Ethoxyformylation of histidine residues in equine growth hormone

Reactivity of histidine residues in equine growth hormone to ethoxyformic anhydride was studied. The existence of two kinetically different sets was demonstrated: one of them including only the slow reacting histidine 169 (k = 0.164 min-1) and the other containing fast reacting histidines 19 and 21 (k = 0.892 min-1). A correlation between the decrease in the capacity to compete with 125I-labeled hormone for rat liver binding sites and the degree of ethoxyformylation of the fast group was found. Circular dichroism studies indicated no significant conformational changes in the protein with all three residues modified. These results fully agree with those obtained for bovine growth hormone which is further evidence supporting the vinculation of histidines 19 and/or 21 with the binding site of these hormones to their specific receptors.     

The effect of water activity and pH on the production of mycotoxins by fungi growing on a bread analogue

Mycotoxin production by various toxigenic fungi, growing on a bread analogue, was investigated at various water activities (a_w) and pH combinations. Citrinin, ochratoxin A and sterigmatocystin could be detected at a_w > 0·80, while patulin was only observed at a_w= 0·95. These results show that some toxins may be produced at lower water activities than have been reported on synthetic media and suggest that, where possible, natural substrates should be used to investigate factors affect-ing mycotoxin production in foodstuffs.