Analysis of major proteins and fat fractions associated with mare's milk fat globules.
Although several studies have aimed to identify mare's milk proteins, only the major whey proteins and some caseins have yet been characterized. Incomplete sequencing of the equine genome and the difficulty of recovering highly hydrophobic proteins mean that little is known to date about the proteins associated with milk fat globules, which have been shown to play an important role in newborns' defense mechanisms. The fat fraction, in particular the distribution of unsaturated fatty acids, has been more extensively studied, but complex lipids are only partially elucidated. This study reports a 2-DE approach combined with a powerful method for de novo protein sequencing, and quali-quantitative data on complex lipid composition determined by high performance TLC (HPTLC) and GC. The presence in mare's milk of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids, and the evidence of close similarity between equine and human milk fat globule membrane proteins, support the use of mare's milk for human nutrition.
Barello
Cristina
C
CNR, Institute of Science of Food Production, Turin, Italy.
Garoffo
Lorenza Perono
LP
Montorfano
Gigliola
G
Zava
Stefania
S
Berra
Bruno
B
Conti
Amedeo
A
Giuffrida
Maria Gabriella
MG
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003126:Colostrum / Q000737:chemistry; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000032:analysis*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006736:Horses; D066292:Lipid Droplets; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000032:analysis
D005227:Fatty Acids; D006017:Glycolipids; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008055:Lipids; D008894:Milk Proteins; C110367:milk fat globule; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid