Expression of recombinant bovine beta-lactoglobulin in Escherichia coli

Bovine beta-lactoglobulin A was expressed in Escherichia coli in its mature form. The gene was constructed using a cDNA clone which coded for amino acid residues Leu-11 to Ile-162 and a synthetic oligonucleotide coding for the initial 10 amino acids preceded by a translational start. The met-beta-lactoglobulin was expressed using a tac promoter vector, pTTQ18, and accounted for approximately 15% of the total cellular protein. The recombinant met-beta-lactoglobulin migrated with the same molecular weight as native beta-lactoglobulin A on SDS-PAGE. The majority of the met-beta-lactoglobulin produced was found in an insoluble form but could be solubilized using guanidine-HCl. The renatured preparation was greater than 80% pure and migrated similarly to purified beta-lactoglobulin A under nondenaturing conditions.