Caprine α_s1-Casein Polymorphism: Characterisation of A, B, E and F Variants by Means of Various Biochemical and Molecular Techniques

Maria Feligini¹*, Silvia Frati¹, Vlatka Cubric Curik², Ada Brambilla¹, Pietro Parma¹, Ino Curik³, Gian Franco Greppi¹ and Giuseppe Enne<sup>1

1</sup>Istituto Sperimentale Italiano »Lazzaro Spallanzani«, Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII 7, I-26900 Lodi, Italy
²Dairy Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska 25, HR-10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
³Animal Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska 25, HR-10 000 Zagreb, Croatia

Article history:
Received November 16, 2004
Accepted February 28, 2005

Key words:
Capra hircus, α_s1-casein, electrophoresis, RP-HPLC, real-time PCR

Summary:
Considering a wide interest for the characterisation of caprine α_s1-casein variants and a large number of differently equipped laboratories, the objective of this study was to analyse and compare characteristics of caprine α_s1-casein variants by means of various biochemical and molecular techniques. The most frequent caprine α_s1-casein variants (A, B, E and F) were characterized by employing electrophoretic protein separation analyses (capillary zone electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis), chromatographic analysis (reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography) as well as DNA analyses (ASA and real-time polymerase chain reaction approach). Further, we stressed weak and strong points for each method applied and provided information for the optimal and complementary use of those methods with respect to time, resolution and costs.

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