A method is described for ochratoxin B analysis, which is adapted to the earlier described method of ochratoxin A analysis, using carboxypeptidase A (K. Hult and S. Gatenbeck, J. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem. 59:128-129, 1976). The fluorescence spectra of ochratoxins A and B coincide too much to allow direct discrimination of the two compounds. A method using the differences in kinetic parameters of ...

A kallikrein-like proteinase of Lachesis muta muta (bushmaster) venom, designated LV-Ka, was purified by gel filtration and anion exchange chromatographies. Physicochemical studies indicated that the purified enzyme is a 33 kDa monomeric glycoprotein, the Mr of which fell to 28 kDa after deglycosylation with PNGase F. Approximately 77% of the protein sequence was determined by sequencing the va...

Vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKOR) activity in liver microsomes from a susceptible and a genetically warfarin-resistant strain of mice (Mus Musculus domesticus) was analyzed to determine the mechanism of resistance to this 4-hydroxycoumarin derivative. Kinetic parameters for VKOR were calculated for each strain by incubating liver microsomes with vitamin K epoxide +/- warfarin. In susceptible m...

Despite the established role of Culex quinquefasciatus as a vector of various neurotropic viruses, such as the Rift Valley and West Nile viruses, as well as lymphatic filariasis, little is known regarding the organism's reproductive physiology. As in other oviparous animals, vitellogenin, the most important source of nutrients for the embryo development, is digested by intracellular proteases. ...

An RNA-protein complex consisting of 5S RNA and two ribosomal proteins, B-L5 and B-L22, was isolated from Bacillus stearothermophilus ribosomes and found to be active in GTP hydrolysis. This activity was not influenced by elongation factor G. Further analysis of this complex showed that it was also able to hydrolyze ATP. Inhibition studies revealed that ATP was a noncompetitive inhibitor of GTP...

In this work, a lipase-catalyzed selective enzymatic hydrolysis of the borage oil was carried out using commercial enzymes and native crude enzymatic extract from Brazil as biocatalysts for the reaction. Two crude enzymatic extracts home-produced and three commercial lipases were screened for concentrating γlinolenic acid of the triacylglycerols in unhydrolyzed acylglycerols. The kinetics of en...

Reaction-based fluorescent probes for monoamine oxidases A and B are developed based on a new two-photon absorbing compound and its precursor. The probes show turn-on fluorescence response to the enzymes owing to the two-photon absorbing compound produced by the enzymatic activity, as monitored by one- as well as two-photon microscopy for the first time.

We present a computer model to predict the patterns expected for the replication intermediates (RIs) of DNA fragments analyzed by neutral/neutral two-dimensional (2D) agarose gel electrophoresis. The model relies on the mode of replication (uni- or bi-directional), the electrophoretic mobility of linear DNA fragments and the retardation caused by the three-dimensional shape of non-linear molecu...

Deschampsia antarctica Desv. is one of two vascular plants that live in the Maritime Antarctic Territory and is exposed to high levels of ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation. In this work, antioxidant physiology of D. antarctica was studied in response to UVB induced oxidative changes. Samples were collected from Antarctica and maintained in vitro culture during 2 years. Plants were sub-cultured in a...