Differentiation of rennet from other milk-clotting enzymes by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to differentiate animal rennet and other milk-clotting enzymes. After electrophoresis, the separated components were visualized by staining with aniline blue-black. Two prominent proteins were found in calf and bovine rennet, while only 1 major protein was observed in pepsin and enzymes of microbial origin. These patterns provided a basis for distinguishing animal rennet and the other enzymes as well as a means of identifying each type of enzyme by the characteristic pattern shown.