Amino Acid Makeup Research Articles

A Review: Nutrition Stimulation with in Ovo Feeding Technology for Optimization of Growth and Development of Prenatal and Postnatal Periods of Chicken

The improvement in broiler chicken performance is currently thanks to the genetic selection, nutrition, maintenance management, and health and biosecurity programs that have succeeded in improving the maintenance performance of broilers. Such rapid development in the cycle after hatching is undoubtedly also influenced by the embryo's development or the prenatal phase. Unlike other mammals, the process of breeding poultry has its characteristics where the process of embryonic development occurs outside the body of livestock or inside poultry eggs. Chicken embryos rely heavily on the nutrients inside the egg, which provide the energy and amino acid makeup needed for the metabolic needs of the growing embryo during the 21-day incubation process. Chicken embryos are susceptible to a lack of energy during the hatching process. This deficiency can result in weak embryos and, in more severe conditions, embryo death and failure to hatch. The nutritional needs of embryos during incubation can be added to the egg with the in ovo feeding technique. The in ovo feeding technique is a technique that allows the addition of outside nutrients injected into the egg during incubation for the developmental and metabolic needs of the embryo, as well as to improve the nutritional status of the egg. Nutrition stimulation with in ovo feeding technique produces many benefits, such as increasing hatchability, hatching weight, immunity level, reduced bone system disorders, reduced morbidity and mortality after hatching, feed efficiency and weight gain.

Overexpression, biochemical characterization, and anticancer activates of L-asparaginase from Bacillus subtilis

L-asparaginases convert L-asparagine into L-aspartate and ammonia. The L-asparaginase from Bacillus subtilis was cloned and expressed in the E. coli strain BL21(DE3)pLysS in the current study. Using glutathione sepharose 4B column chromatography, the L-asparaginase enzyme was uniformly purified 173.34 times, with a final specific activity of 1769.13 IU/mg protein and a yield of 56.14%. The isolated enzyme was identified as a 36 kDa polypeptide chain by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The immobilized enzyme was placed on top of the Ca alginate beads. The immobilized enzyme is quite stable and retains the majority of its activity at 4 °C (74 percent). The enzymatic and structural characteristics of free and immobilized recombinant L-asparaginase were studied. The activity of the free enzyme peaked after 30 min of incubation at pH 8.0 and 45 °C. After 30 minutes at 50 °C, the immobilized enzyme showed its peak activity at a pH of 8.5. The refined enzyme's amino acid makeup was identified. An enzyme that heals leukemia, Bacillus subtilis L-asparaginase, can be successfully mass-produced using this technique.

Discovering B/T Cell-Cancer Antigen Affinity for Targeted Cancer Drug Therapy and Diagnosis Through Deep Neural Network Models

Cancer, one of the leading causes of death worldwide, derives from an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a given part of the body. Targeted immunotherapy is a promising avenue of cancer treatments, galvanizing the body's own immune system to marshal B and T cells against abnormal cell growth, pathologically inhibiting antigen function and proliferation. In the current landscape of cancer immunotherapy, however, medicine industries are belabored with the need to use painstaking trial and error and numerous wet-lab investigations to test amino acid sequences' affinities to cancer antigens. Furthermore, most cancer antigens and the structures of their epitopes are unknown, and although most malignancies can be cured when diagnosed early, organ-specific assessments cannot be used for early-stage cancers. To bridge this gap, I innovate a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) model pipeline, which analyzes the complex amino acid makeup of tumor infiltrating B/T cell receptors based on the relationships of biochemical properties among adjacent amino acids predictive of how these receptor polypeptides fold in three-dimensional space, computing high affinity amino acid sequences to revolutionize both targeted drug discovery and early diagnosis.

