title: Studies on the carbohydrate content of milk of the crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus).
abstract: 1. The mean carbohydrate content of six samples of milk of the crabeater seal (a phocid), measured as total hexose, was 1.5 +/- 0.3% (w/v). Ultrafiltrates of the skim milk of these samples had a mean carbohydrate content of 1.9 +/- 0.2%. 2. Thin-layer chromatography of the ultrafiltrates showed that this carbohydrate consists mainly of various oligosaccharides of low chromatographic mobility; lactose and traces of free glucose and galactose were also detected. 3. These oligosaccharides consisted mainly of D-galactose and N-acetylhexosamine; L-fucose, D-glucose and sialic acid were additional minor components. 4. The mean lactose content of the ultrafiltrates, determined by a specific enzymic method, was 0.021 +/- 0.007% (w/v); this is similar to the levels which have been reported for the milk of otariids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Sydney, N.S.W., Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Messer
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Crisp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Newgrain
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D010872:Caniformia / Q000502:physiology*; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis*; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D005260:Female; D006601:Hexoses / Q000032:analysis; D007785:Lactose / Q000032:analysis; D008892:Milk / Q000032:analysis*; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D006601:Hexoses; D007785:Lactose