Hsp16.5, isolated from the hyperthermophilic Archaea Methanococcus jannaschii, is a member of the small heat-shock protein family. Small Hsps have 12- to 42-kDa subunit sizes and have sequences that are conserved among all organisms. The recently determined crystal structure of Hsp16.5 indicates that it consists discretely of 24 identical subunits. Using fluorescence resonance energy transfer, ...

The MAC-T cell line has been used extensively to investigate bovine mammary epithelial cell function. A lactogenic phenotype is generally induced in this cell line by a combination of dexamethasone, insulin and prolactin and has typically been assessed by milk protein production. Few studies have focused on identifying other factors that may affect milk protein synthesis in the MAC-T cell line,...

Limited proteolysis experiments can be successfully used to probe conformational features of proteins. In a number of studies it has been demonstrated that the sites of limited proteolysis along the polypeptide chain of a protein are characterized by enhanced backbone flexibility, implying that proteolytic probes can pinpoint the sites of local unfolding in a protein chain. Limited proteolysis ...

The interactions of Mn2+, nucleotides, monosaccharide substrates, and the modifier protein alpha-lactalbumin with galactosyltransferase have been studied by difference spectroscopy. MnCl2, required for significant binding of UDP-galactose or UDP to the enzyme, does not exhibit specific interactions with tyrosine or tryptophan residues. The interaction of UDP-galactose or UDP with galactosyltran...

Gly-Leu-Phe (GLF), an immunostimulating peptide derived from alpha-lactalbumin, prevented alopecia induced by an anticancer agent etoposide in a neonatal rat model after intraperitoneal injection at a dose of 100 mg/kg for 4 d or oral administration at a dose of 300 mg/kg for 6 d. By microscopic analysis of skin sections, GLF proved to inhibit etoposide-induced loss of hair, thickening of the e...

The transport of [14C]-radiolabelled beta-lactoglobulin and alpha-lactalbumin through Caco-2 cell monolayers grown on permeable filters was studied in order to evaluate the different protein pathways through the intestinal epithelium. beta-Lactoglobulin or alpha-lactalbumin (0.25-3 mg/ml) was introduced on the apical side of the monolayer and both the transport and the release of labelled mater...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the whey proteins profile of raw donkey’s milk from an autochthonous Domestic Balkan donkey breed during the lactation period from 45 to 200 days. The following parameters were determined: whey proteins, alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, lysozyme and lactoferrin. A technique use for determination of the protein profile is chip-based separatio...