Proteins are essential macromolecules that play diverse roles in the physiology and health of horses. They are composed of amino acids and are involved in various biological processes, including tissue growth, repair, and the synthesis of enzymes and hormones. Dietary proteins are a key component of equine nutrition, influencing muscle development, immune function, and overall performance. Horses require a balanced intake of essential amino acids, which must be obtained through their diet, as they cannot be synthesized endogenously. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the types, functions, and dietary requirements of proteins in horses, as well as their impact on equine health and performance.
Williams RC.The evolutionary distance between two sets of proteins was estimated using the techniques of Miyata and Yasunaga (1980) and Kimura (1980). Human beta 2-microglobulin was compared with the homologous murine molecule, while human and equine alpha-globin were similarly treated. It was found that a large amount of molecular evolution has occurred in beta 2-microglobulin since its divergence from the common ancestor of mice and humans. Kimura's estimate of evolutionary distance, K, is 0.353, while those of Miyata and Yasunaga are KS = 0.708 and KA = 0.171. The respective values for human and equine...
Derse D, Dorn P, DaSilva L, Martarano L.Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) encodes a tat gene which is closely related to the trans-activators encoded by the human and simian immunodeficiency viruses. Nucleotide sequence analysis of EIAV cDNA clones revealed that the tat message is composed of three exons; the first two encode tat and the third may encode rev.. Interestingly, EIAV tat translation is initiated at a non-AUG codon in the first exon of the message, perhaps allowing an additional level of gene regulation. The deduced amino acid sequence of EIAV tat, combined with functional analyses of tat cDNAs in transfected cells, ...
Coddeville B, Stratil A, Wieruszeski JM, Strecker G, Montreuil J, Spik G.Three serotransferrin variants Tf 2a, Tf 4b and Tf 5b were isolated in an homogeneous form from a preparation of homozygous horse serotransferrin Tf 0. On the basis of the results concerning molecular mass determination and the carbohydrate analysis, it is concluded that the serotransferrin variant Tf 2a contains only one glycan while variants Tf 4b and Tf 5b contain two glycans. The structure of all of the glycans has been established by combining methylation analysis, mass spectrometry and 400-MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy. From the obtained results, it appears that the two glycans of Tf 5b varian...
Connor J, Schroit AJ.A 31-32-kDa integral membrane protein has been previously identified in erythrocytes as the protein most likely to be responsible for the transbilayer movement of phosphatidylserine (PS) [Connor & Schroit (1988) Biochemistry 27, 848-851]. Using similar techniques, we have identified analogous proteins of identical molecular weights in bovine, equine, ovine, porcine, canine, caprine, and rhesus red blood cells. Similar to human red blood cells, all of the mammalian cells were able to specifically transport an exogenously supplied fluorescent PS analogue from their outer-to-inner membrane le...
Desmet J, Van Dael H, Van Cauwelaert F, Nitta K, Sugai S.The enthalpy change of the binding of Ca2+ and Mn2+ to equine lysozyme was measured at 25 degrees C and pH 7.5 by batch microcalorimetry: delta H degrees Ca2+ = -76 +/- 5 kJ mol-1, delta H degrees Mn2+ = -21 +/- 10 kJ mol-1. Binding constants, log KCa2+ = 6.5 +/- 0.2 and log KMn2+ = 4.1 +/- 0.5, were calculated from the calorimetric data. Therefore, delta S degrees Ca2+ = -131 +/- 20 JK-1 mol-1 and delta S degrees Mn2+ = 8 +/- 44 JK-1 mol-1. Removal of Ca2+ induces small but significant changes in the circular dichroism spectrum, indicating the existence of a partially unfolded apo-conformatio...
Watanabe K, Sohara T, Takeda M, Ueno K, Suzumura N, Rokurouda Y, Rokurouda I, Yamamoto S.Each of five genetic variants of horse serum transferrin (Tf), D, F, H, O, and R, was separated into two bands by polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing (PAGIEF). The more acidic band, termed component a, was more abundant than the other one, termed component b, in all variants. Components a and b of TFO variant were immunologically indistinguishable from each other by double immunodiffusion test. Determination of the content ratio of component a to component b in each variant revealed that the variants were classified into two groups: one group (D, F, and H) had a relatively high ratio withi...
Payne SL, Rushlow K, Dhruva BR, Issel CJ, Montelaro RC.Previous characterizations of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) glycoprotein variation by DNA sequence analysis and epitope mapping using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) have revealed the presence of conserved and variable regions within the EIAV env gene. To extend these studies, fragments of the EIAV envelope proteins gp90 and gp45 were expressed in Escherichia coli and used in Western blot analysis with a diverse panel of equine immune sera to identify antigenic segments. All sera from EIAV-infected animals reacted with the carboxyl terminal portion of gp90 and the amino terminal portion o...
