Nutritional regulation of milk protein messenger RNA concentrations in mammary acini isolated from lactating rats |
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Authors: | A Geursen M R Grigor |
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Affiliation: | Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. |
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Abstract: | The effect of starvation, starvation and refeeding and feeding a low-protein diet on concentrations of the mRNAs for the alpha-, beta- and gamma-caseins, alpha-lactalbumin and whey acidic protein has been determined using dot-blot hybridization analyses with total RNA extracted from mammary acini isolated from lactating rats. Starvation for 48 h decreased the concentrations of all RNA species to between 5 and 20% of those for rats feeding ad libitum when expressed on a DNA basis. Refeeding for 24h restored the concentrations to control values. Consumption of a low protein diet reduced the concentrations of each mRNA by about 50%. Only minor changes were detected in the mRNA concentrations for alpha-casein, alpha-lactalbumin and whey acidic protein in samples prepared at six hourly intervals from rats receiving a restricted intake (40% ad libitum) of the control diet. |
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