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α-Lactalbumin

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Advanced Dairy Chemistry

Abstract

The whey protein, α-lactalbumin, has a key role in the biosynthesis of lactose and in the formation and secretion of the aqueous phase of milk. Mechanistically, α-lactalbumin interacts with β-1,4-galactosyltransferase-I to modify its specificity so that it can catalyze the transfer of galactose to glucose (lactose synthesis) rather than to glycoconjugates. α-Lactalbumin is a member of the type-c lysozyme superfamily. It has a 3D structure similar to those of the lysozymes that contains a tightly bound stabilizing calcium ion. Complexes of partially folded α-lactalbumin with lipids are cytotoxic to tumor cells but the specificity of this is uncertain.

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Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank the many students and postdoctoral fellows who have previously contributed to studies of α-La and lactose synthase in his laboratory.

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  1. Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA

    K. Brew

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  1. School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, College Ro, Ireland

    Paul L. H. McSweeney

  2. Fac. Food Technology & Nutrition, Dept. Food Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    Patrick F. Fox

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Brew, K. (2013). α-Lactalbumin. In: McSweeney, P., Fox, P. (eds) Advanced Dairy Chemistry. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4714-6_8

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