Grundy FJ, Baumann RP, O'Callaghan DJ.The immediate early (IE) proteins of herpesviruses are important regulatory factors which control the expression of genes at the transcriptional level. We report the DNA sequence of the immediate early gene of the alphaherpesvirus equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1). This sequence is shown to be extremely rich in guanine and cytosine, resulting in a highly biased codon usage. The IE gene region possesses 38 open reading frames (ORFs) greater than 300 bp in length, 11 of which have coding regions of at least 100 amino acids (aa) following potential translation initiator codons. The largest ORF co...
Crews HM, Dean JR, Ebdon L, Massey RC.The speciation of cadmium in retail pig kidney has been examined by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled directly to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Approximately 35% of the cadmium from uncooked kidney was soluble after aqueous extraction at pH 8 and SEC - ICP-MS revealed three discrete peaks whose retention times corresponded to estimated relative molecular masses of 1.2 x 10(6), 7.0 x 10(4) and 6 x 10(3)-9 x 10(3). In the cooked kidney, 35% of the Cd was soluble and was all associated with a peak of a relative molecular mass (Mr) of 6 x 10(3)-9 x 10(3). After s...
Jones R.A protein-carbohydrate recognition system is thought to be involved in the early stages of fertilization in mammals. In this investigation carbohydrate-binding proteins have been identified in extracts of human, bull, boar, ram, stallion and hamster spermatozoa using [125I]fucoidin and [125I]neoglycoproteins (BSA-fucose and BSA-mannose) to probe Western blots. Results show that proacrosin is the major protein species recognized in extracts of human, bull, boar and ram spermatozoa. In hamster and stallion spermatozoa, carbohydrate-binding activity was associated with several low molecular weigh...
Sletten K, Husebekk A, Husby G.The complete amino acid sequence of equine serum amyloid A (SAA) was elucidated. The protein consists of 110 amino acid residues and contains an 8-amino acid residue insertion tentatively located between positions 69 and 70, as compared with human SAA. Microheterogeneities were detected at positions 16, 44, and 59, compatible with the existence of more than one SAA gene in the horse. This corresponds to the situation in man and mouse. Pronounced homology with SAA from man and several animal species was observed, thus confirming the conserved structure of this acute phase reactant and apoprotei...
Welch RD, DeBowes RM, Liepold HW.To evaluate the effects of intra-articular injection of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) on normal equine articular structures, 7 adult horses with clinically normal carpi were allotted to 2 treatment groups (group A, n = 4; group B, n = 3). In each horse after collection of synovial fluid samples, the right antebrachial carpal and middle carpal joints were aseptically injected with 2 ml of a 40% solution of 90% medical grade DMSO in lactated Ringer solution, and the corresponding joints of the left forelimb (controls) were injected with 2 ml of lactated Ringer solution. In group-A horses, 2 ml of syn...
Saikku A, Koskinen E, Sandholm M.IgG levels and tryptic inhibition were investigated in sequentially collected mare's colostrum and milk, foal serum and urine. The colostral trypsin-inhibitor was "transfused" to the newborn foal by the colostral intestinal route in parallel with IgG. However, the trypsin-inhibitor as a small molecular weight inhibitor became excreted into urine peaking at about 20 hours. The physiological proteinuria in foals during the first 2 days is mostly due to immunoglobulin fragments and colostral-derived trypsin-inhibitor. Analysis of urine for IgG light chains or trypsin inhibitor will therefore reve...
Klebanoff SJ, Agosti JM, Jörg A, Waltersdorph AM.Stimulated eosinophils release cytotoxic granule constituents, including eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) and a group of granule basic proteins (GBP). EPO reacts with H2O2 formed by the respiratory burst and a halide to form cytotoxic oxidants. The relative potency of the EPO-H2O2-halide system and the GBP is considered here. Horse eosinophils were induced to degranulate, the degranulation products were separated by chromatography on Sephadex G-50 and comparable volumes of the column fractions were tested for toxicity to Escherichia coli and the schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni in the presence ...
Bauminger ER, Harrison PM, Nowik I, Treffry A.Ferritin stores iron within a hollow protein shell as a polynuclear Fe(III) hydrous oxide core. Although iron uptake into ferritin has been studied previously, the early stages in the creation of the core need to be clarified. These are dealt with in this paper by using Mössbauer spectroscopy, a technique that enables several types of Fe(II) and Fe(III) to be distinguished. Systematic Mössbauer studies were performed on samples prepared by adding 57Fe(II) atoms to apoferritin as a function of pH (5.6-7.0), n [the number of Fe/molecule (4-480)], and tf (the time the samples were held at room ...
