The Separation and Characterization of Carbohydrate Rich Component from Ovomucin in Chicken Eggs

We investigated the effects of near-infrared irradiation on the photoconversion of Chenopodium album water-soluble chlorophyll-binding protein (CaWSCP) in the presence of sodium hydrosulfite and found a further photoconversion from CP742 to CP763, a novel form of CaWSCP. Interestingly, one-third of the absorption peak at 668 nm was recovered in CP763, but re-irradiation under oxidative conditions eliminated the photo convertibility of CaWSCP.     

Effects of the Storage in an Atomosphere of Carbon Dioxide on Ovomucin

The yolk index of newly laid egg was 0.50, while that of the egg stored at 30°C for 15 days in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide at a pressure of 2 kg/cm² and in air was 0.43 and 0.25, respectively.

The carbohydrate content of ovomucin gel (B) obtained from the eggs stored in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide was higher than that of ovomucin gel (B) obtained from the eggs stored in air.

The free boundary electrophoretic pattern of ovomucin gel (B) obtained from the eggs stored in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide consisted of two peaks, and the relative mobility of each peak showed the same value as that of the corresponding each peak of ovomucin gel (B) obtained from newly laid egg white.

The fractionation pattern obtained by density gradient column electrophoresis of ovomucin gel (B) obtained from the eggs stored in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide showed two peaks, peak-F and peak-S, while that of the eggs stored in air showed a considerable diminution in peak-F.

From these results, discussion was made about the occurrence and mechanism of egg white thinning when eggs were stored in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide.     

Nature of the Carbohydrate Side Chains and Their Linkage to the Protein in Chicken Egg White Ovomucin

Some proteolytic digests of chicken egg white ovomucin were fractionated and characterized. It was shown that there are at least three types of carbohydrate side chains in ovomucin; a chain composed of galactose, galactosamine, sialic acid and sulfate in a molar ratio of about 1: 1: 1: 1, a chain composed of galactose and glucosamine in a molar ratio of about 1:1, and a chain composed of mannose and glucosamine in a molar ratio of about 1:1. It was also shown that the carbohydrate side chain composed of galactose, galactosamine, sialic acid and sulfate is linked O-glycosidically to serine or threonine in the protein core of ovomucin.     

Isolation and Properties of Carbohydrate Rich Fraction of Wheat Gluten

Two carbohydrate rich fractions A and B were isolated from wheat gluten. Fraction B contained more lipid than fraction A. Lipid portion of fraction B consisted mainly of glycolipid and was fractionated into five fractions by thin-layer chromatography. The two main fractions were extracted and determined to be galactolipid and glucolipid, respectively, by the analyses of fatty acid and sugar components by gas chromatography. Defatted fraction A was assumed to consist of glycoprotein. After complete pronase digestion of defatted fraction A, the remaining glycopeptide moiety was isolated by column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose followed by gel filtration through Sephadex G–25. The amino acid and sugar components of the glycopeptide were investigated.     

Release Properties of Hydrogels: Water Evaporation from Alginate Gel Beads

Encapsulation in alginate hydrogels has been extensively used for several applications in food, pharmaceutical, and biomedical fields. The rational design of a functional polymer network is based on the identification of key parameters and mechanisms governing rate and extent of release of the immobilized molecular species. In the present work, a calorimetric study of the water evaporation under non-isothermal conditions is aimed at evaluating functional properties of a series of alginate-based gel beads. The experiments show how a number of variables, such as scan rate, calcium and alginate concentration, operational procedures, and addition of biopolymer co-solutes influence the temperature evolution of the water evaporation from beads. Given the simplicity and the rapidity of the calorimetric experiment, the issue is raised that a scaling approach could be reached by using water as reference material for the prediction of the diffusion kinetics of encapsulated molecules of variable size and properties.     

Storage and Release of Spermatozoa from the Pre-Uterine Tube Reservoir

In mammals, after coitus a small number of spermatozoa enter the uterine tube and following attachment to uterine tube epithelium are arrested in a non-capacitated state until peri-ovulatory signalling induces their detachment. Whilst awaiting release low numbers of spermatozoa continually detach from the epithelium and the uterine tube reservoir risks depletion. There is evidence of attachment of spermatozoa to uterine epithelium in several species which might form a potential pre-uterine tube reservoir. In this study we demonstrate that: (1) dog spermatozoa attach to uterine epithelium and maintain flagellar activity, (2) in non-capacitating conditions spermatozoa progressively detach with a variety of motility characteristics, (3) attachment is not influenced by epithelial changes occurring around ovulation, (4) attachment to uterine epithelium slows capacitation, (5) capacitated spermatozoa have reduced ability to attach to uterine epithelium, (6) under capacitating conditions increased numbers of spermatozoa detach and exhibit transitional and hyperactive motility which differ to those seen in non-capacitating conditions, (7) detachment of spermatozoa and motility changes can be induced by post-ovulation but not pre-ovulation uterine tube flush fluid and by components of follicular fluid and solubilised zona pellucida, (8) prolonged culture does not change the nature of the progressive detachment seen in non-capacitating conditions nor the potential for increased detachment in capacitating conditions. We postulate that in some species binding of spermatozoa to uterine epithelium is an important component of the transport of spermatozoa. Before ovulation low numbers of spermatozoa continually detach, including those which are non-capacitated with fast forward progressive motility allowing the re-population of the uterine tube, whilst around the time of ovulation, signalling from as-yet unknown factors associated with follicular fluid, oocytes and uterine tube secretion promotes the detachment of large numbers of capacitated spermatozoa with hyperactive motility that may contribute to the fertilising pool.     

