Amino acid analysis: determination of cysteine plus half-cystine in proteins after hydrochloric acid hydrolysis with a disulfide compound as additive

Efficacy and compatibility with mass spectrometry of methods for elution of proteins from sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gels and polyvinyldifluoride membranes

The resolving power of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) combined with isoelectric focusing in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis has made it one of the most important techniques for resolving complex mixtures, and it is of great importance for proteome mapping projects. As a result of this, methods for postelectrophoretic protein characterization are of great interest as exemplified by in situ protease digestion combined with mass spectrometry (MS), which is the method of choice for identification of proteins. In this study we have developed and compared methods for recovering intact proteins from polyacrylamide gels and electroblotting membranes to define efficient methods compatible with MS. These methods complement in situ digestion protocols and allow determination of the molecular mass of whole proteins separated by SDS-PAGE. Passive elution of proteins from SDS-PAGE gels was efficient only in the presence of SDS, whereas electroelution was achieved using buffers without SDS. Surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization MS (SELDI-MS) analysis of proteins eluted in the presence of SDS was possible using ion exchange ProteinChip arrays for concentration of sample and removal of SDS. Comparison of different electroblotting methods verified that the different membranes and buffers were equally efficient for transfer of proteins in the range 20-100 kDa. Elution from polyvinyldifluoride membranes was most efficient using either concentrated solutions of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) or combinations of 8M urea and 1% Triton X-100, 1% Tween 20, or 40% isopropanol. The same result was obtained using nitrocellulose membranes, except that these were incompatible with organic solvent and TFA. Elution by TFA was compatible with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization MS (MALDI-MS) but was complicated by a high degree of trifluoroacetylation of the proteins. Alternatively, elution by 8M urea+1% Triton X-100, 1% Tween 20, or 40% isopropanol was compatible with both SELDI-MS and MALDI-MS. Eluted proteins were identified in MS experiments by intact mass determination, by peptide mapping, and by MS/MS analysis.

Immune response in mice to ingested soya protein: antibody production, oral tolerance and maternal transfer

While allergic reactions to soya are increasingly investigated, the normal immune response to ingested soya is scarcely described. In the present study, we wanted to characterise the soya-specific immune response in healthy mice ingesting soya protein. Mice fed a soya-containing diet (F0) and mice of the first (F1) and second (F2) offspring generation bred on a soya protein-free diet were used either directly or were transferred between the soya-containing and soya protein-free diet during pregnancy or neonatal life. The mice were compared as to levels of naturally occurring specific antibodies analysed by ELISA, and to the presence of oral tolerance detected as a suppressed antibody and cell-proliferation response upon immunisation with soya protein. F0 mice generated soya-specific antibodies, while oral tolerance to the same soya proteins was also clearly induced. When F0 dams were transferred to soya protein-free feed before mating, the F1 and F2 offspring generations showed no significantly different response, indicating that soya-specific immune components were not maternally transmitted. However, the ingestion of dietary soya protein by F1 mice during late pregnancy and lactation caused a lasting antibody response in the offspring, but in this case in the absence of oral tolerance. This indicates that, under certain conditions, factors involved in spontaneous antibody production can be transmitted from mother to offspring. Understanding the immune response to soya protein ingested under healthy conditions is important in the assessment of adverse effects of soya protein and in the use of animal allergy models. The present results add to this understanding.

Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) binds to type i collagen and protects against oxidative fragmentation

The antioxidant enzyme extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is mainly found in the extracellular matrix of tissues. EC-SOD participates in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species by catalyzing the dismutation of superoxide radicals. The tissue distribution of the enzyme is particularly important because of the reactive nature of its substrate, and it is likely essential that EC-SOD is positioned at the site of superoxide production to prevent adventitious oxidation. EC-SOD contains a C-terminal heparin-binding region thought to be important for modulating its distribution in the extracellular matrix. This paper demonstrates that, in addition to binding heparin, EC-SOD specifically binds to type I collagen with a dissociation constant (K(d)) of 200 nm. The heparin-binding region was found to mediate the interaction with collagen. Notably, the bound EC-SOD significantly protects type I collagen from oxidative fragmentation. This expands the known repertoire of EC-SOD binding partners and may play an important physiological role in preventing oxidative fragmentation of collagen during oxidative stress.

Immunostimulatory potential of beta-lactoglobulin preparations: effects caused by endotoxin contamination

BACKGROUND

The immunomodulating potential residing in cow's milk proteins is currently receiving increasing attention because of growing interest in functional foods and the complex problem of cow's milk allergy. One of the major cow's milk allergens, whey protein beta-lactoglobulin, has previously been shown to mediate cellular activation in both human and murine immune cells.

OBJECTIVE

We examined the response to different beta-lactoglobulin preparations in naive immune cells.

METHODS

Splenocytes and cells from mesenteric lymph nodes derived from BALB/c mice bred and maintained on a milk-free diet were cultured in vitro with different beta-lactoglobulin preparations. Cell proliferation, cytokine production, and increases in intracellular glutathione were used as cellular activation markers. Moreover, the effect of beta-lactoglobulin on cytokine production in murine bone-marrow-derived dendritic cells was examined.

RESULTS

We observed that some commercial beta-lactoglobulin preparations induced pronounced proliferation of both spleen cells and cells from mesenteric lymph nodes; production of TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-1beta, and IL-10; and an increased level of intracellular glutathione in spleen cell cultures. Furthermore, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-1beta, and IL-10 production was induced in murine bone-marrow-derived dendritic cells. Purification of beta-lactoglobulin from raw milk using nondenaturating conditions, however, revealed that the beta-lactoglobulin per se did not possess the immunomodulatory activity. Eventually, the immunostimulatory effect was found to be caused by endotoxin contamination.

CONCLUSION

These results identify endotoxin as the main immunostimulatory component present in some commercial beta-lactoglobulin preparations. Moreover, the present study makes it evident that immunomodulatory effects attributed to beta-lactoglobulin need to be reassessed.

