CHARACTERIZATION OF BILIARY PROTEINS AND COMPOSITION OF BILE FROM SHEEP AND GOATS

Higher lipid content in gall bladder bile of sheep and goats as compar ed with monogastric species was due to higher proportion of glycerides . The volume of bile per gall bladder was higher in sheep than in goat s. Bile from sheep and goats has a higher content of proteins and lowe r contents of dry matter, cholesterol and phospholipids compared with monogastric species. Biliary proteins partially purified by the ammoni um sulfate precipitation method were characterized and quantified by p olyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), fast protein liquid chromato graphy (FPLC) and immunodiffusion. FPLC and PAGE profiles indicate tha t biliary proteins of sheep and goats are mainly of low mol. wt. of up to 65 KDa. Proportions of immunoglobulin (Ig) like molecules in biliar y proteins precipitated by ammonium sulfate of different degrees of sa turation, were 10.4 to 26.7 and 21.9 to 30.7 per cent of total protein s in bile of goats and sheep. IgG and IgA like molecules were the pred ominant Ig and lacked carbohydrates. On immunodiffusion such Ig like m olecules did not show cross reactivity with humoral Ig. It was conclud ed that sheep and goats appear to secrete Ig into bile after deglycosy lation and partial degradation. The proteins of smaller molecular weig ht may be secretory fragments or degradation products of Ig.