Sericin, a Versatile Protein from Silkworm - Biomedical Applications

The silkworm, Bombyx mori, which feeds solely on the leaves of the mulberry plant, produces mulberry silk. The components of Bombyx mori silk are 60-80 percent fibroin, 15-35 percent sericin and 1-5 percent non-sericin, including wax, pigments, sugars and other impurities. Silk sericin is a natural polymer that encloses and holds together two filaments of fibroin in the silk thread used in the cocoon. In the research and production of medical biomaterials and biomedicines, protein-based silk fibroin has been widely used for two decades. Sericin is often neglected and abandoned in the manufacturing of traditional silk fabrics, silk floss or synthetic silk biomaterials as a by-product or waste. However, sericin is not only a highly useful biological substance, but also has a great deal of biological activity, similar to fibroin. General characteristics of both silk proteins, fibroin and sericin, extracted from Bombyx mori silkworm, and the biological activity and possible use of sericin were addressed in this review. Due to its amino acid make-up and antioxidant properties, sericin has been used in the food and cosmetic industry. The moisturizing power provides guidance for wound healing as a therapeutic agent, protection against ultraviolet radiation, and formulation of creams and shampoos. Antioxidant activity associated with low sericin digestibility, which increases application in the medical field, such as antitumor, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent, anticoagulant, works in the health of the colon, enhances constipation and, by improving plasma lipid profile, protects the body from obesity. In addition, the properties of sericin allow its application in tissue engineering and drug delivery as a culture medium and cryopreservation, demonstrating its efficient use as an essential biomaterial.

Nutritional and Functional Properties of Defatted, Debittered and Off-Flavour Free High Protein Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) Meal Flour

A process for the preparation of defatted, debittered and off-flavour free guar meal flour (GMF) with high protein content was standardized to improve the utility and use range of guar meal which is otherwise a low value product mainly used as poultry and cattle feed. The GMF had protein, crude fat, crude fibre and ash content of 41.51, 0.20, 6.95 and 5.50 g/100 g, respectively. The saponins and tripsin inhibitor activity of GMF were 0.67% which was significantly higher and 36.90 TIU mg/g protein that was significantly lower respectively than guar meal korma. Guar meal proteins had the amino acid makeup comparable to reported studies on soy meal proteins. Iron (41.33 mg/100 g) and zinc (6.40 mg/100 g) content in GMF was in appreciable amounts. The water absorbing capacity, swelling capacity and oil holding capacity of GMF was high hence can be used as a component in various food formulations. The incorporation of GMF at 20% level for the preparation of nutritious biscuits was found to be optimum with respect to physical and sensory characteristics.

Formulation and efficacy study of metabolic syndrome-specific ingredient mix

PurposeThe study aims to design metabolic syndrome (MetS) ingredient mix with optimum amino acid makeup using key foods with reported functional properties and study the efficacy of this mix to alleviate the symptoms of MetS among adult men and women with MetS.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 25 MetS-specific ingredient mixes that included wheat flour, common legumes, fenugreek and flaxseeds were formulated by correcting their amino acid score. The suitability of these mixes was tested for the preparation of chapati (an unleavened Indian bread). Owing to its highest lysine content, the ingredient mix of whole wheat flour, oat flour, soybean, flaxseeds and fenugreek seeds was selected for the 12-week supplementation trial among patients with MetS.FindingsThe sensory scores of chapatis made using nine ingredient mixes was comparable with those of chapati made from whole wheat flour (control). The test chapatis had a significantly (p = 0.05) higher protein, ash, fibre and fat content, and lysine was also higher (591-1,006 mg/100 g) than the control chapatis (314 mg). Positive and significant changes in the anthropometry, body composition, fasting blood glucose levels, blood pressure and lipid profile of the patients with MS was seen after consumption of the selected ingredient mix.Originality/valueKeeping in view the traditional vegetarian Indian meals which usually take care of including foods from different sources to improve their protein quality, the concern for providing protein quality to prevent metabolic abnormalities is significant for a large lacto-vegetarian population in India which depends on plant foods for obtaining essential amino acids. Obtaining optimum protein quality from meals along with maintaining a physically active lifestyle may help people have the appropriate fat to lean mass proportion which may have a protective role against MetS.