Quantitative analysis of immobilized proteins and protein mixtures by amino acid analysis

Biomolecular surface engineering of materials often requires precise, versatile and efficient quantification of immobilized proteins at solid surfaces. Acidic hydrolysis of surface-bound proteins and subsequent HPLC analysis of fluorescence-derivatized amino acids were adapted and critically evaluated for that purpose. Contaminations and concentration-dependent amino acid retrieval during HPLC were found to influence the accuracy of the method. In addition to the choice of adequate conditions for hydrolysis, derivatization and chromatographic separation extensions of the data evaluation were suggested to improve the accuracy of the approach when applied to single protein systems: comparing the experimentally obtained amino acid ratio to the protein constitution enabled to identify the properly separated and detected amino acids. Those amino acids were selected for a more precise calculation of the amount of immobilized protein. To further increase the accuracy of the method, the retrieval of amino acids corresponding to protein amounts in the range between 0.5 and 4.0 microg was analyzed for a variety of proteins of interest to derive protein-specific correction factors. The evaluation of amino acid data was furthermore applied to quantify binary protein mixtures at similar settings. This method was proven useful to detect the composition of protein mixtures throughout a wide range of absolute and relative concentrations.

The oral immunogenicity of BioProtein, a bacterial single-cell protein, is affected by its particulate nature

The bacterial single-cell protein BioProtein (BP; Norferm Danmark, Odense, Denmark), produced by fermentation of natural gas with methanotrophic bacteria, is a potential protein source for man and animals. For human consumption, removal of the nucleic acid is necessary. Preliminary studies have shown that ingested BP induces a specific immune response. The objective of the present study was to characterize the type of response, its development over time and product-related causative factors. Mice were fed with diets containing 60 g nucleic acid-reduced BP/kg, 240 g nucleic acid-reduced BP/kg, 240 g untreated BP (basic BP)/kg or 240 g casein/kg (control). In another study, mice were fed 240 g basic BP/kg, whole cell-free BP-culture homogenate or control diet. The immune response was monitored using an ELISA for BP-specific immunoglobulin in blood and BP-specific immunoglobulin A in blood and saliva. Ingested BP induced a steady specific mucosal and systemic immune response, characterized by a dose-dependent production of immunoglobulin and immunoglobulin A in blood and immunoglobulin A in saliva. Basic BP and nucleic acid-reduced BP induced identical responses. However, feeding mice BP-culture homogenate induced immunoglobulin A in saliva but there was no systemic response. The antibodies from BP-fed mice cross-reacted with BP-culture homogenate revealing the presence of the same antigenic components in the two products despite the different oral immunogenicity. Thus, ingestion of BP induces a persistent mucosal and systemic immune response of which the systemic response can be avoided by ingesting a BP preparation free of whole cells. This indicates the importance of the non-particulate constitution of single-cell protein products intended for human or animal consumption.

Identification of operator sites of the CI repressor of phage TP901-1: evolutionary link to other phages

The repressor encoded by the cI gene of the temperate Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris bacteriophage TP901-1 has been purified. Gel-retardation and footprinting analyses identified three palindromic operator sites (O(R), O(L), and O(D)). The operator site O(R) is located between the two divergent early promoters P(R) and P(L), O(L) overlaps the transcriptional start of the lytic P(L) promoter, and O(D) is located downstream of the mor gene, the first gene in the lytic gene cluster. The function of O(L) was verified by mutational analysis. Binding was found to be specific and cooperative. Multimeric forms of the repressor were observed, thus indicating that the repressor may bind simultaneously to all three operator sites. Inverted repeats with homology to the operator sites of TP901-1 were identified in phage genomes encoding repressors homologous to CI of TP901-1. Interestingly, the locations of these repeats on the phage genomes correspond to those found in TP901-1, indicating that the same system of cooperative repression of early phage promoters has been inherited by modular evolution.

Glucose metabolism in Lactococcus lactis MG1363 under different aeration conditions: requirement of acetate to sustain growth under microaerobic conditions

Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis MG1363 was grown in batch cultures on a defined medium with glucose as the energy source under different aeration conditions, namely, anaerobic conditions, aerobic conditions, and microaerobic conditions with a dissolved oxygen tension of 5% (when saturation with air was used as the reference). The maximum specific growth rate was high (0.78 to 0.91 h(-1)) under all aeration conditions but decreased with increasing aeration, and more than 90% of the glucose was converted to lactate. However, a shift in by-product formation was observed. Increasing aeration resulted in acetate, CO(2), and acetoin replacing formate and ethanol as end products. Under microaerobic conditions, growth came to a gradual halt, although more than 60% of the glucose was still left. A decline in growth was not observed during microaerobic cultivation when acetate was added to the medium. We hypothesize that the decline in growth was due to a lack of acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) needed for fatty acid synthesis since acetyl-CoA can be synthesized from acetate by means of acetate kinase and phosphotransacetylase activities.

Degradation of proteins during the fermentation of African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) by strains of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus for production of Soumbala

AIMS

To examine isolates of Bacillus subtilis and B. pumilus predominant in Soumbala for their ability to degrade African locust bean proteins (ALBP).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Agar diffusion test in casein and ALBP agar was used for screening of isolates. The profiles of water-soluble proteins and free amino acids (FAA) during the fermentation of ALBP by the Bacillus isolates were studied by SDS-PAGE and cation exchange chromatography. The profile of soluble proteins changed with the fermentation time and varied depending on the isolate. The quantity of total FAA and essential FAA such as lysine was increased sharply between 24 and 48 h of fermentation and differed among the isolates. Simultaneously, a pH increase was observed. Cysteine, methionine, leucine, isoleucine, tyrosine and phenylalaline appeared during fermentation.

CONCLUSION

The Bacillus isolates studied degraded ALBP leading to a profile of soluble proteins and FAA specific for each isolate.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study contributes to the selection of Bacillus strains to be used as starter cultures for controlled production of Soumbala.

Breast cancer patients with bone metastases are characterised by increased levels of nonisomerised type I collagen fragments

BACKGROUND

Fragments of collagen type I containing the epitope AHDGGR (CTX) are generated during bone resorption. The aspartyl-glycine (DG) site within CTX is synthesised in the L-aspartyl peptide (alphaL) form, but converts to the age-modified forms L-isoaspartyl peptide (betaL) and D-aspartyl peptide (alphaD) over time. The purpose of the present study was to test the ability of the various CTX forms to identify breast cancer patients with bone metastases and to investigate whether such patients had an altered CTX excretion pattern.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study we compared CTX excretion in healthy premenopausal and postmenopausal women with CTX levels in patients with breast cancer. The breast cancer cohort comprised eight hypercalcemic patients with bone metastases (HC+), 100 normocalcemic patients with bone metastases (NC+) and 15 normocalcemic patients without bone metastases (NC-).

