Biochemical studies on proteins from cheese whey and blood plasma by-products

Efforts have been done to recover proteins from waste liquors rich in protein in a soluble form. Cheese whey and animal bloods are by-products from the manufacture of cheese and meat. It contains a variety of proteins which can be reclaimed. The efficiency of protein precipitation from the sweet-cheese whey by the use of hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) was similar to that precipitated by the use of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Both are greater than that precipitated by trichloro acetic acid. The same results of the efficiency of precipitation were attained when the plasma was precipitated. It was found that cheese-whey protein-HEC-complex and plasma protein-HEC-complex contain a large amount of essential amino acids. Electrophoretic separation of whey protein complex showed that beta-Lactoglobulin forms the major fraction while in case of plasma protein complex albumin forms the major fraction. The fractionation patterns of different complexes with HEC, CMC or TCA gave the same components and about the same ratio. It appears from these results that HEC-protein complexes are preferable than CMC-protein complexes or proteins precipitated by TCA. Chemical analysis of whey protein complexes revealed that lactose content of whey protein-HEC-complex was higher than that of CMC-complex or protein precipitated by TCA. Elemental analysis of protein complexes showed that the level of sodium, phosphorus, and potassium was increased while that of copper or zinc decreased. Cellulose derivative protein complexes showed no significant effects on the liver or kidney function of albino rat and these results indicted that no toxic effect was observed from the uses of these protein complexes in feeding.

Effect of praziquantel on hepatic fibrosis in experimental Schistosomiasis mansoni

The effect of specific chemotherapy on hepatic fibrosis was studied in Swiss albino mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni. The effect of treatment with praziquantel at 8, 12, and 20 weeks postinfection on fibrosis was assessed by determination of total hepatic collagen content, ratio of type III/I + III collagen, granuloma volume, and histopathological examination of liver section. Total collagen content was reduced in mice treated at the 8th week of infection compared to respective infected controls. The ratio of type III/I collagen was within normal limits. The decrease in collagen deposition was not observed when treatment was given 12 or 20 weeks postinfection. Early specific treatment of schistosomiasis may be important in the therapeutic approach to the control of morbidity in schistosomiasis.

Gluconimycin an inhibitor of pyrimidine synthesis in Bacillus subtilis

Pyrimidine synthesis in Bacillus subtilis PCI-219 cells was the primary site of action of the antibiotic gluconimycin as indicated by its arresting the activity of aspartate carbamoyltransferase as well as accumulation of aspartic acid in cultures fortified with gluconimycin. Microbial growth and viable counts were suppressed by the antibiotic whereas glycolysis and aerobic respiration were insignificantly affected. Gluconimycin failed to induce a lytic effect on cell protoplasts while considerable amounts of substances absorbing at 260 nm were released from microbial cells treated with gluconimycin.

Nilemycin, an intercalating agent for deoxyribonucleic acid

1. Nilemycin (NM) is found to exert an inhibitory effect on the mouse tumor Sarcoma 180 near toxic doses but not with Leukemia 1210. 2. In Yoshida rat sarcoma cells NM inhibits cellular de novo nucleic acid synthesis and protein to a much lesser extent. 3. More than 50% inhibition by NM to de novo synthesis of RNA, in a system using calf thymus DNA as a template, could be observed. 4. Suitable levels of NM reduce the S values of DNA. 5. The antibiotic induced metachromatic changes in the u.v. spectrum of DNA solutions. 6. NM markedly inhibited the polynucleotide ligase repairing action on DNase-1-nicked DNA. 7. It is presumed that NM intercalates nicked DNA into such a configuration that the reactive sites of the polynucleotides are inaccessible to the ligase activities.

Anthracyclic products from Streptomyces erythromogenes nov. sp. Biotransformation of daunomycin (Dn) by an acellular preparation and synergism between Dn and some known antibiotics

The filtrate broth as well as mycelium of the new strain Streptomyces erythrochromogenes nov. sp. isolated from Saudi Arabian soil, produce the antitumor antibiotic daunomycin 1 and two anthracyclic derivatives: 7-deoxy 13-dihydrodaunomycinone 2 and 7-deoxy daunomycinone 4. The biotransformation of 1 to 2 and 4 by an acellular enzyme preparation from the strain was found to be NADPH and/or NADH dependent. Mixtures of daunomycin 1 with chloramphenicol or penicillin showed superior antimicrobial activities against Bacillus subtilis ICC strain, than the individual antibiotics.