Contribution of Proteins to the Dielectric Properties of Dielectrically Heated Biomaterials

In this article, we report results on the behavior of selected proteins in solution and on how they could affect the overall absorption and distribution of electromagnetic energy within dielectrically heated biomaterials. Ovalbumin, bovine serum albumin (BSA), β-lactoglobulin (BLG), and lysozyme (Lys) proteins varying in molecular weight, structure, and isoelectric point were systematically screened for this study. Measurements were performed using an open-ended coaxial probe over a frequency range encompassing the industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands (1–1800 MHz) at six concentration levels and 25 °C. Primary findings include discovery of an additional δ-dispersion region in addition to the previously observed two regions between the well-established β- and γ-dispersion regions for protein solutions, which we propose are a sub-set of multiple δ-dispersions in the said region. We hypothesize that the β-dispersion is a summation of these multiple δ-dispersions and their cumulative effect is manifested in the amount of heat generated within a dielectrically treated biomaterial. An individual protein’s contribution to the overall dielectric absorption was quantitatively determined to account for up to 10% of the energy absorbed by free water molecules. We derived a mixture formula that accurately predicted the dielectric constant (e′) at the critical industrial 915 MHz frequency, which we propose to use in computational simulations for purposes of design and development of dielectric heating devices. Theoretical calculation of the local e′ of individual proteins from their amino acid makeup resulted in an average of 2.7, closely matching previously reported results. An increase in the physical size of a protein resulted in a decrease in the overall electromagnetic absorption of the mixture. A similar effect was observed as protein concentration increased with more pronounced effects on the dielectric increments (∆e′) and absorption decrements (∆e″); the implication of such effect on energy absorption and heating is discussed.

Identification of non-random sequence properties in groups of signature peptides obtained in random sequence peptide microarray experiments.

Immunosignaturing is an emerging experimental technique that uses random sequence peptide microarrays to detect antibodies produced by the immune system in response to a particular disease. Two important questions regarding immunosignaturing are "Do microarray peptides that exhibit a strong affinity to a given type of antibodies share common sequence properties?" and "If so, what are those properties?" In this work, three statistical tests designed to detect non-random patterns in the amino acid makeup of a group of microarray peptides are presented. One test detects patterns of significantly biased amino acid usage, whereas the other two detect patterns of significant bias in the biochemical properties. These tests do not require a large number of peptides per group. The tests were applied to analyze 19 groups of peptides identified in immunosignaturing experiments as being specific for antibodies produced in response to various types of cancer and other diseases. The positional distribution of the biochemical properties of the amino acids in these 19 peptide groups was also studied. Remarkably, despite the random nature of the sequence libraries used to design the microarrays, a unique group-specific non-random pattern was identified in the majority of the peptide groups studied. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 106: 318-329, 2016.

Naturally Synthetic: Using Biology to Improve Technology

Nature has a diverse toolkit that can be utilized to address a broad array of problems. Among these tools are DNA, lipids, polysaccharides, and proteins, each of which has been used for direct applications from sensors to electronics. Among these macromolecules, proteins represent nature's most diverse polymer with a range of functionality determined by 20 different natural building blocks. The functionality of proteins is determined by their amino-acid content and structure. For instance proteins that bind to metal ions for biomineralization typically express higher levels of amino acid residues containing carboxylate side groups or histidines and cysteines. The amino acid makeup of a protein or polypeptide determines its properties (whether it can bind to metal ions, protein surfaces or nearly any other functional material because proteins can be designed to bind to a large number of materials).The focus of my group is to identify functional polypeptides and use these to improve the properties of technologically relevant materials. Our lab uses a technique called phage display in order to identify solid binding polypeptides that are specific for binding to and the mineralization of electroactive materials and use these materials to prepare new lithium ion batteries. Once peptides are identified, they will be synthesized and combined with other peptide chains that have already been isolated that bind to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to make multifunctional polypeptides. My research is multidisciplinary and involves the integration of biology, biochemistry, synthesis and nanomaterials science in order to address significant technological problems.

Development of baked and extruded functional foods from metabolic syndrome specific ingredient mix.

The study was aimed to develop baked and extruded functional foods from Metabolic Syndrome (MS) specific designed ingredient mixes with optimum amino acid makeup using key food ingredients with functional properties such as whole cereals, legumes, skimmed milk powder, along with flaxseeds and fenugreek seeds. Two cereals viz. barley and oats and four pulses viz. mung bean, cowpea, bengal gram and soybean were blended in different proportions in order to balance the limiting amino acid lysine in the wheat flour. Three products namely bread, extruded snack and noodles prepared from twenty five ingredient mixes. Six ingredient mixes of breads and four ingredient mixes each of extruded snack and noodles specifically designed for MS patients were organoleptically at par with control wheat flour products. The acceptable products had significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher lysine, crude protein, ash and fibre and low carbohydrates in compare control whole wheat flour products, hence appropriate for MS patients.