RESULTS

In HC+ patients and NC+ patients, the excretion of alphaL CTX was highly increased compared with NC- patients (P < 0.01), with Z scores of 3.4 and 2.0, respectively. The excretion of the age-modified forms (betaL and alphaD CTX) was less increased in HC+ patients and in NC+ patients as compared with NC- patients, with Z scores of 2.2 and 1.0, respectively, for betaL CTX, and of 1.6 and 0.8, respectively, for alphaD CTX.

CONCLUSION

Assays for the various isoforms of CTX have different sensitivities to identify patients affected by bone metastases. The alphaL CTX isoform reflecting resorption of young bone appeared to provide the best differentiation of patients affected by breast cancer-induced bone metastases. In conclusion, patients affected by metastatic bone disease present an altered excretion pattern of CTX isoforms.

Serpins of oat (Avena sativa) grain with distinct reactive centres and inhibitory specificity

Most proteinase inhibitors from plant seeds are assumed to contribute to broad-spectrum protection against pests and pathogens. In oat (Avena sativa L.) grain the main serine proteinase inhibitors were found to be serpins, which utilize a unique mechanism of irreversible inhibition. Four distinct inhibitors of the serpin superfamily were detected by native PAGE as major seed albumins and purified by thiophilic adsorption and anion exchange chromatography. The four serpins OSZa-d are the first proteinase inhibitors characterized from this cereal. An amino acid sequence close to the blocked N-terminus, a reactive centre loop sequence, and the second order association rate constant (ka') for irreversible complex formation with pancreas serine proteinases at 24 degrees C were determined for each inhibitor. OSZa and OSZb, both with the reactive centre scissile bond P1-P1' Thr downward arrow Ser, were efficient inhibitors of pancreas elastase (ka' > 105M-1 s-1). Only OSZb was also an inhibitor of chymotrypsin at the same site (ka' = 0.9 x 105M-1 s-1). OSZc was a fast inhibitor of trypsin at P1-P1' Arg downward arrow Ser (ka' = 4 x 106M-1 s-1); however, the OSZc-trypsin complex was short-lived with a first order dissociation rate constant kd = 1.4 x 10-4 s-1. OSZc was also an inhibitor of chymotrypsin (ka' > 106M-1 s-1), presumably at the overlapping site P2-P1 Ala downward arrow Arg, but > 90% of the serpin was cleaved as substrate. OSZd was cleaved by chymotrypsin at the putative reactive centre bond P1-P1' Tyr downward arrow Ser, and no inhibition was detected. Together the oat grain serpins have a broader inhibitory specificity against digestive serine proteinases than represented by the major serpins of wheat, rye or barley grain. Presumably the serpins compensate for the low content of reversible inhibitors of serine proteinases in oats in protection of the grain against pests or pathogens.

Metabolic network analysis of Bacillus clausii on minimal and semirich medium using (13)C-labeled glucose

Using (13)C-labeled glucose fed to the facultative alkalophilic Bacillus clausii producing the alkaline serine protease Savinase, the intracellular fluxes were quantified in continuous cultivation and in batch cultivation on a minimal medium. The flux through the pentose phosphate pathway was found to increase with increasing specific growth rate but at a much lower level than previously reported for Bacillus subtilis. Two futile cycles in the pyruvate metabolism were included in the metabolic network. A substantial flux in the futile cycle involving malic enzyme was estimated, whereas only a very small or zero flux through PEP carboxykinase was estimated, indicating that the latter enzyme was not active during growth on glucose. The uptake of the amino acids in a semirich medium containing 15 of the 20 amino acids normally present in proteins was estimated using fully labeled glucose in batch cultivations. It was found that leucine, isoleucine, and phenylalanine were taken up from the medium and not synthesized de novo from glucose. In contrast, serine and threonine were completely synthesized from other metabolites and not taken up from the medium. Valine, proline, and lysine were partly taken up from the medium and partly synthesized from glucose. The metabolic network analysis was extended to include analysis of growth on the semirich medium containing amino acids, and the metabolic flux distribution on this medium was estimated and compared with growth on minimal medium.

Determination of L-cysteine in amino acid mixture and human urine by flow-injection analysis with a biamperometric detector

Based on the electrocatalytic oxidation of cysteine at pretreated platinum electrode and the flow-injection biamperometry for irreversible couple, a novel electrochemical detector is proposed for the selective determination of cysteine in amino acid mixtures and human urine samples. A thin-layer flow through cell was used to achieve large electrode surface area to volume ratio. Two identical pretreated platinum electrodes were mounted in the cell with an applied potential difference of 10 mV. By coupling two independent and irreversible electrode processes, namely, the oxidation of cysteine and the reduction of platinum oxide, the biamperometric detection scheme has been established. The resulting current is linear to cysteine over the range 4 x 10(-7)-4 x 10(-5) M with the detection limit 1 x 10(-7) M (15 pmol). The selectivity of the detector is tested by 55 foreign species including 26 ions, 11 amino acids, 6 vitamins, and 12 other compounds possibly found in urine. The detector performs well as a routine assay, showing high efficiency (180 samples/h) and good reproductivity shown by a RSD of 0.6% for eight repeated determinations of 2 x 10(-6) M cysteine. The urine samples are detected directly without the need of pretreatment or adding other reagents.

Sodium ion-driven serine/threonine transport in Porphyromonas gingivalis

Porphyromonas gingivalis is an asaccharolytic, gram-negative bacterium that relies on the fermentation of amino acids for metabolic energy. When grown in continuous culture in complex medium containing 4 mM (each) free serine, threonine, and arginine, P. gingivalis assimilated mainly glutamate/glutamine, serine, threonine, aspartate/asparagine, and leucine in free and/or peptide form. Serine and threonine were assimilated in approximately equal amounts in free and peptide form. We characterized serine transport in this bacterium by measuring uptake of the radiolabeled amino acid in washed cells of P. gingivalis energized with a tetrapeptide not containing serine. Serine was transported by a single system with an affinity constant for transport (K(t)) of 24 microM that was competitively inhibited by threonine. Serine transport was dependent on sodium ion concentration in the suspending buffer, and the addition of the ionophore gramicidin caused the inhibition of serine uptake. Together these data indicate that serine transport was sodium ion-motive force driven. A P. gingivalis gene potentially encoding a serine transporter was identified by sequence similarity to an Escherichia coli serine transporter (SstT). This P. gingivalis gene, designated sstT, was inactivated by insertion of a Bacteroides tetQ gene, producing the mutant W50ST. The mutant was unable to transport serine, confirming the presence of a single serine transporter in this bacterium under these growth conditions. The transport of serine by P. gingivalis was dependent on the presence of free cysteine in the suspension buffer. Other reducing agents were unable to stimulate serine uptake. These data show that P. gingivalis assimilates free serine and threonine from culture media via a cysteine-activated, sodium ion-motive force-driven serine/threonine transporter.

