Read Detection of early pregnancy-specific proteins in Holstein milk. - RX Han Affiliation: Department of Animal Science & Biotechnology, Research Center for Transgenic and Cloned Pigs, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea.; HR Kim; YF Diao; MG Lee; Jin Di | ePub Online

Document Type: Article All Authors / Contributors: RX Han Affiliation: Department of Animal Science & Biotechnology, Research Center for Transgenic and Cloned Pigs, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea.; HR Kim; YF Diao; MG Lee; Jin Di ISSN:1874-3919 Language Note: English Unique Identifier: 794785521 Awards: Abstract: Bovine pregnancy is commonly diagnosed by rectal palpation or ultrasonography and changes in progesterone concentration. To determine a simpler and less expensive diagnostic method, we sought to identify early pregnancy-specific proteins in bovine milk by comparing samples collected from pregnant and non-pregnant Holstein cattle. Of the 600-700 protein spots visible on 2-DE gel images, 39 were differentially expressed in milk from pregnant and non-pregnant cattle. Antibodies generated against synthetic peptides of milk whey proteins expressed specifically during pregnancy were used to confirm protein expression patterns. Western blot analysis showed that the levels of expression of lactoferrin (lactotransferrin) and alpha1G T-type calcium channel subunit (alpha-1G) were higher in samples from pregnant than non-pregnant cattle. These findings suggest that assays for pregnancy-specific milk proteins may be used to diagnose pregnancy in cattle.