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Science 13 April 1973:
Vol. 180. no. 4082, pp. 201 - 203
DOI: 10.1126/science.180.4082.201
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Articles

Milk Carbohydrates of the Echidna and the Platypus

Michael Messer 1 and Knowles R. Kerry 2

1 Department of Biochemistry, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
2 Antarctic Division, Department of Science, Commonwealth of Australia, Melbourne, Victoria

The principal neutral carbohydrate of three samples of echidna milk was identified as a trisaccharide, fucosyllactose. That of a sample of platypus milk was a tetrasaccharide, difucosyllactose. Free lactose was found in small amounts only. The milk carbohydrate of monotremes is distinguished from that of both marsupials and placental mammals by its high fucose content.

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)