Electrophoretic studies on serum proteins of oil sardine (Sardinella longiceps) and mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta)

Oil sardine blood tests against human typing sera indicated A-positive, A-negative and B-negative. The blood of mackerel is antigenically negative both for A and B. Electrophoretic studies on serum proteins revealed the existence of genetica1ly different groups of oil sardine and mackerel on the south-west coast of India.

Effect of oxidation of dietary fish lipids on the quality of proteins in diet

The paper reports results of a study on the effect of oxidised fish oil in the diet on the quality of dietary fish proteins. With increased oxidation of oil, digestibility and utilization of the protein registered a decrease. Oxidation of fish oil beyond a stage was found to affect the intake of diet itself and rats lost weight rapidly.

The role of MC1R gene in buffalo coat color

Melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) plays a major role in pigmentation in many species. To investigate if the MC1R gene is associated with coat color in water buffalo, the coding region of MC1R gene of 216 buffalo samples was sequenced, which included 49 black river buffalo (Murrah and Nili-Ravi), 136 swamp buffalo (Dehong, Diandongnan, Dechang, Guizhou, and Xilin) with white and gray body, and 31 hybrid offspring of river buffalo Nili-Ravi (or Murrah) and swamp buffalo. Among the three variation sites found, SNP684 was synonymous, while SNP310 and SNP384 were nonsynonymous, leading to p.S104G and p.I128M changes, respectively. Only Individuals carrying homozygote E-BR/E-BR were black. The genotype and phenotype analysis of the hybrid offspring of black river buffalo and gray swamp buffalo further revealed that the river buffalo type allele E-BR or the allele carrying the amino acid p.104S was important for the full function of MC1R. The in silico functional analysis showed that the amino acid substitutions p.G104S and p.M128I had significant impact on the function of MC1R. Above results indicate that the allele E-BR or the allele carrying the amino acid p.104S was associated with the black coat color in buffalo.

Identification and characterization of insect-specific proteins by genome data analysis

Background: Insects constitute the vast majority of known species with their importance including biodiversity, agricultural, and human health concerns. It is likely that the successful adaptation of the Insecta clade depends on specific components in its

Influence of dietary proteins on cholesterol levels in albino rats

Six groups of albino rats were fed identical diets, differing in their protein sources for sixty days. The protein sources used were fat free casein, defatted groundnut cake, and defatted fish powders from three species of fishes, namely, the fresh water fish Labeo rohita, the marine fishes, Rastrelliger kanagurta and Otolithus argenteus and marine prawns, Parapenaeopsis stylifera. After sixty days, the levels of cholesterol in the serum, liver and heart of the rats were estimated. The casein group recorded the highest level of cholesterol. Compared to casein, the groundnut protein was distinctly hypocholesterolemic. The fish proteins had a still greater cholesterol lowering ability. Of the proteins used in this study, the proteins of prawns had the maximum hypocholesterolemic effect. An attempt is made to correlate the behaviour of the proteins in this respect, with their respective amino acid compositions.

Comparison of physicochemical properties of muscle proteins in cultured and wild prawns (Penaeus (Fenneropenaeus) orientalis Kishinouye, 1918)

Protein physicochemical properties in cultured and wild prawns (Penaeus (F.) orientalis Kishinouye, 1918) were studied and compared. Protein fractions were separated into water-soluble, salt-soluble, alkali-soluble, and stroma. The results showed that salt- and alkali-soluble proteins were slightly higher in wild prawns and water-soluble proteins were higher in cultured prawns. There were only slight differences in Ca super(2+)-ATPase, MG super(2+)-ATPase, and ATP sensitivities. The textural values of wild prawns were significantly higher than the cultured ones.

Value-adding through coatings

The paper presents the three categories of food coatings that are used, individually or in combination, to produce battered or breaded foods. These are predust, batters and breadcrumbs. Predusts are usually a blend of flours, starches and other functional ingredients such as proteins, vegetable gums and seasonings or flavors; batters are blends of flours, starches, leavening agents and seasonings which, when mixed with water, forms a viscous liquid used to evenly coat a food item; while breadcrumbs are baked or otherwise thermally processed cereal-based ingredients which are applied to a moistened food item prior to cooking.