Studies on Effect of Curing and Antioxidant Treatments on Shelf Life of Buffalo Meat under Refrigerated Conditions

Study was conducted to evaluate effects of treatments with curing (curing solution containing Salt, Sugar and Sodium Nitrate) and curing combined with antioxidant (BHA 500ppm) at Storage temperature (0°C and -5°C) using packaging material (HDPE and LDPE bags) on shelf life attributes including pH, total plate count and sensory characteristics (colour, odour and texture) of buffalo meat. It was found Curing increasedthe pH of meat sample and also brought improvement in colour. Initially, pH and colour score of raw meat were 5.89 and 7.00 while those of cured meat were 6.05 and 7.67, respectively. It also reduces microbial population (log of TPC per g of raw meat and cured meat were 4.30 and 3.47, respectively.Curing combined with antioxidant treatment was considered best which improved pH, colour, texture (pH was 5.9 and score value of colour and texture were 7.67 and 7.67, respectively. The treated sample was superior in microbiological and sensory quality. Man has satisfied his hunger with the animal food from the earliest of times. The term meat refers to muscle of warm blooded terrestrial four legged animals, the chief being buffalos, cows, goat, and sheep. Meat also includes the glands and organs of these animals. Meat products include many of the by- products from animal slaughter such as animal gut used for sausage the fat from meat used in the manufacture of lard, gelatin, and others. Buffalo meat has become, out of various type meats, a great importance in recent years because of domestic demands and its export potential, it contributes about 85% of total meat export from India and its production in India is nearly 50% of the worlds production (Sahoo, 1997).India has largest livestock population in the world. It has about 98 million buffaloes, which is 57% of total population in the world. They contribute to 1.48 million metric tonnes of meat, amounting 24.54% of the total meat produced in the country (FAO, 2008). Buffalo is the only potential animal that can boost meat industry in India. Buffalo meat is the major item of Indian meat export generating huge revenue in animal products sector. Buffalo meat is the healthiest meat among red meats known for human consumption because it is low in calories and cholesterol. It has almost 2-3 folds cost advantage over mutton and goat meat. In India, meat is consumed either in curry form with high spices or as processed meat products. Only 2% of the meat is processed in India (APEDA, 2008), the remaining meat is sold in fresh or frozen form. Despite vast resource of population and contribution of buffaloes to the total meat production in the country, their potential for utility in the processed meat sector is not completely exploited.India has largest bovine population in the world.Scientifically the term meat and meat products refer to the muscle of warm blooded terrestrial four legged animal viz. cattle sheep and pigs. It also includes the glands and organs of these animals in addition to many of the by-products of animal slaughter such as animal gut used for sausage casing, the fat from the meat used in manufacturing of lard, gelatin, and others.Meat contains 15 to 20% of proteins of outstanding nutritive value. The lean meat contains 20 to 22 per cent proteins. Of the total nitrogen content of meat, approximately 95% is protein and 5% is aminoacids. The amino acid make-up of meat proteins is very good for the maintenance and growth of human tissues. The fat content of meat varies from 5 to 40 percent with the type, breed and age of the animal. When the animal is well fed, fat deposits subcutaneously as a protective layer around the organs. Then it accumulates around and between muscles. Finally, fat penetrates between the muscle fibre bundles and this is known as marbling. The lean portion of meat contains greater proportions of phospholipids (0.5 to 1.0 per cent), and these are located in the membranes of cell. Carbohydrates are found only in very small quantities in meat. Two carbohydrates present in meat are glycogen and glucose. Meat is an excellent source of some vitamins of B complex and a good source of iron and phosphorus. Meat also contains sodium and potassium.Meatcontains the protein hydrolyzing enzymes, cathepsins, and these are responsible for the increased tenderness of meat during ageing. The colour of meat is due primarily to myoglobin. Haemoglobin also contributes to the colour of meat to some extent. The two main ingredients that must be used to cure meat are salt and nitrite. However, other substances can be added to

