CHARACTERIZATION OF WHEY PROTEINS FROM MONGOLIAN YAK, KHAINAK, AND BACTRIAN CAMEL

The composition of whey proteins from ruminant Mongolian domestic anim als was analyzed and a comparative study between camel (Camelus bactri anus) and dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) was made. Whey proteins were separated by ion-exchange chromatography and identified by polyacryla mide gel electrophoresis, amino acid composition and N-terminal sequen ce determination. The main components of wheys of yak and khainak were nearly identical with their bovine counterparts. Three different form s of alpha-lactalbumin were isolated in the whey of Camelus bactrianus and two from Camelus dromedarius. As shown by classical biochemical a nd immunological studies, beta-lactoglobulin was absent from whey of b oth Camelus. Camel whey basic protein (CWBP), having no analogy with k nown milk and nonmilk proteins, was identified in the whey of Camelus bactrianus and Camelus dromedarius and its N-terminal sequence was det ermined.