Kano I, Nagai F, Satoh K, Ushiyama K, Nakao T, Kano K.Genomic DNA for Na,K-ATPase alpha 1 subunit was obtained from libraries of horse kidney genomic DNA in Charon 4A and in EMBL3 bacteriophages by screening with the full sized cDNA probe of the alpha 1 subunit of rat Na,K-ATPase as probe. The gene spans 30 kb and consists of 23 exons and 22 intervening sequences. Intron-exon boundaries were analyzed. The protein-coding nucleotide sequence encodes 1016 amino acids with an Mr of 112,264. The putative amino acid sequence of horse alpha 1 is 96-97% homologous to those of other mammalian species.
Puigdemont A, Arboix M, Gaspari F, Bortolotti A, Bonati M.The protein binding of propafenone in vitro was assessed in plasma of mouse, rat, rabbit, dog, sheep, man, cow, and horse at two concentration levels. In all species and at both concentrations propafenone was found highly bound (86-99%) to plasma proteins. No significant relationship was found between free propafenone and the plasma protein fractions. A concentration-dependency was seen in plasma of mouse, sheep, man, and horse, in which the free fraction of propafenone became larger on raising the concentration. Qualitative and quantitative differences were observed in the protein plasma prof...
Saudek V, Boyd J, Williams RJ, Stefani M, Ramponi G.A complete range of two-dimensional NMR experiments was used for the assignment of the 1H-NMR spectrum of horse muscle acylphosphatase. Firstly the spin systems of some easily identifiable amino acid side chains were assigned. These side chains involved all the aromatic residues and all the leucine, valine, isoleucine, threonine, alanine, proline as well as some of the glycine residues. Analysis of nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectra in our previous work had identified the sequential and long-range patterns characteristics for secondary structure elements. This result had also provided the ...
Saudek V, Wormald MR, Williams RJ, Boyd J, Stefani M, Ramponi G.Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of acylphosphatase were searched for signs of beta-structure, i.e. characteristic nuclear Overhauser enhancement patterns displayed in the two-dimensional spectra, typical chemical shifts, coupling constants and slow 2H-H exchange. The results provided identification of the main-chain resonances of amino acid residues involved in the beta-structure. The full sequential assignment of this region was gained by identification of some amino acid spin systems and their alignment with the primary sequence. The assignment of the side-chains was virtually completed s...
Kinney RM, Johnson BJ, Welch JB, Tsuchiya KR, Trent DW.Nucleotide sequence analysis of cDNA clones covering the entire genomes of Trinidad donkey (TRD) Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus and its vaccine derivative, TC-83, has revealed 11 differences between the genomes of TC-83 virus and its parent. One nucleotide substitution and a single nucleotide deletion occurred in the 5'- and 3'-noncoding regions of the TC-83 genome, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequences of the nonstructural polypeptides of the two viruses differed only in a conservative Ser(TRD) to Thr(TC-83) substitution in nonstructural protein (nsP) three at amino acid ...
Kolmakova MV, Kuskova ZR, Ratner GM, Laptakova LM.Horse serum albumin has been shown to meet the requirements to protein preparations for microanalysis and thus to be suitable for use in kits of reagents for the radioimmunological determination of insulin and myoglobin, for the determination of tick-borne encephalitis virus antigen by the method of the enzyme immunoassay and for the stabilization of proteins in the hemagglutination test and the hemagglutination inhibition test.
Meredith DM, Stocks JM, Whittaker GR, Halliburton IW, Snowden BW, Killington RA.Equine herpesvirus types 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4) labelled with [14C]glucosamine were purified from infected cell culture medium and profiles of their structural proteins were obtained that enabled identification of the major glycoproteins. Nine glycosylated polypeptides were identified for each virus. Preparations of the purified viruses each contained a glycoprotein which was linked by disulphide bonds, as determined by diagonal gel electrophoresis under reducing/non-reducing conditions. High Mr forms of this glycoprotein were detected for EHV-1 when the sample was not heated. The EHV-1 pro...
Roberts MM, Oroszlan S.Capsids of equine infectious anemia virus have been isolated as cone-shaped particles 60 x 120 nm in size. Detergent treatment of whole virus followed by two cycles of rate-zonal centrifugation in Ficoll produces these capsids in a yield of approximately 10%. The major protein components are the gag-encoded p11 nucleocapsid protein and p26 capsid protein, which are present in equimolar amounts. Substantial cleavage of p11 to p6 and p4 can be observed under conditions where the viral protease packaged in the capsid is enzymatically active.
Patton S, Huston GE, Jenness R, Vaucher Y.Milk fat globules are secreted by envelopment in plasma membrane of the lactating cell. SDS-gel electrophoresis of proteins from this membrane has revealed differences between milk donors in two mucin-like glycoproteins. One of these glycoproteins resolves in 3% acrylamide stacking gel and the other in 4% running gel. The proteins vary in number of bands (one or two) and band mobilities. This polymorphism arises, at least in part, from expression of hypervariable genes. In this study, gel electrophoretic evidence of similar polymorphism in glycoproteins from cow, chimpanzee, horse and human mi...