Rethinking In Vitro Embryo Culture: New Developments in Culture Platforms and Potential to Improve Assisted Reproductive Technologies1

The preponderance of research toward improving embryo development in vitro has focused on manipulation of the chemical soluble environment, including altering basic salt composition, energy substrate concentration, amino acid makeup, and the effect of various growth factors or addition or subtraction of other supplements. In contrast, relatively little work has been done examining the physical requirements of preimplantation embryos and the role culture platforms or devices can play in influencing embryo development within the laboratory. The goal of this review is not to reevaluate the soluble composition of past and current embryo culture media, but rather to consider how other controlled and precise factors such as time, space, mechanical interactions, gradient diffusions, cell movement, and surface interactions might influence embryo development. Novel culture platforms are being developed as a result of interdisciplinary collaborations between biologists and biomedical, material, chemical, and mechanical engineers. These approaches are looking beyond the soluble media composition and examining issues such as media volume and embryo spacing. Furthermore, methods that permit precise and regulated dynamic embryo culture with fluid flow and embryo movement are now available, and novel culture surfaces are being developed and tested. While several factors remain to be investigated to optimize the efficiency of embryo production, manipulation of the embryo culture microenvironment through novel devices and platforms may offer a pathway toward improving embryo development within the laboratory of the future.

The myofibrillar protein, projectin, is highly conserved across insect evolution except for its PEVK domain.

All striated muscles respond to stretch by a delayed increase in tension. This physiological response, known as stretch activation, is, however, predominantly found in vertebrate cardiac muscle and insect asynchronous flight muscles. Stretch activation relies on an elastic third filament system composed of giant proteins known as titin in vertebrates or kettin and projectin in insects. The projectin insect protein functions jointly as a "scaffold and ruler" system during myofibril assembly and as an elastic protein during stretch activation. An evolutionary analysis of the projectin molecule could potentially provide insight into how distinct protein regions may have evolved in response to different evolutionary constraints. We mined candidate genes in representative insect species from Hemiptera to Diptera, from published and novel genome sequence data, and carried out a detailed molecular and phylogenetic analysis. The general domain organization of projectin is highly conserved, as are the protein sequences of its two repeated regions-the immunoglobulin type C and fibronectin type III domains. The conservation in structure and sequence is consistent with the proposed function of projectin as a scaffold and ruler. In contrast, the amino acid sequences of the elastic PEVK domains are noticeably divergent, although their length and overall unusual amino acid makeup are conserved. These patterns suggest that the PEVK region working as an unstructured domain can still maintain its dynamic, and even its three-dimensional, properties, without the need for strict amino acid conservation. Phylogenetic analysis of the projectin proteins also supports a reclassification of the Hymenoptera in relation to Diptera and Coleoptera.

