Separation and characterization of a porcine-specific thermostable muscle protein from cooked pork

This study was undertaken to separate and characterize the porcine-specific thermostable muscle protein (psTSMP) recognized by monoclonal antibody, MAb 5H9, which was previously raised against crude porcine thermostable muscle proteins for detection of pork in cooked meats. The 24 kD antigenic components isolated from cooked pork by immunoaffinity chromatography consisted of a basic protein (pI = 9.4) and a group of isoelectric variants (pl ranging from 5.4 to 7.2). The basic protein was further isolated by methyl hydrophobic interaction and sulfonate ion-exchange chromatography. Immunoblot suggested the presence of this antigenic psTSMP in the troponin fraction. Based on its molecular weight, pl, thermostability, and immunoreactivity, the psTSMP was tentatively identified as troponin I.