Methionine Stimulation of Milk Protein Synthesis in Bovine Mammary Cell Cultures

Abstract

Dispersed cell cultures of lactating bovine mammary tissue with a complete culture medium were tested for their ability to synthesize milk proteins β-lactoglobulin and β-casein at elevated levels of methionine. An effect showed up to a L-methionine concentration of 50 to 100 μg/ml which increased synthesis of the proteins to two-fold over that with a L-methionine of about 15 μg/ml in bovine blood serum and in the usual cell culture medium. Further increases resulted in an apparent inhibitory effect. The effect suggests that L-methionine normally in blood serum and used in cell culture medium may be deficient for maximum milk protein synthesis. © 1972, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.