The Isolation and Fractionation of Chicken Egg White Ovomucin

Three fractions of chicken egg white ovomucin were obtained from ovomucin precipitated by the classical method of dilution of egg white with water. The first fraction was obtained by dilute salt extraction of the precipitated ovomucin and consisted of smaller components of ovomucin. The second fraction was obtained by extraction with 1 M KCl of the precipitate remaining after dilute salt extraction and consisted of a heterogeneous mixture of components of larger mass. The third fraction, the ovomucin remaining after concentrated salt extraction, was insoluble.

The two soluble fractions were found to be unstable with time (pH 8, μ 0.2). The rate of breakdown was slower in concentrated salt solution. The final breakdown product(s) for both fractions appeared to be a 6 S component (s) of molecular mass 1.5 × 10⁵ daltons.     

Carbohydrate Component in 7S Protein of Soybean Casein Fraction

Carbohydrate components in the 7S protein from soybean casein fraction were found to be mannose and hexosamine. The former was identified by paper and starch-column chromatographies and its content was approximately 4% per protein. The latter, hexosamine, was contained about 1.2% per protein.

Mannose was considered as an integral constituent of the 7S protein from the data of heat and acid denaturation, paper electrophoresis and column chromatography with Sephadex G-200.     

1-MCP对‘粉红女士’苹果冷藏期间品质变化和香气形成的影响

以'粉红女士'苹果为试验材料,研究了1 μL/L 1-MCP(1-甲基环丙烯)对苹果冷藏期间乙烯释放速率、呼吸速率、果实硬度以及香气成分和相对含量的影响.结果表明,1-MCP处理可显著抑制'粉红女士'苹果冷藏期间呼吸作用和乙烯释放,有效延缓果实硬度的下降.冷藏期内'粉红女士'苹果香气物质主要有醇类、醛类、酯类、烯类、酸类和烷烃类等,并以酯类香气为主(占46.15%);1-MCP能显著减少果实贮藏期间酯类、醇类和烷烃类香气成分种类和相对含量,处理果中酯类和醇类香气成分种类比同期对照分别减少了50%和78%,主要香气成分丁酸己酯在处理和对照果实的相对含量分别为1.12%～1.73%和1.87%～5.18%.可见,1-MCP处理对'粉红女士'苹果具有良好保鲜效果,也显著地抑制了贮藏期间香气的形成.     

Transcript Profiling of Paoenia ostii during Artificial Chilling Induced Dormancy Release Identifies Activation of GA Pathway and Carbohydrate Metabolism

Endo-dormant flower buds must pass through a period of chilling to reinitiate growth and subsequent flowering, which is a major obstacle to the forcing culture of tree peony in winter. Customized cDNA microarray (8×15 K element) was used to investigate gene expression profiling in tree peony ‘Feng Dan Bai’ buds during 24 d chilling treatment at 0–4°C. According to the morphological changes after the whole plants were transferred to green house, endo-dormancy was released after 18 d chilling treatment, and prolonged chilling treatment increased bud break rate. Pearson correlation hierarchical clustering of sample groups was highly consistent with the dormancy transitions revealed by morphological changes. Totally 3,174 significantly differentially-expressed genes (P<0.05) were observed through endo-dormancy release process, of which the number of up-regulated (1,611) and that of down-regulated (1,563) was almost the same. Functional annotation of differentially-expressed genes revealed that cellular process, metabolic process, response to stimulus, regulation of biological process and development process were well-represented. Hierarchical clustering indicated that activation of genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism (Glycolysis, Citrate cycle and Pentose phosphate pathway), energy metabolism and cell growth. Based on the results of GO analysis, totally 51 probes presented in the microarray were associated with GA response and GA signaling pathway, and 22 of them were differently expressed. The expression profiles also revealed that the genes of GA biosynthesis, signaling and response involved in endo-dormancy release. We hypothesized that activation of GA pathway played a central role in the regulation of dormancy release in tree peony.     