Large scale expression, purification and 2D crystallization of recombinant plant plasma membrane H+-ATPase

P-type ATPases convert chemical energy into electrochemical gradients that are used to energize secondary active transport. Analysis of the structure and function of P-type ATPases has been limited by the lack of active recombinant ATPases in quantities suitable for crystallographic studies aiming at solving their three-dimensional structure. We have expressed Arabidopsis thaliana plasma membrane H+-ATPase isoform AHA2, equipped with a His(6)-tag, in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The H+-ATPase could be purified both in the presence and in the absence of regulatory 14-3-3 protein depending on the presence of the diterpene fusicoccin which specifically induces formation of the H+-ATPase/14-3-3 protein complex. Amino acid analysis of the purified complex suggested a stoichiometry of two 14-3-3 proteins per H+-ATPase polypeptide. The purified H(+)-ATPase readily formed two-dimensional crystals following reconstitution into lipid vesicles. Electron cryo-microscopy of the crystals yielded a projection map at approximately 8 A resolution, the p22(1)2(1) symmetry of which suggests a dimeric protein complex. Three distinct regions of density of approximately equal size are apparent and may reflect different domains in individual molecules of AHA2.

Recombinant expression of human mannan-binding lectin

Mannan-binding lectin (MBL) constitutes an important part of the innate immune defence by effecting the deposition of complement on microbial surfaces. MBL deficiency is among the most common primary immunodeficiencies and is associated with recurrent infections and symptoms of poor immune complex clearance. Plasma-derived MBL has been used in reconstitution therapy but concerns over viral contamination and production capacity point to recombinant MBL (rMBL) as a future source of this protein for clinical use. Natural human MBL is an oligomer of up to 18 identical polypeptide chains. The synthesis of rMBL has been accomplished in several mammalian cell lines, however, the recombinant protein differed structurally from natural MBL. In this, study we compare rMBL produced in myeloma cells, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, human hepatocytes, and human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. We report that rMBL structurally and functionally similar to natural MBL can be obtained through synthesis in the human embryonic kidney cells followed by selective carbohydrate affinity chromatography.

Classification of wheat varieties: Use of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis for varieties that can not be classified by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry and an artificial neural network

Analyzing a gliadin extract by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) combined with an artificial neural network (ANN) is a suitable method for identification of wheat varieties. However, the ANN can not distinguish between all different wheat varieties. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) was applied to three pairs of wheat varieties, which can not be classified correctly by ANN. By 2-D PAGE the varieties in the three pairs can be discriminated and these six wheat varieties can be separated from each other, which could not be separated by MALDI-TOF-MS and NN.

Use of electrospray mass spectrometry for mass determination of grape (Vitis vinifera) juice pathogenesis-related proteins: a potential tool for varietal differentiation

Methods based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and protein trap mass spectrometry (trap-MS) were developed to determine the complement of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins in grape juice. Trap-MS was superior to LC-MS in terms of simplicity, rapidity, and sensitivity. Proteins with a wide range of masses (13--33 kDa) were found in the juices of 19 different varieties of grape (Vitis vinifera) and were identified as mostly PR-5 type (thaumatin-like) and PR-3 type (chitinases) proteins. Although the PR proteins in juices of grapes are highly conserved, small consistent differences in molecular masses were noted when otherwise identical proteins were compared from different varieties. These differences persisted through different harvest years and in fruits grown in different Australian locations. With the definition of four different masses for PR-5 proteins (range = 21,239--21,272 Da) and nine different masses of PR-3 proteins (range = 25,330--25,631 Da) and using statistical analysis, the methods developed could be used for varietal differentiation of grapes grown in several South Australian locations on the basis of the PR protein composition of the juice. It remains to be seen whether this technology can be extended to grapes grown worldwide and to wine and other fruit-derived products to assist with label integrity to the benefit of consumers.

Cadmium response of the hairy root culture of the endangered species Adenophora lobophylla

We generated hairy root cultures from two closely related species, Adenophora lobophylla and A. potaninii (Campanulaeae) and carried out a comparative study on their cadmium (Cd) response. A. lobophylla is an endangered species while A. potaninii is widely distributed in the same habitat. Upon exposure to Cd concentrations higher than 50 µM, more extensive growth inhibition and higher Cd accumulation were detected in the hairy root of A. lobophylla. Cd treatment affected the protein content in both the species. Phytochelatins (PCs) have been isolated and characterized from the hairy roots for both species. They shared structure similarities but showed different accumulation kinetics. The content of reduced glutathione (GSH) and cysteine (Cys) differs in both the species and they show different changes upon Cd challenge. The results suggested that these two species might employ different strategy for Cd detoxification. A. lobophylla is capable of synthesizing high level of PCs while a Cd exclusion system and a tighter homeostasis mechanism(s) to maintain the cellular GSH level could have been evolved in A. potanini in additon to its capability of synthesizing PCs.

Purification and characterization of cathepsin D from herring muscle (Clupea harengus)

Cathepsin D was purified and concentrated 469-fold from a homogenate of Clupea harengus muscle. The purified enzyme is a monomer with a molecular weight of 38000-39000. It is inhibited by pepstatin and has optimal activity at pH 2.5 with hemoglobin as the substrate. The isoelectric point is at pH 6.8. Glycosidase treatment and binding to Concanavalin A indicated that the enzyme contains one N-linked carbohydrate moiety of the high-mannose type per molecule. The first 21 amino acid residues of the N-terminal showed high similarity to cathepsin D from antarctic icefish liver (Chionodraco hamatus) and trout ovary (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Digestion of the beta-chain of oxidized insulin resulted in preferential cleavage at Leu(15)-Tyr(16), (47%), Tyr(16)-Leu(17) (34%) and Ala(14)-Leu(15) (18%). Incubation with myofibrils from herring muscle at pH 4.23 showed that the enzyme mainly degraded myosin, actin and tropomyosin.

