Crossed immunoelectrophoresis of bovine milk fat globule membrane protein solubilized with non-ionic detergent.

Detergent solubilized bovine milk fat globule membrane material studied by crossed immunoelectrophoresis combined with histochemical techniques revealed four major protein complexes. All four were found to bind to concanavalin A and three were identified as sialoglycoproteins. Xanthine oxidase activity was associated with the non-sialoglycoprotein precipitate. Immunoabsorption with intact milk fat globules showed an internal location of the xanthine oxidase, whereas the three other main proteins plus Mg2+-ATPase and 5'-nucleotidase were disposed on the outer membrane surface. The major proteins from milk fat globule membrane and membrane material isolated from skim milk showed immunochemical identity.