Abstract:
An increased interest is in the camel milk as functional food to prevent or
manage many human diseases. Its biofunctional properties are attributed mainly to its contents in
bioactives proteins where α-Lactalbumin is the major whey soluble protein in Camelus dromedarius
milk possessing antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-obesity and anticancer effects. Therefore, there is a need
to use the industrial applicability of biotechnology advances for the valorisation of this protein as natural
pharmaceutical molecule.
Objectives: Large-scale method based on anion exchange chromatography (AIEX) was performed
to purify α-Lactalbumin from camel whey.
Methods: The procedure was designed to selectively bind the other whey proteins onto the anion
exchanger so that α-Lactalbumin could be collected in the run-through from the column. Purity of the
eluted α-Lac was evaluated by SDS-PAGE.
Results and discussion: The results of the purification are presented by the chromatogram that
showed one peak. The results of electrophorese analysis of the collected fraction showed that the peak
corresponded to α-Lac that was fully eluted in the run-through with some residual amount of CWBP.
Conclusion: Thus, by AIEX chromatography a highly pure camel α-Lactalbumin was obtained
providing its application in dietary therapy to prevent human diseases and achieve optimal health