Inhibitory serpins from rye grain with glutamine as P1 and P2 residues in the reactive center

Six of seven serpins detected in grains of rye (Secale cereale) were purified and characterized. The amino acid sequence close to the blocked N-terminus, the reactive center loop sequence and the second order association rate constant (k(a)') for irreversible complex formation with chymotrypsin were determined for each serpin. Three of four serpins containing the unusual reactive center P2-P1' QQ/S and one with P2-P1' PQ/M were equally efficient inhibitors of chymotrypsin (k(a)' approximately 10(5) M(-1) s(-1)). One serpin with P2-P1' PY/M was a faster inhibitor (k(a)' approximately 10(6) M(-1) s(-1)). Similar but differently organized glutamine-rich reactive centers were recently found in grain serpins cloned from wheat [Ostergaard et al. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 33272] but not from barley. The prolamin storage proteins of cereal grains contain similar sequences in their glutamine-rich repeats. A possible adaption of hypervariable serpin reactive centers late in Triticeae cereal evolution as defence against insects feeding on cereal grains is discussed.

Inhibitory serpins from wheat grain with reactive centers resembling glutamine-rich repeats of prolamin storage proteins. Cloning and characterization of five major molecular forms

Genes encoding proteins of the serpin superfamily are widespread in the plant kingdom, but the properties of very few plant serpins have been studied, and physiological functions have not been elucidated. Six distinct serpins have been identified in grains of hexaploid bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by partial purification and amino acid sequencing. The reactive centers of all but one of the serpins resemble the glutamine-rich repetitive sequences in prolamin storage proteins of wheat grain. Five of the serpins, classified into two protein Z subfamilies, WSZ1 and WSZ2, have been cloned, expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified. Inhibitory specificity toward 17 proteinases of mammalian, plant, and microbial origin was studied. All five serpins were suicide substrate inhibitors of chymotrypsin and cathepsin G. WSZ1a and WSZ1b inhibited at the unusual reactive center P(1)-P(1)' Gln-Gln, and WSZ2b at P(2)-P(1) Leu-Arg-one of two overlapping reactive centers. WSZ1c with P(1)-P(1)' Leu-Gln was the fastest inhibitor of chymotrypsin (k(a) = 1.3 x 10(6) m(-1) s(-1)). WSZ1a was as efficient an inhibitor of chymotrypsin as WSZ2a (k(a) approximately 10(5) m(-1) s(-1)), which has P(1)-P(1)' Leu-Ser-a reactive center common in animal serpins. WSZ2b inhibited plasmin at P(1)-P(1)' Arg-Gln (k(a) approximately 10(3) m(-1) s(-1)). None of the five serpins inhibited Bacillus subtilisin A, Fusarium trypsin, or two subtilisin-like plant serine proteinases, hordolisin from barley green malt and cucumisin D from honeydew melon. Possible functions involving interactions with endogenous or exogenous proteinases adapted to prolamin degradation are discussed.

Detection of potentially allergenic material in 12 hydrolyzed milk formulas

Hypoallergenic milk formulas are used as an alternative diet for infants who have allergies to cow's milk when breast-feeding is not possible. These products are based on proteins, which have been heat-treated and hydrolyzed to a different degree in order to cleave antibody-binding structures. Even extensively hydrolyzed products have occasionally been observed to elicit allergic reactions in sensitized infants, however. Therefore, the parameters of relevance to allergenic potential require more investigation. The objective of the present study was to investigate 12 different hydrolyzed milk formulas for their contents of potentially allergenic protein material, i.e. material that may induce allergenicity or elicit allergic responses in already sensitized individuals. Analytical methods applied were gel filtration, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), native PAGE, immunoblotting, dot-immunobinding, and ELISA. Care was taken to assure that all protein fractions were investigated, including supernatants and precipitates following centrifugation of the milk formulas. By gel filtration, protein material with apparent molecular masses of 7 to >30 kDa was detected. Analysis by SDS-PAGE of formula precipitates showed that proteins with a molecular mass above 20 kDa were present even in some of the extensively hydrolyzed formulas. Residual antigenic beta-lactoglobulin was found by ELISA in all products. By immunoblotting and dot-immunobinding with antibodies against total whey, caseins, or Kunitz soybean trypsin inhibitor, we observed antigenic material mainly in partially hydrolyzed products. We concluded that SDS-PAGE of formula supernatants and precipitates gave the most differentiated profile of hydrolyzed formulas and that this method is well suited for screening potential allergenicity.

Amino acid abundances and stereochemistry in hydrothermally altered sediments from the Juan de Fuca Ridge, northeastern Pacific Ocean

The Juan de Fuca Ridge is a hydrothermally active, sediment covered, spreading ridge situated a few hundred kilometres off the west coast of North America in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Sediments from seven sites drilled during the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Legs 139 and 168 were analyzed for total hydrolyzable amino acids (THAA), individual amino acid distributions, total organic C (TOC) and total N (TN) contents. The aim was to evaluate the effects of hydrothermal stress on the decomposition and transformation of sedimentary amino acids. Hydrolyzable amino acids account for up to 3.3% of the total organic C content and up to 12% of the total N content of the upper sediments. The total amounts of amino acids decrease significantly with depth in all drilled holes. This trend is particularly pronounced in holes with a thermal gradient of around 0.6 degrees C/m or higher. The most abundant amino acids in shallow sediments are glycine, alanine, lysine, glutamic acid, valine and histidine. The changes in amino acid distributions in low temperature holes are characterized by increased relative abundances of non-protein beta-alanine and gamma-aminobutyric acid. In high temperature holes the amino acid compositions are characterized by high abundances of glycine, alanine, serine, ornithine and histidine at depth. D/L ratios of samples with amino acid distributions similar to those found in acid hydrolysates of kerogen, indicate that racemization rates of amino acids bound by condensation reactions may be diminished.

