[Studies on buffalo milk. XI. Heterogeneity of the buffalo k-casein and the less moving fractions treated with 2-mercaptoethanol (author's transl)].

The heterogeneity of the buffalo k-casein, treated with 2-mercaptoethanol, has been estimated by disk gel-polyacrylamide electrophoresis on 428 caseins isolated from individual milks. The investigation showed six electrophoretic fractions: A, B, C, D, E, F, that, in ten buffalo farms considered formed ten different groups: ABCDEF; ABCDE; ABCEF; ABCE; BCDE; CDEF; BCE; CDE; CEF; and CE. The group ABCDE is the only that is present in all ten farms considered and presents on the whole, the greater number of observations (161). The fraction C is the most abundant. The investigation showed the heterogeneity of the gamma fraction, showing five electrophoretic fractions: A, B, C, D, E, that constitute the nine following groups; ABCDE; ABCD; BCDE; ABD; BCD; ABC; BD; BC and AB. At present a possible correlation to genetic factors seems hazardous.