Effect of the A and B variants of both αs1- and κ-casein on bovine casein micelle solvation and κ-casein content

Abstract

SummaryCasein micelle solvation, a micelle characteristic that is sensitive to many factors, has been measured by a centrifugation technique at 30 °C for a series of uncooled fresh skim milks at pH 6·3, 6·6, 6·9 and 7·1. The relative αs-(αs1- plus αs2-), β– and κ-casein contents of all centrifuge pellets and supernatants were determined by a standardized electrophoretic method. The calcium and phosphate contents of a number of the pellets and milk samples were also determined. Solvation of micelles from milks with various genetic variants of β-lactoglobulin (A and B), αs1-casein (A and B) and κ-casein (A and B) was often found to be lower for milks containing either the B variant of αs1-casein or the A variant of κ-casein. It was also found that these two variant caseins were associated with a lower κ-casein content of the milks and the micelles, which is consistent with the lower solvation as κ-casein is associated with smaller micelle size and greater solvation. The solvations also seemed to increase during the lactation period. It is possible that some of the other features of milk and its products that have been ascribed to the differences in functional character between the A and B variants of αs1-casein may be partly caused by the increased level of κ-casein. The reason for the association of the A variant of αs1-casein with higher concentrations of κ-casein (and micelle solvation) is not obvious but possibly the haplotype αs1-casein A, β-casein A1, κ-casein A contains a controlling sequence in the chromosomal DNA that enhances expression of the κ-casein gene.