The N-linked glycoprofile of bovine
whey is the combined result
of individual protein glycoprofiles. In this work, we provide in-depth
structural information on the glycan structures of known whey glycoproteins,
namely, lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, α-lactalbumin, immunoglobulin-G
(IgG), and glycosylation-dependent cellular adhesion molecule 1 (GlyCAM-1,
PP3). The majority (∼95%) of N-glycans present
in the overall whey glycoprofile were attributed to three proteins:
lactoferrin, IgG, and GlyCAM-1. We identified specific signature glycans
for these main proteins; lactoferrin contributes oligomannose-type
glycans, while IgG carries fucosylated di-antennary glycans with Gal-β(1,4)-GlcNAc
(LacNAc) motifs. GlyCAM-1 is the sole whey glycoprotein carrying tri-
and tetra-antennary structures, with a high degree of fucosylation
and sialylation. Signature glycans can be used to recognize individual
proteins in the overall whey glycoprofile as well as for protein concentration
estimations. Application of the whey glycoprofile analysis to colostrum
samples revealed dynamic protein concentration changes for IgG, lactoferrin,
and GlyCAM-1 over time.