Sialic Acid as an Index of the κ-Casein Content of Bovine Skimmilk

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Abstract
K-casein and proteose peptone appear to be the only skimmilk proteins containing sialic-acid. Treatment of [alpha]s- and of [beta]-casein on a DEAE cellulose column removed most of the sialic-acid, and examination of the purified samples by starch gel electrophoresis indicated that this removal involved traces of K-casein. The stability of [alpha]s-K-casein mixtures in the presence of Ca was directly related to the sialic-acid content of the mixture at all levels below 0.37%. The apparent K-casein content of acid caseins from individual cows varied between 11 and 26%.