The status of half-cystine residues and locations of N-glycosylated asparagine residues in human eosinophil peroxidase

The determination by protein chemistry methods of the half-cystine status in human eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) is reported. EPO is two-chained and has a total of 14 half-cystine residues. Cys141 and Cys152 form an intrachain bridge in the light chain of EPO. Disulfide bridges connect Cys253 and Cys263, Cys257 and Cys287, Cys359 and Cys370, Cys570 and Cys635, and Cys676 and Cys701, forming five intrachain disulfide bridges in the heavy chain of EPO. Cys291 and Cys455 are found to be unpaired, containing free sulfhydryl groups. The pattern of disulfide bridges is in agreement with that predicted from the X-ray crystallographic structure of canine myeloperoxidase (MPO) (Zeng, J., and Fenna, R. E. (1992) J. Mol. Biol. 226, 185-207) to be general for the class of mammalian peroxidases, including EPO, MPO, lactoperoxidase (LPO), and thyroid peroxidase (TPO). Of four candidate sites in EPO for attachment of glucosamine-based carbohydrate, Asn327 and Asn363 are occupied, whereas Asn700 and Asn708 are unsubstituted. Furthermore, a discrepancy in the literature regarding the sequence of residues 645-659 is resolved.

Effects of dietary sulfur level on amino acid concentrations in ruminal bacteria of goats

12 Angora (18+/-0.6kg BW) and 20 Alpine (24+/-1.0kg BW) goat wethers consumed diets (14.3% CP and 1.67-1.80Mcal/kg ME, DM basis) with 0.11, 0.20, 0.28 or 0.38% S (supplemental S:CaSO(4); N:S ratio is 21, 12, 8 and 6, respectively) for 10 weeks to determine effects of dietary S on amino acid concentrations in ruminal fluid bacteria. The concentration of cysteine in bacterial DM changed quadratically (P<0.08) as dietary S increased (3.28, 3.77, 3.80 and 3.65% for 0.11, 0.20, 0.28 and 0.38% S, respectively). However, dietary S did not alter methionine concentration in bacterial DM or total amino acids, and for the few amino acids whose concentrations were affected, magnitudes of change were relatively small. In conclusion, with diets moderate to low in ME, levels of S greater than 0.20% and N:S ratios less than 12:1 had very little effect on amino acid concentrations in ruminal fluid bacteria of growing goats, which supports the contention that the primary potential influence of inorganic dietary S on absorbed S-containing amino acids is through the quantity of microbial protein synthesized in the rumen.

Identification of immunogenic maize proteins in a casein hydrolysate formula

Cow's milk-based formulas used for infants with cow's milk allergy are based on hydrolyzed proteins. The formulas that are successful in preventing allergic responses are extensively hydrolyzed. Nevertheless, reactions to such formulas are occasionally reported, and protein material of higher molecular weight than expected has been detected by binding immunoglobulin E (IgE) from patients' sera. This paper presents the identification of high-molecular-weight material in the extensively hydrolyzed casein formula, Nutramigen. The material was concentrated by simple centrifugation. The proteins in the pellet were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and protein-containing bands were analyzed by protein sequencing after electroblotting. The proteins were identified as maize zeins, which are water-insoluble proteins of apparent M(r) 20,000 and 23,000, presumably originating from the maize starch in Nutramigen. Rabbits immunized with this formula developed antibodies against zeins but not against milk proteins. The maize zeins are probably identical to the recently reported components in Nutramigen (1), detected by binding of IgE from milk allergic patients, but not correlated to clinical allergic reactivity. The clinical relevance of maize proteins in Nutramigen remains to be established.

Functional expression of a multisubstrate deoxyribonucleoside kinase from Drosophila melanogaster and its C-terminal deletion mutants

The occurrence of a deoxyribonucleoside kinase in Drosophila melanogaster (Dm-dNK) with remarkably broad substrate specificity has recently been indicated (Munch-Petersen, B., Piskur, J., and Søndergaard, L. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 3926-3931). To prove that the capacity to phosphorylate all four deoxyribonucleosides is in fact associated to one polypeptide chain, partially sequenced cDNA clones, originating from the Berkeley Drosophila genome sequencing project, were searched for homology with human deoxyribonucleoside kinases. The total sequence of one cDNA clone and the corresponding genomic DNA was determined and expressed in Escherichia coli as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein. The purified and thrombin cleaved recombinant protein phosphorylated the four deoxyribonucleosides with high turnover and K(m) values similar to those of the native Dm-dNK, as well as the four ribonucleosides and many therapeutical nucleoside analogs. Dm-dNK has apparently the same origin as the mammalian kinases, thymidine kinase 2, deoxycytidine kinase, deoxyguanosine kinase, and the herpes viral thymidine kinases, but it has a unique C terminus that seems to be important for catalytic activity and specificity. The C-terminal 20 amino acids were dispensable for phosphorylation of deoxyribonucleosides but necessary for full activity with purine ribonucleosides. Removal of the C-terminal 20 amino acids increased the specific activity 2-fold, but 99% of the activity was lost after removal of the C-terminal 30 amino acids.

The stability of some selected amino acids under attempted redox constrained hydrothermal conditions

In order to evaluate the stability of aspartic acid, serine, leucine, and alanine under redox buffered hydrothermal conditions, a series of experiments have been performed. The pyrite-pyrrhotite-magnetite (PPM) mineral assemblage was used in the experimental systems in order to constrain the oxygen fugacity. Likewise, the K-feldspar-muscovite-quartz (KMQ) assemblage was added to control the hydrogen ion activity during the experiments. The purpose was to compare the relative stabilities in buffered and unbuffered experiments. The experiments were conducted at 200 degrees C and 50 bar in Teflon coated autoclaves. Glycine, which was not present initially, started to appear at an early stage in the experimental systems and is believed to be the result of decomposition of serine. Similarly, the increase in relative abundance of alanine is likely to be the result of decomposition of serine. Decomposition rates of leucine, alanine and aspartic acid were found to be lower in experiments containing the redox buffer assemblage pyrite-pyrrhotite-magnetite than in non-redox buffered experiments. The decomposition rate of serine was higher in buffered experiments, which indicates that a transformation pathway via dehydration of serine to dehydroalanine followed by reduction to alanine is promoted by reducing conditions.