亚胺培南对铜绿假单胞菌敏感和耐药菌株DNA释放的影响

目的：观察亚胺培南对铜绿假单胞菌标准菌株和耐药菌株体外培养释放DNA的影响。方法：选择铜绿假单胞菌的标准菌株和临床分离耐药菌株作为实验菌株,检测其亚胺培南的最低抑菌浓度（MIC）,琼脂糖凝胶电泳法观察不同浓度亚胺培南作用下铜绿假单胞菌的DNA释放情况,并用Quantity One软件分析所释放DNA片段的分子量和含量。结果：亚胺培南作用下铜绿假单胞菌从1／2MIC开始释放小片段DNA,大于1／2MIC仅释放l条大片段DNA,且含量少,等于1／2MIC可释放3条DNA,但无小片段DNA,小于1／2MIC可释放4．5条DNA,且含量多。1／16MIC时,标准菌株释放的第1、5条DNA片段含量偏少,3、4条DNA片段含量偏多,而耐药菌株相反。耐药菌株与标准菌株相比释放的DNA片段有所不同,耐药菌株比标准菌株多释放一条DNA片段（第2条）,分子量为2784bp,耐药菌株的第1、3、4、5条DNA片段分子量均比标准菌株小。耐药菌株释放的第3、4、5条DNA含量明显高于标准菌株,P〈0．01,其统计有显著学意义。结论：不同亚胺培南浓度作用下,铜绿假单胞菌会释放不同片段大小和含量的DNA分子,耐药菌株与标准菌株释放的DNA片段数量和含量有明显差异,其与耐药机制的关系值得进一步研究。     

Release of Malate from Epidermal Strips during Stomatal Closure

Isolated epidermal strips of Vicia faba and Commelina communis release malate into their bathing medium when stomata close. This release was largest (about 0.6 of the initial malate content) when epidermal strips of C. communis were floated on 10⁻⁵ M (±)-abscisic acid.     

Release of enzymes from quiescent fibroblasts during ATP depletion

The association between ATP depletion and enzyme release from cells has been described in two different ways: as a more or less linear dependence, or with a threshold value below which the enzyme release will start. We have investigated the association between ATP depletion caused by various metabolic inhibitors and enzyme release on quiescent fibroblasts. We found that the enzyme release never started before the ATP had decreased to a critical low level. Addition of glucose to cells while ATP was still above this critical level led to a regeneration of ATP and enzyme release did not occur. If ATP was lowered to 35-40% and kept there for 24 h, the enzyme release was minimal. These results support the threshold theory for release of enzymes from cells.     

Release of galactosyltransferase from peritoneal macrophages during acute inflammation

Peritoneal cells harvested from mice injected with Salmonella enteritidis or thioglycollate released large amounts of galactosyltransferase (GT), but not sialyltransferase, into their culture supernatants. Maximum release of GT (using ovalbumin as acceptor) occurred from cells harvested 2-4 days after primary injection, but little GT was released from cells elicited by a secondary injection of salmonella or ovalbumin in sensitised mice or during intraperitoneal allogeneic reactions. Enzyme release in culture did not parallel GT levels in serum. Most enzyme was released by large, poorly adherent, macrophage-enriched, Fc receptor-bearing peritoneal cells of low density. Normal monocytes, bone marrow cells, and platelets also produced large amounts, and normal spleen cells or polymorphonuclear leukocytes moderate amounts, of GT. Lymphocytes, dead cells, mast cells, red blood cells, or whole populations of lymph node and thymus cells released very low levels of enzyme. Very little GT was bound to the cell surface and was not passively absorbed from serum or platelets. Release of GT was prevented at 4 degrees C but was not markedly affected by a variety of metabolic inhibitors except pretreatment of the cells with thrombin, which increased release and trypsin which decreased release.     

Storage and Release of Noradrenaline in Hypothalamic Synaptosomes

Abstract: The noradrenaline storage capacity of vesicles in hypothalamic synaptosomes was measured by incubating them with [³H]noradrenaline under saturating conditions. The normal noradrenaline content is 52% of storage capacity. Incubation or superfusion with 50 mm -potassium causes calcium-dependent release from the vesicles. Such release reduces not only the vesicular content, but also the noradrenaline storage capacity. This suggests that after exocytosis vesicles cannot refill with noradrenaline.     

Effect of Drug Loading Method on Drug Content and Drug Release from Calcium Pectinate Gel Beads

Drug-loaded calcium pectinate gel (CaPG) beads were prepared by either mixing, absorption, or swelling method. The effects of drug loading method as well as the drug loading factors (i.e., drug concentration, soaking time in drug solution, type of solvent) on drug content and drug release were investigated. The amount of drug uptake (i.e., drug content) into CaPG beads increased as the initial drug concentration increased and varied depending on the loading method. The in vitro release studies in 0.1 N hydrochloric acid (HCl) and pH 6.8 buffer indicated that the drug loading method affected drug release and release parameter, time for 50% of drug release (T ₅₀). The mixing method provided a faster drug release and lower T ₅₀ than the absorption method and swelling method, respectively. This is probably due to higher drug content in CaPG beads. The increased concentration of drug in soaking solution and soaking time resulted in higher drug content and thus faster drug release (lower in T ₅₀ values). When using 0.1 N HCl as solvent for soaking instead of water, the drug release was slower owing to the increase in molecular tortuosity of CaPG beads. The drug release was also affected by pH of the release medium in which drug release in 0.1 N HCl was faster than in pH 6.8 buffer.