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Weak Immunological Cross-reaction between Bovine α-Lactalbumin and Hen's Egg-white Lysozyme

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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.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorium voor Chemie der Proteinen Vrije Universiteit te Brussel, 67 Paardenstraat, St Genesius Rode, Belgium

    ARTHUR D. STROSBERG, CLAIRE NIHOUL-DECONINCK & Louis KANAREK

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  1. ARTHUR D. STROSBERG
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  2. CLAIRE NIHOUL-DECONINCK
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  3. Louis KANAREK
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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

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2271241a0

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