Physical and chemical properties of bovine milk and colostrum whey M-1 glycoproteins

Isolation and characterization of a glycoprotein from human colostrum

A glycoprotein was isolated from the M-1 acid glycoprotein fraction of human colostrum. It had a molecular weight of 31200 and contained 27% galactose, 21.7% hexosamine, 8.0% fucose and 10.8% sialic acid by weight. The glycoprotein had no absorption maxima in the 240-300nm region, and was virtually free of ABH(O) and M and N blood-group activity. Alkaline borohydride cleavage of the glycoprotein resulted predominantly in the destruction of threonine and galactosamine.

Separation of the bovine colostrum M-1 glycoprotein into two components

1. Two glycoproteins were isolated from the M-1 acid glycoprotein fraction of bovine colostrum. 2. The lighter glycoprotein had a molecular weight of 7200, contained about 28.4% of carbohydrate, and had an absorption maximum at 275nm. The heavier glycoprotein had a molecular weight of 12000, contained 39.0% of carbohydrate, and had no absorption maxima in the 240-300nm. range of the spectrum. 3. The carbohydrate moiety of both glycoproteins was removable from the polypeptide moiety under the conditions of the beta-elimination reaction. 4. Periodate oxidation experiments showed that sialic acid was linked to galactose in both proteins.