The A1/A2 ß-casein genotype of cows, but not their horn status, influences peptide generation during simulated digestion of milk.

The effect of the horn status of cows on their milk composition and quality is a controversial research topic. In this study, 128 milk samples from 64 horned and 64 disbudded Brown Swiss and Original Braunvieh cows were collected from alpine farms where both horned and disbudded cows were grazing on mountain pastures. The samples were analyzed for their detailed composition and protein digestion in a simulated in vitro digestion (INFOGEST). To exclude probable influences on digestion, the ß-casein genotype with its variants A1 and A2 was also included in the study. The effects of horn status and ß-casein genotype were investigated in linear mixed models, which included additional influencing random factors such as Original Braunvieh blood proportion, stage of lactation, and farm. Horn status did not have any effect on milk composition or digestion. In contrast, milk from A1A1 cows showed a different protein digestion than milk of A1A2 and A2A2 cows in the gastric phase, including smaller amounts of ß-casomorphin(BCM)21-associated peptides and larger amounts of BCM11-associated peptides. Abundances of BCM7 did not differ between ß-casein genotypes. At the end of the intestinal phase, the digested milk of A1A1 and A2A2 b-casein genotypes did not differ.

Purification and characterization of a dipeptidase from Lactobacillus casei ssp. casei IFPL 731 isolated from goat cheese made from raw milk.

A dipeptidase was purified to homogeneity from the cell-free extract of Lactobacillus casei ssp. casei IFPL 731 by a combination of heat treatment, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, anion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration. A purification factor of 395-fold was obtained, and yield was 20%. The dipeptidase was shown to be a metal-dependent enzyme; optimal activity was at pH 7.5 and 60 to 75 degrees C, and the enzyme had a high degree of thermal stability. Molecular mass was estimated by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration to be 46 kDa, which suggested that the enzyme existed as a monomer. Enzyme activity was most effectively inhibited by metal-chelating agents, reducing agents, or sulfhydryl group reagents. After inhibition with phenanthroline, activity was partially restored by Co2+ and Mn2+. The kinetics of Phe-Ala and Leu-Leu did not follow Michaelis-Menten saturation kinetics but exhibited a mixture of positive and negative cooperativity for the successive binding of molecules of the same substrate.

Purification and characterization of a prolidase from Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei IFPL 731.

A peptidase showing a high level of specificity towards dipeptides of the X-Pro type was purified to homogeneity from the cell extract of Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei IFPL 731. The enzyme was a monomer having a molecular mass of 41 kDa. The pH and temperature optima were 6.5 to 7.5 and 55 degrees C, respectively. Metal chelating agents completely inhibited enzyme activity, indicating that the prolidase was a metalloenzyme. The Michaelis constant (K(m)) and Vmax for several proline-containing dipeptides were determined.

Isolation and characterization of proteinase- and aminopeptidase-deficient mutants of Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei IFPL 731.

Proteinase-deficient (Prt-) and aminopeptidase-deficient (Amp-) variants of Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei IFPL 731 were isolated and characterized. The Prt- mutant was isolated from strains that developed poorly on glucose milk agar. The Amp- mutant was isolated on the basis of its inability to hydrolyse L-leucine-beta-naphtylamide. The Prt- variant developed poorly, while in milk the Amp- variant grew at about the same rate as the parental strain. The characterization of aminopeptidase activity in more detail showed that at least two enzymes are involved The results of the present study suggest that the proteolytic system of Lactobacillus casei is subjected to a regulatory system.