Effect of rabbit kappa-casein expression on the properties of milk from transgenic mice

J Dairy Res. 2000 Nov;67(4):541-50. doi: 10.1017/s0022029900004386.

Abstract

Transgenic mice were produced carrying the coding region of the rabbit kappa-casein gene linked to the upstream region of the rabbit whey acidic protein gene. Mice from the highest-expressing line produced 2.5 mg rabbit kappa-casein/ml in their milk. The foreign protein was associated with the casein micelles and altered micelle size, though in the high-expressing line rabbit kappa-casein also segregated into the whey fraction obtained after centrifuging the milk samples. Milk from transgenic mice had the same overall protein content as that from non-transgenic mice, except for the transgene product. However, litters fed with this transgenic mouse milk grew less well than litters given milk from non-transgenic mice. This reduction in growth was not related to changes in mammary gland structure or mammary cell morphology. Preliminary results indicated that milk from the transgenic mice had a higher viscosity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Northern
  • Caseins / genetics
  • Caseins / metabolism*
  • Chymosin / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Lactation
  • Mammary Glands, Animal / metabolism
  • Mammary Glands, Animal / ultrastructure
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Micelles
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Milk / chemistry*
  • Milk Proteins / genetics*
  • Rabbits
  • Species Specificity
  • Viscosity

Substances

  • Caseins
  • Micelles
  • Milk Proteins
  • whey acidic proteins
  • Chymosin