Abstract
BOVINE α-lactalbumin and hen's egg-white lysozyme have homologous sequences1 and similar three-dimensional structures2,3. The immunological cross-reactivity between these proteins was investigated recently4 and no cross-reaction was detected by quantitative precipitin analysis. Our anti-lysozyme antisera, obtained as previously described5, also failed to precipitate α-lactalbumin. By contrast with the work of Atassi et al.4, however, it was observed that α-lactalbumin inhibits the precipitation of lysozyme by anti-lysozyme antibodies from the rabbit and the goat serum used in this study. The percentage inhibition was low (5 per cent) but reproducible and specific, for no inhibition was observed with ribonuclease.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brew, K., Vanaman, T. C., and Hill, R. L., J. Biol. Chem., 242, 3747 (1967).
Kronman, M. J., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 33, 535 (1968).
Browne, W. J., North, A. C. T., Phillips, D. C., Brew, K., Vanaman, T. C., and Hill, R. L., J. Mol. Biol., 42, 65 (1969).
Atassi, M. Z., Habeeb, A. F. S. A., and Rydstedt, L., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 200, 184 (1970).
Strosberg, A. D., and Kanarek, L., Europ. J. Biochem., 14, 161 (1970).
Gordon, J., Rose, B., and Sehon, A. H., J. Exp. Med., 108, 37 (1958).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
STROSBERG, A., NIHOUL-DECONINCK, C. & KANAREK, L. Weak Immunological Cross-reaction between Bovine α-Lactalbumin and Hen's Egg-white Lysozyme. Nature 227, 1241–1242 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1038/2271241a0
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2271241a0
This article is cited by
-
Investigation of differences in the tertiary structures of food proteins by small-angle X-ray scattering
Journal of Industrial Microbiology (1988)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.