Making the Connection: Polar Sites Are Key to Assembly in Many Immune Receptors

Your ability to survive a paper cut or conquer a cold depends on immune system cells that circulate through your body, carrying out search-and-destroy missions against bacteria, viruses, and anything else that's not you. Such cells bear invader-snagging transmembrane proteins called receptors. When a receptor latches onto an invader (or a cell overtaken by invaders), it sends a signal through an associated signaling module. The complex then transmits a “got one!” message to the interior of the cell, where it elicits a full-scale defensive response. Proper assembly of receptors with the right signaling modules is key to an appropriate immune response, and incorrect assembly could well be a factor in immune system disorders such as chronic inflammation and autoimmunity. Jianwen Feng, Matthew E. Call, and Kai W. Wucherpfennig report fascinating findings about receptor assembly that shed light on how signaling modules can be versatile yet appropriately specific. The researchers looked at the assembly of signaling modules with receptors from two key protein families, immunoglobulins and C-type lectins. The receptors they studied were KIR, NKG2D, NKG2C/CD94, and FcαRI. The signaling modules under study were DAP10, which assembles with only NKG2D; DAP12, which assembles with KIR and many other receptors; and Fcγ, which assembles with FcαRI and other receptors as well. Previous research had shown that the assembly of receptors and signaling modules often involves attraction between one basic amino acid residue in the transmembrane part of the receptor and two acidic residues in the transmembrane part of the signaling module. The diversity of receptors that assemble with DAP12 and the wide variation among species in the amino acid makeup of DAP12 suggest that much of the rest of the transmembrane portion is less important for assembly. To test that, the researchers replaced all of the transmembrane residues in KIR (an immunoglobulin) with polyvaline or polyleucine except the one basic amino acid; they found it still assembled with DAP12 as long as the key acidic residues (both aspartic acid) of DAP12 had not been altered. If they replaced an aspartic acid, however, assembly was impaired. The authors also tested the altered KIR molecule in an actual cell and found that neither assembly of KIR nor its transport to the cell surface was prevented by the substitution. Is the singular importance of the acid–base attraction for assembly true for other receptors as well? The researchers found that it is for the assembly of NKG2D, a C-type lectin, with DAP10. The same held true in the case of the assembly of the NKG2C portion of the NKG2C/CD94 receptor with DAP12 and for the assembly of FcαRI with Fcγ (although in the latter case, assembly was reduced). Why, with the ubiquity of this assembly mechanism, don't receptors and signaling modules end up making inappropriate matches? The base used to make the connection, the researchers found, is one key. KIR uses lysine, while FcαRI and NKG2D use arginine. When the authors tried switching lysine for arginine or vice versa for KIR and FcαRI—or tried to get the signaling modules to associate with each other's receptor— assembly failed. (NKG2D assembly with DAP10 wasn't much affected, though, by switching out arginine and lysine.) Other tests showed that the position of the basic amino acid, the size and shape of the part of the receptor that sticks out of the cell membrane, and the different affinities of various signaling modules for various receptors also contribute to success in making the right receptor–signaling module match. The bottom line? The mechanism by which immune system receptors and signaling modules assemble is similar enough among molecule types to allow some signaling modules to hook up with a wide range of receptors. At the same time, the specificity of the bases within the membrane, the shape of things above the membrane, and the differential ease of assembly of signaling modules provides needed specificity to prevent inappropriate assembly.

Egg Composition in Relation to Female Age and Relaying: Constraints on Egg Production in Thick-Billed Murres (Uria Lomvia)

Abstract There is growing awareness that costs associated with egg production play a significant role in shaping avian life histories. The life-history strategy of the Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia), a colonial, cliff-breeding seabird of Arctic waters, is characterized by a high annual adult survival rate, deferred breeding, and laying of a single-egg clutch. The single-egg clutch is a widespread phenomenon among seabirds and is generally thought to reflect demands of chick provisioning, rather than egg production. We compared composition of eggs laid by Thick-billed Murres most likely to be physiologically constrained in their capacity to produce eggs (young females with no prior experience, and females forming replacement eggs) to that of first eggs laid by early laying females (typically older, more experienced members of the population). Young, inexperienced females laid 4–18 days past the populationwide median laying date, and their eggs averaged 13% lighter in mass than those laid by early layers. Compared to early laid eggs, shell mass on young females’ eggs was similar to that predicted from egg mass, but their eggs had a lower yolk-to-albumen ratio. There was little difference between the two groups in relative protein content of albumen, relative protein or lipid content of yolk, or amino acid makeup of protein in yolk or albumen. Replacement eggs averaged 6% lighter in mass than first eggs laid by the same females earlier that season. As with young females’ eggs, replacement eggs had shells similar in mass to that predicted from egg mass, but lower yolk-to-albumen ratios, when compared to early laid eggs. Both protein and lipid concentrations in yolk were similar in first and replacement eggs, but replacements were deficient in albumen protein. Amino acid makeup of protein in yolk and albumen was similar in the two groups. Those results suggest that any limitations on egg production acting on young, inexperienced females are manifested in delayed laying and reductions in overall egg mass and proportional yolk content, but not in variation in biochemical composition of their eggs. Limitations on females forming replacement eggs are manifested not only in reduced egg mass and yolk content (as with young females), but also in changes in the biochemical composition of eggs; in particular, evidence suggests that relaying females may face a deficit of endogenous protein. The existence of such limitations suggests that demands of egg production can be significant even in a species that lays a single-egg clutch.