Kinetics of alpha-amylase secretion in Aspergillus oryzae

Pulse and pulse-chase experiments have been performed to study L-[(35)S] methionine incorporation and protein secretion kinetics in Aspergillus oryzae. Pulse experiments confirmed the mechanism of methionine uptake reported previously for Penicillium chrysogenum (Benko et al., 1967). Pulse-chase experiments were carried out to investigate the alpha-amylase secretion kinetics in A. oryzae. No unglycosylated alpha-amylase was detected neither intracellularly nor extracellularly demonstrating that glycosylation was not the rate controlling step in the secretory pathway. The pulse chase experiments indicated that there are two pools of intracellular alpha-amylase: a fast secreted and a slow secreted. The secretion of those two pools were described with a kinetic model, which was fitted to the pulse chase experiments.

Kinetic parameters and tissue distribution of 5-oxo-L-prolinase determined by a fluorimetric assay

5-Oxo-L-prolinase (5-OPase) catalyses the hydrolysis of 5-oxo-L-proline to glutamate with concomitant stoichiometric cleavage of ATP to ADP, a reaction which is known to be part of the gamma-glutamyl cycle-an interrelated series of reactions involved in the synthesis and metabolism of glutathione. As recent studies indicate, this cyclic pathway plays a crucial role in the regulation of amino acid transport. Apparently, the intermediate product 5-oxo-L-proline functions as a second messenger molecule that upregulates the activity of certain amino acid transport systems. Thus, the degradation of 5-oxo-L-proline by 5-OPase leads to the downregulation of this stimulus. In this study, a new sensitive fluorimetric assay for 5-OPase activity was established which is based on the derivatization of glutamate with o-phthaldialdehyde in the presence of thiols and subsequent separation of the products by HPLC. The method is suitable for the screening of chromatography fractions as well as for the determination of the kinetic parameters Km and Vmax of purified 5-OPase. Additionally, it can be used for the measurement of enzyme activity in crude cell extracts and evaluation of tissue distribution.

Identification of enzymes and quantification of metabolic fluxes in the wild type and in a recombinant aspergillus oryzae strain

Two alpha-amylase-producing strains of Aspergillus oryzae, a wild-type strain and a recombinant containing additional copies of the alpha-amylase gene, were characterized with respect to enzyme activities, localization of enzymes to the mitochondria or cytosol, macromolecular composition, and metabolic fluxes through the central metabolism during glucose-limited chemostat cultivations. Citrate synthase and isocitrate dehydrogenase (NAD) activities were found only in the mitochondria, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP) activities were found only in the cytosol, and isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, malate dehydrogenase, and glutamate dehydrogenase (NAD) activities were found in both the mitochondria and the cytosol. The measured biomass components and ash could account for 95% (wt/wt) of the biomass. The protein and RNA contents increased linearly with increasing specific growth rate, but the carbohydrate and chitin contents decreased. A metabolic model consisting of 69 fluxes and 59 intracellular metabolites was used to calculate the metabolic fluxes through the central metabolism at several specific growth rates, with ammonia or nitrate as the nitrogen source. The flux through the pentose phosphate pathway increased with increasing specific growth rate. The fluxes through the pentose phosphate pathway were 15 to 26% higher for the recombinant strain than for the wild-type strain.

Hydrolysis and amino acid composition of proteins

Amino acid composition analysis is a classical protein analysis method, which finds a wide application in medical and food science research and is indispensable for protein quantification. It is a complex technique, comprising two steps, hydrolysis of the substrate and chromatographic separation and detection of the residues. A properly performed hydrolysis is a prerequisite of a successful analysis. The most significant developments of the technology in the last decade consist in the (i) reduction of the hydrolysis time by the use of microwave radiation energy; (ii) improvement in the sensitivity of the residue detection, the quantification of the sensitive residues and separation of the enantiomeric forms of the amino acids; (iii) application of amino acid analysis in the large-scale protein identification by database search; and (iv) gradual replacement of the original ion exchange residue separation by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Amino acid analysis is currently facing an enormous competition in the determination of the identity of proteins and amino acid homologs by the essentially faster mass spectrometry techniques. The amino acid analysis technology needs further simplification and automation of the hydrolysis, chromatography and detection steps to withstand the pressure exerted by the other technologies.

Purification and characterization of peroxidases correlated with lignification in poplar xylem

Lignin is an integral cell wall component of all vascular plants. Peroxidases are widely believed to catalyze the last enzymatic step in the biosynthesis of lignin, the dehydrogenation of the p-coumaryl alcohols. As the first stage in identifying lignin-specific peroxidase isoenzymes, the classical anionic peroxidases found in the xylem of poplar (Populus trichocarpa Trichobel) were purified and characterized. Five different poplar xylem peroxidases (PXP 1, PXP 2, PXP 3-4, PXP 5, and PXP 6) were isolated. All five peroxidases were strongly glycosylated (3.6% to 4.9% N-glucosamine), with apparent molecular masses between 46 and 54 kD and pI values between pH 3.1 and 3.8. Two of the five isolated peroxidases (PXP 3-4 and PXP 5) could oxidize the lignin monomer analog syringaldazine, an activity previously correlated with lignification in poplar. Because these isoenzymes were specifically or preferentially expressed in xylem, PXP 3-4 and PXP 5 are suggested to be involved in lignin polymerization.

Characterisation of non-maternal serum proteins in amniotic fluid at weeks 16 to 18 of gestation

Proteins found in amniotic fluid are mainly serum proteins, probably of maternal origin. About 5% of the total protein concentration has the potential of being fetal or decidual in origin. Only a few of these proteins have been isolated and characterised. In order to describe the foetal and decidual components in amniotic fluid more extensively, a polyspecific antiserum to amniotic fluid at weeks 16-18 of gestation was raised. Specificities in the antiserum to serum proteins were removed by adsorption. Several proteins of non-serum protein origin reacted with the antiserum. Three of these proteins were chosen for isolation and further characterisation. With the use of immunological methods, SDS-PAGE and N-terminal sequencing we identified two of the proteins as C-terminal propeptides of procollagen Type I and Type III, which have not hitherto been described in amniotic fluid. The third protein, called here protein-4, showed up as homologous to fetal antigen-1 (FA-1) and human dlk, containing EGF-like domains and associated with growth in neuroendocrine tissues and tumours.

