β-Lactoglobulin A from bovine milk

A member of the lipocalin family, βLg is a small protein of 162 amino acids with a molecular mass of ∼18,400 Da, featuring an eight-stranded β-barrel (strands A-H) succeeded by a three-turn a-helix and a final β-strand (strand I) that forms part of the dimerization interface.

Milk from dairy cows contains the protein β-lactoglobulin (BLG). It naturally occurs in a number of genetic variants, and the most prevalent bovine variants are known as BLG A and BLG B.

β-Lactoglobulin A from bovine milk has been used:

• as a calibrant for the calibration of the TriWave device
• as a standard in the detection and quantification of β-lactoglobulin in bovine milk by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
• in the purification and molecular weight measurement of protease samples

β-Lactoglobulin was used in the identification of the genetic variants of κ-casein in milk by isoelectric focusing electrophoresis.

β-Lactoglobulin (β-lg) possesses heat-set gelation properties. It also exhibits antiviral, anticarcinogenic and hypocholesterolemic effects. β-lg can bind to retinol and long-chain fatty acids. It may participate in the absorption and metabolism of fatty acids.