UTILIZATION OF PLANT MATERIALS BY JUVENILE AFRICAN CATFISH(CLARIAS GARIEPINUS)AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN FISH CULTURE

SUMMARY Juvenile African catfish Clarias gariepinus between 100 and 200 mm total length from Lake McIlwaine, Zimbabwe are able to digest plant proteins. The digestibility of three major plant proteins (maize, sunflower seed and soya meal) was 30,0, 65,4 and 84,3% respectively. C. gariepinus excreted between 27 and 55% of its soluble nitrogen as urea. Fats from one diet were found to spare proteins and to be 73% utilized. The basal metabolic rate of juvenile catfish may be represented by the general formula: BM = 2,56 - 0,40 (In W) - 0,10 (In W) (FS) where BM is the basal metabolic rate in cal g−1 h−1, W is the mass in grams and FS is the feeding state (expressed as zero for a feeding fish and one for a fasting fish). The metabolism of starving, fasting, feeding, and stressed active juvenile fish was found to be approximately 0,28, 0,56, 1,23 and 4,5 cal. g_1 h_1 respectively. World protein shortages and the contribution that fish culture can make are discussed. Sample calculations show catfish lose up to 38% of ingested plant protein while direct consumption of vegetative material by humans results in a loss of 33% of the protein due to imbalances in amino acid make-up of plants. It is generally not physically possible to eat the quantities of traditional low protein plant material needed to obtain the necessary protein. Therefore the use of more concentrated and more digestable animal protein is necessary, and catfish with dry weight ptotein levels of 70 to 80%, are capable of acting as protein concentrators.

Zinfandel Grape Juice Protein Fractions and Their Amino Acid Makeup as Affected by Crop Level

The amino acid compositions of musts from grapes cropped at several different levels were determined. The proteins of the grapes from each treatment were isolated by Sephadex gel column. The protein complex was further separated by electrofocusing equipment into seven or eight fractions. The percentage of each fraction was determined for each treatment. The percentage of the first two fractions varied slightly with crop load. Amino acid composition varied between the fractions but not between crop levels.

Effect of the Quality of Applied Irrigation Water on the Amino Acid Makeup of Vigna catjang

Increase in boron concentration at a low sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), or vice versa, irrespective of the conductivity levels of applied irrigation water, produced a marked decrease in the content of various amino acids in Vigna catjang, pointing to a definite relationship between sodium and boron with respect to plant nutrition. Increase in boron level at a high SAR resulted in increased synthesis of lysine, arginine plus histidine, threonine plus alanine, cystine, tyrosine, tryptophan, valine, methionine, and leucine. The same increase occurred when the conductivity level of applied irrigation water was changed from 1 5 to 3.0 mmhos/cm at 25 C.

Free amino acid contents of the skeletal muscle of carp at juvenile and adult stages

1. 1. Chromatographic studies on the free amino acids of the skeletal muscles of Labeo rohita, Cirrhina mrigala and Catla catla revealed the presence of lysine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, valine, arginine, histidine, tryptophan, serine, cysteine, aspartic acid, glycine, glutamic acid, alanine, tyrosine and proline. 2. 2. The concentrations of cysteine, aspartic acid, histidine and arginine were high in juveniles while in adults lysine, glycine, cysteine, aspartic acid, histidine and arginine showed high levels in a decreasing order. 3. 3. The juveniles contained smaller amounts of individual as well as total free amino acids in comparison to adults. 4. 4. Non-essential amino acids occurred in higher concentrations than essential ones. 5. 5. The free amino acid make-up of the three species resembled each other.

Effect of variations in salinity and alkalinity of applied irrigation waters on the amino acid make-up of Phaseolus aureus

A marked decrease in the content of various amino acids was observed when the boron concentration was increased from 0.5 to 2.0 ppm particularly at low value of SAR and low level of conductivity. At medium level of conductivity alongwith low level of boron increase in value of SAR definitely suppressed the content of lysine, arginine plus histidine, aspartic acid plus glutamine, threonine plus alanine, proline and cystine in plants. Increase in levels of conductivity specially at low value of SAR and low level of boron substantially affected the content of lysine, arginine plus histidine, aspartic acid plus glutamine, threonine plus alanine, proline and cystine.