Identification and quantitation of cysteine in proteins separated by gel electrophoresis

A simple technique is introduced to identify and quantitate cysteine (Cys) after acid hydrolysis of protein. The technique involves using 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (Fmoc)-based amino acid analysis that recovers all of the amino acids (asparagine and glutamine are recovered in their acidic forms) except tryptophan. Cys adducts with acrylamide and iodoacetamide have been observed in hydrolysates of gel-separated proteins. To enable quantitation of Cys by amino acid analysis, different conditions of reduction [dithiothreitol (DTT) and tributylphosphine] and alkylation [vinylpyridine, acrylamide and iodoacetamide] were compared. Optimal conditions for on-blot reduction (125 mM of DTT, pH 8.5, at 80 degrees C) and alkylation (0.25 M iodoacetamide, pH 8.5, at 37 degrees C) of proteins which have been separated by gel electrophoresis and blotted onto polyvinylidenedifluoride (PVDF) membrane were established to achieve complete recovery of alkylated Cys. Even with the optimal on-blot iodoacetamide alkylation, there may still be some acrylamide adducts present and these were able to be separated by HPLC along with the other 16 amino acids. The Cys content has been successfully determined by Fmoc-amino acid analysis of PVDF-blotted proteins separated by 1D or 2D gel electrophoresis. Lysine alkylation with iodoacetamide and acrylamide has also been characterised. Protein identification using amino acid composition including Cys has been introduced.

Glycosylation profile of a recombinant urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Association of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) to cells via binding to its specific cellular receptor (uPAR) augments the potential of these cells to support plasminogen activation, a process that has been implicated in the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins during cell migration and tissue remodeling. The uPA receptor is a glycolipid-anchored membrane protein belonging to the Ly-6/uPAR superfamily and is the only multidomain member identified so far. We have now purified the three individual domains of a recombinant soluble uPAR variant, expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, after limited proteolysis using chymotrypsin and pepsin. The glycosylation patterns of these domains have been determined by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Of the five potential attachment sites for asparagine-linked carbohydrate in uPAR only four are utilized, as the tryptic peptide derived from domain III containing Asn233 was quantitatively recovered without carbohydrate. The remaining four attachment sites were shown to exhibit site-specific microheterogeneity of the asparagine-linked carbohydrate. The glycosylation on Asn52 (domain I) and Asn172 (domain II) is dominated by the smaller biantennary complex-type oligosaccharides, while Asn162 (domain II) and Asn200 (domain III) predominantly carry tri- and tetraantennary complex-type oligosaccharides. The carbohydrate moiety on Asn52 in uPAR domain I could be selectively removed by N-glycanase treatment under nondenaturing conditions. This susceptibility was abrogated when uPAR participitated in a bimolecular complex with pro-uPA or smaller receptor binding derivatives thereof, demonstrating the proximity of the ligand-binding site to this particular carbohydrate moiety. uPAR preparations devoid of carbohydrate on domain I exhibited altered binding kinetics toward uPA (a 4-6-fold increase in Kd) as assessed by real time biomolecular interaction analysis.

Purification of a histidine-tagged plant plasma membrane H+-ATPase expressed in yeast

In order to facilitate efficient purification of the plant plasma membrane H+-ATPase expressed in yeast, a recombinant H+-ATPase protein with an N-terminal affinity tag of six histidine residues was engineered. When expressed in yeast the recombinant protein accumulated in the endoplasmic reticulum in an active form and showed characteristics comparable with those of the wildtype plasma membrane H+ATPase (Km,ATP, 1.1 mM; pH optimum, 6.6). After solubilization of the membrane proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum with n-dodecyl-beta-d-maltoside, the recombinant protein was purified under nondenaturing conditions by chromatography on Ni2+-nitriloacetic acid-agarose. A fraction was obtained which contained 4.2% of the initial amount of the protein and 26.6% of the ATPase-activity present in the endoplasmic reticulum. The purified protein has a specific activity of 32.6 micromol min-1 mg protein-1 at pH 6.5 and 30 degrees C. This rate is equivalent to a molecular activity of 3400 min-1. The purified plasma membrane H+-ATPase could be reconstituted into liposomes and demonstrated in this configuration the ability to pump protons. The method proves to be a convenient and rapid method for the preparation of purified single isoforms and mutant proteins of the plant plasma membrane H+-ATPase in high and functional quantities. This method might also be useful for achieving purification of other P-type ATPases, normally expressed at very low levels in heterologous systems.

Protein modification by fermentation: effect of fermentation on the potential allergenicity of pea

The effect of fermentation on components of potential significance for the allergenicity of pea was analyzed. Pea flour was fermented with three lactic acid bacteria, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactococcus raffinolactis, and Lactobacillus plantarum, and two fungi, Rhizopus microsporus, var. oligosporus and Geotrichum candidum. Residual antigenicity against antipea antibodies was reduced to 10% by the three lactic acid bacteria and R. microsporus. Reactions to anti-pea profilin and anti-Bet v 1 were still detectable after fermentation. The contents of lectin and pea protease inhibitor were not reduced by the microorganisms.

Effects of dietary supplementation on nutrient digestion and the milk yield of intensively grazed lactating dairy cows

Fourteen midlactation Holstein cows were used in an 80-d study to examine supplementation strategies during intensive rotational grazing. Factors examined were the concentration of protein in the supplement [12 or 16% crude protein (CP) on a dry matter basis] and the amount of supplement offered (6.4 or 9.6 kg/d per cow). The supplement was offered in equal portions three times daily after milking. Pasture, composed of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata), was divided into 27 0.16-ha paddocks that were grazed for 12 to 24 h. Intake of forage tended to increase as CP in the supplement increased but was unaffected by the amount of supplement offered. Intakes of organic matter and dry matter and the digestion of these nutrients in the total tract increased as CP in the supplement increased and as the amount of supplement increased. Ruminal pH and concentrations of volatile fatty acids were unaffected by treatments, but concentrations of NH3 N increased as CP in the supplement increased. An increase in CP resulted in a greater intake and flow of total N to the duodenum. The flow of microbial N to the duodenum and the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis were unaffected by treatment. Flows of total amino acids and essential amino acids to the duodenum tended to increase as CP in the supplement increased. Yield of fat-corrected milk and concentrations of fat and protein in milk were unaffected by treatment. These results suggested that the supply and digestion of nutrients in grazing dairy cows may be improved through an increase in the CP concentration of the supplement or the amount of supplement offered. However, effects on the yield of milk and milk components may be small.