IGEM Parts

See http://2014.igem.org/Team:SF_Bay_Area_DIYbio/Parts

Introduction

Cheese made from cow's milk contains four major cheese proteins: alpha S1, alpha S2, beta and kappa casein, with alpha S1 and beta casein being the most abundant components. Many genetic variants of these four casein genes have been identified in different breeds of cows, often associated with various milk and cheese processing parameters (such as coagulation time), or health effects.

Human breast milk is somewhat different in composition - humans do not have a functioning alpha S2 casein gene, and the dominant proteins are beta and kappa casein, rather than alpha S1 and beta. Interestingly, because of intensive research by the dairy industry, far more is known about bovine casein genetic variants ant their consequences than in human.

In addition to the casein genes, we will also express Fam20C, a Golgi kinase responsibel for phosphorylating the caseins