)-casein C-8P; 23,750 for beta-casein 5P; 18,170 and 18,148 for beta-lactoglobulins A and B; 14,152 for alpha-lactalbumin A and 66,322 for serum albumin.

Polyclonal antibodies to human milk caseins

Preparations of total human casein and its individual fractions were isolated for production of specific polyclonal antibodies. Immunization procedures used differed in the schedule for antigen administration, antigen concentrations, degree of additional purification, and modification of the size of molecules. Immunoprecipitation techniques failed to provide an unambiguous proof of the presence of antibodies to human milk caseins in antisera even after immunization of animals phylogenetically considerably different from man. Immunoblotting, however, allowed antibodies to beta-casein to be identified and compared with available monoclonal antibodies.

Cell-free synthesis, proteolytic processing, core glycosylation, and amino terminal sequence of rabbit pre-alpha-lactalbumin

Two different forms of alpha-lactalbumin were isolated from rabbit milk and partially characterized. The major and the minor species had apparent molecular weights of 18000 and 14000, respectively, according to their electrophoretic mobilities on SDS polyacrylamide gels. Analyses of their amino acid compositions and amino-and carboxy-terminal sequences did not reveal any difference, but sugar analysis showed the occurrence of carbohydrates in the major species. Rabbit alpha-lactalbumin was synthesized in a cell-free translation system as a precursor with an amino terminal extension of 19 amino acid residues whose primary structure is rather different from those of its ovine and porcine counterparts, in contrast with the extensive similarity so far observed between the known signals of homologous milk proteins. When mammary microsomal membranes were added during translation, the preprotein was converted to authentic alpha-lactalbumin, as demonstrated by amino terminal sequence analyses. However, one of the two processed forms migrated more slowly than pre-alpha-lactalbumin on SDS polyacrylamide gels and this was related to the occurrence of carbohydrates: only the "slower moving" polypeptide was specifically adsorbed on concanavalin A Sepharose and its electrophoretic mobility was enhanced after treatment with endoglycosidase H, an enzyme known to remove clustered mannosyl residues linked to di-N-acetylchitobiose. It was also observed that the rate of translocation of alpha-lactalbumin across the microsomal membrane was lower than that of beta-casein.

Enzymatic O-glycosylation of kappa-caseinomacropeptide by ovine mammary Golgi membranes

The results of subcellular fractionation of sheep mammary gland membranes indicate that N-acetylgalactosaminyl polypeptide transferase and galactosyl-N-acetylgalactosaminyl transferase, which are involved in the assembly of disaccharide units of kappa-casein, are localized chiefly in Golgi membranes. The glycosyltransferase activities incorporating N-acetyl [1-14C] galactosamine and [U-14C] galactose from uridine diphosphate N-acetyl [1-14C] galactosamine and uridine diphosphate [U-14C] galactose, respectively, were measured after membrane solubilization with Triton X-100 either with unglycosylated caseinomacropeptide, or with this polypeptide containing the N-acetylgalactosamine side chain residues (desialylated and degalactosylated caseinomacropeptide). Radioactive N-acetylgalactosamine was incorporated in the unglycosylated acceptor peptide, and the glycosidic bonds in the product were alkali labile, suggesting that they were linked to the hydroxyamino acid residues. In addition radioactive N-acetylgalactosamine was released after alpha N-acetyl-D-galactosaminidase treatment of labelled caseinomacropeptide. [U-14C] galactose was incorporated in the desialylated and degalactosylated acceptor peptide. Reductive alkaline treatment of [U-14C] galactose peptide resulted in the release of a major product, the chromatographic properties of which in TLC were identical with authentic galactosyl (1 leads to 3) N-acetylgalactosaminitol. The structure of the labelled disacchariditol determined after periodate oxidation (two equivalents) by gas liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed that the [U-14C] galactose was linked to position C-3 on the N-acetylgalactosaminyl-residue. The anomery of the galactose, as determined by a chemical method, indicates unambiguously a beta configuration.

Structure of the asialyl oligosaccharide chains of kappa-casein isolated from ovine colostrum

Three oligosaccharide alditols, a di (44-63%), tetra (32-46%), and a pentasacchariditol (5-10%) have been isolated from desialylated caseinomacropeptide obtained from kappa-casein of ewe colostrum. The disacchariditol is 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(beta-D-galactopyranosyl)galactitol; in the tetrasaccharide this unit is substituted in position 6 of the galactosaminitol moiety by 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-(beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranose, while the pentasacchariditol is derived from the tetrasaccharide by addition of a D-galactopyranosyl unit to position 3 of the galactopyranose unit substituting the glucosamine unit.

Preparation and fractionation of goat kappa-casein: analysis of the glycan and peptide components

Whole goat kappa-casein was prepared by chromatography of whole casein on hydroxyapatite. Chromatography of whole kappa-casein on DEAE-cellulose separated 5 fractions. All of them were sensitive to chymosin. Their amino acid and carbohydrate composition, phosphate content and molecular weight were determined. Galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetyl and N-glycolyl neuraminic acids were identified in whole kappa-casein. It appears that goat kappa-casein, like cow, buffalo and ewe kappa-caseins, is composed of several fractions having identical peptide chains and differing in their carbohydrate contents. The main fraction, devoid of carbohydrate, was treated with chymosin. The para-kappa-casein and caseinomacropeptide were isolated. Their amino acid composition and phosphate content were determined.

Guinea-pig milk-protein synthesis. Isolation and characterization of messenger ribonucleic acids from lactating mammary gland and identification of caseins and pre-alpha-lactalbumin as translation products in heterologous cell-free systems

1. The major milk proteins synthesized by the lactating mammary gland of the guinea pig were identified and designated as caseins A, B and C and alpha-lactalbumin, with estimated mol.wts. of 28000, 25500, 20500 and 14500 respectively. 2. Antisera to the total casein fraction and to alpha-lactalbumin were prepared from rabbits. The milk proteins were also iodinated with either 131I or 125I. 3. A poly(A)-rich RNA fraction was isolated from lactating guinea-pig mammary glands. Isolation was by affinity chromatography on oligo(dT)-cellulose. 4. Examination of this RNA fraction by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels containing formamide indicated three major species 1, 2 and 3, with estimated wol.wts. of 5.4 X 10(5) and 3.3 X 10(5), and the apparent absence of rRNA species. 5. The poly(A)-rich RNA stimulated protein synthesis in heterologous cell-free systems based on wheat germ, Krebs II ascites-tumour cells, and the latter supplemented with an initiation factor-3 fraction from rabbit reticulocyte ribosomes. 6. Between 80 and 90% of the protein synthesis directed by the mRNA was for milk proteins. 7. Analysis of the proteins immunoprecipitated by the alpha-lactalbumin antiserum showed in the wheat-germ system that the product was a protein with a molecular weight greater than that of alpha-lactalbumin, whereas in the ascites-tumour-cell systems both this protein and alpha-lactalbumin were found. When the larger protein was treated with CNBr and the resulting peptides were examined, it was shown that the extra peptide was at the N-terminus. This and other evidence is adduced for the initial translation product of alpha-lactalbumin being a precursor with an addition of about ten amino acids at the N-terminus. 8. Similar analysis of the casein immlnospecific proteins produced under the direction of mRNA indicated that the products had a molecular weight that was apparently a littel smaller than that of the caseins synthesized in vivo. This was not consistent with higher-molecular weight casein precursors. 9. Possible explanations for the results obtained are discussed, especially in terms of the physiological significance of the pre-alpha-lactalbumin as a secretory protein.