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-dependent long-term potentiation in CA1 region affects synaptic expression of glutamate receptor subunits and associated proteins in the whole hippocampus

Long term potentiation in hippocampus, evoked by high-frequency stimulation, is mediated by two major glutamate receptor subtypes, alpha-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate receptors and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Receptor subunit compos

Homologs of eukaryotic Ras superfamily proteins in prokaryotes and their novel phylogenetic correlation with their eukaryotic analogs

Ras superfamily proteins are key regulators in a wide variety of cellular processes. Previously, they were considered to be specific to eukaryotes, and MglA, a group of obviously different prokaryotic proteins, were recognized as their only prokaryotic an

Sequence Characterization of the MC1R Gene in Yak (Poephagus grunniens) Breeds with Different Coat Colors

Melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene plays a key role in determining coat color in several species, including the cattle. However, up to now there is no report regarding the MC1R gene and the potential association of its mutations with coat colors in yak (

Gene mapping of a new coat mutation in mouse

Gene mapping of a mouse coat mutation has been investigated. First, 100 10-bp random primers were used to amplify DNA, but the mutation could not be located by this method because there were no correlation between the amplified products and coat phenotypes. Second, by using Idh1, Car2, Mup1, Pgb1, Hbb, Es10, Es1, Mod1, Gdc1, Ce2, Es3 as genetic markers, linkage test crosses (two-point test) consisting of intercrossing uncovered BALB/c mice (homozygotes) to CBA/N and C57BL/6 mice with normal hair and backcrossing the heterozygotes of the F1 to the uncovered BALB/c mice were made. It was soon evident that the mutation was linked to Es3 on chromosome 11. Furthermore, three-point test was made by using Es3 and D11Mit8 (a microsatellite DNA) as genetic markers. The result showed that the mutation was linked to Es3 with the percentage recombination of (7.89 +/- 2.19)%, and linked to D11Mit8 with the percentage recombination of (26.38 +/- 3.57)%. The percentage recombination between Es3 and D11Mit8 was (32.90 +/- 3.81)%. The mutation was named Uncovered, with the symbol Uncv. According to the recombinations, the loci order was D11Mit8-26.30 +/- 3.57- Uncv-7.89 +/- 2.19-Es3. From the location on the chromosome, it was concluded that the mutation was a new mutation which affected the skin and hair structure of mouse. The Uncv has entered MGD (Mouse Genome Database).

A possible mode of the specific recognition of nucleic acids by proteins

Seven sets of protein target sites, which occur in several gene promoters, have been analyzed. The results suggest that there is a possible mode of specific recognition of double-helical nucleic acids by proteins, This recognition mode is related to a spe

Nanotubes complexed with DNA and proteins for resistive-pulse sensing

We use a resistive-pulse technique to analyze molecular hybrids of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) wrapped in either single-stranded DNA or protein. Electric fields confined in a glass capillary nanopore allow us to probe the physical size and surface properties of molecular hybrids at the single-molecule level. We find that the translocation duration of a macromolecular hybrid is determined by its hydrodynamic size and solution mobility. The event current reveals the effects of ion exclusion by the rod-shaped hybrids and possible effects due to temporary polarization of the SWNT core. Our results pave the way to direct sensing of small DNA or protein molecules in a large unmodified solid-state nanopore by using nanofilaments as carriers. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Outer membrane proteins induced by iron deficiency in Anabaena sp PCC 7120

Iron deficiency can induce cyanobacteria to synthesize siderophore receptor proteins on the outer membrane to enhance the uptake of iron. In this study, an outer membrane of high purity was prepared from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 based on aqueous polymer two-phase partitioning and discontinuous sucrose density ultra-centrifugation, and the induction of outer membrane proteins by iron deficiency was investigated using 2-D gel electrophoresis. At least. five outer membrane proteins were newly synthesized or significantly up-regulated in cells transferred to iron-deficient conditions, which were all identified to be siderophore receptor proteins according to MALDI-TOF-MS analyses. Bacterial luciferase reporter genes luxAB were employed to monitor the transcription of the encoding genes. The genes were induced by iron deficiency at the transcriptional level in different responsive modes. Luciferase activity expressed from an iron-regulated promoter may be used as a bioreporter for utilizable iron in natural water samples. (C) 2009 National Natural Science Foundation of China and Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Limited and Science in China Press. All rights reserved.