Ricci G, Del Boccio G, Pennelli A, Aceto A, Whitehead EP, Federici G.Glutathione transferase (EC 2.5.1.18) from horse erythrocytes has been purified and some molecular and kinetic properties have been investigated. It appears to be a dimeric protein composed of subunits of about 23 kDa, indistinguishable either in sodium dodecyl sulfate or in urea electrophoresis. Amino acid composition, substrate specificities, sensitivity to inhibitors, CD spectra, and immunological studies provide evidence that the horse enzyme is related to the pi class transferases. This enzyme has only two reactive thiol groups/dimer whose integrity appears to be essential for the activit...
Beadle RE, Short CR, Corstvet RE, Pawlusiow J, Nobles DD, McClure JR, Guthrie AJ, Clarke CR.A soft-tissue infection model was created in eight horses by infecting subcutaneous tissue chambers with Streptococcus zooepidemicus organisms. Responses of the horses to the infections were determined by monitoring changes in the complete blood count and body temperature and by following changes in the cytology and protein content of the tissue chambers. Systemic reactions to the infections included a mild neutrophilia, mild pyrexia and mild anemia. There was a marked influx of neutrophils and protein into the chambers after they were seeded with bacteria and chamber neutrophil viability decr...
Passaniti A, Roth TF.Ferritin was purified from chicken liver by two different methods: gel filtration on controlled-pore glass beads, and immunoaffinity chromatography employing a chicken ferritin-specific monoclonal antibody that did not cross-react with horse spleen ferritin. This antibody recognizes intact ferritin and an oligomeric 240 kDa form of the molecule after protein transfer to nitrocellulose, but not the 22 kDa chicken ferritin subunit. Chicken liver ferritin purified by these methods exhibited reduced migration on non-denaturing polyacrylamide gels compared with horse spleen ferritin. These results ...
Pirhonen A, Linnala-Kankkunen A, Mäenpää PH.Protamine 1 and two protamine 2 variants were isolated from stallion sperm and separated by acetic acid-urea gel electrophoresis. After electroblotting onto polyvinyldifluoride filters, their amino-terminal amino acid sequences were determined by pulse-liquid peptide sequencing. The sequences of the two protamine 2 variants are homologous but slightly different in length and amino acid composition and indicate for the first time the existence of two different genes for this protamine species.
Xijier , Mori Y, Fukuoka M, Cairangzhuoma , Inagaki M, Iwamoto S, Yabe T, Kanamaru Y.Native alpha-lactalbumins (α-LA) from equine, bovine, and human milk were not cytotoxic. However, after treatment with trifluoroethanol (TFE), all three α-LAs exhibited cytotoxicity. Toxic potencies were distinctly different among them. Equine α-LA was the most robust, bovine α-LA was moderate, and human α-LA was weak. There were no significant structural changes as between the native and the TFE-treated α-LAs.
Miller LMJ, Woodward EM, Campos JR, Squires EL, Troedsson MHT.Sperm protein at 22 kDa has been associated with fertility. Objective: The objectives of this study were to determine (1) the localization pattern of SP22 on ejaculated and caudal epididymal equine spermatozoa and in epididymal fluid, and to (2) characterize SP22 protein and mRNA expression in testicular and epididymal tissues in response to heat-induced testicular degeneration. Methods: Semen was collected before and after hemi-castration, as well as prior to and following insulation of the remaining testes, and tissue specimens were collected for analysis. Results: Histopathology confirmed ...
Cummings LE, Guthrie AJ, Harkins JD, Short CR.Gentamicin sulfate, equivalent to 4 mg of gentamicin base/kg of body weight, was administered IV to 6 Thoroughbred foals on day 1 (12 to 24 hours of age) and at 5, 10, 15, and 30 days after birth. On day 40 after parturition, gentamicin was given to the mares at a dosage similar to that used in foals. Decay of serum gentamicin concentrations was best described by a 2-compartment model. Among foals, the overall elimination rate constant at 30 days of age was significantly (P less than 0.05) greater than at days 1, 10, and 15. There was, however, no difference in the overall elimination rate con...
Mills PC, Ng JC, Auer DE.The effect of the acute-phase response (APR) on the activity of the hepatic drug-metabolizing system (DMS) and on the binding of phenylbutazone to plasma proteins was investigated in the horse. An APR was induced by intramuscular injections of Freund's complete adjuvant in five horses and, five days later, these horses together with five clinically normal horses were shot and the right ventral lobe of each liver removed. The hepatic microsomal fractions from the liver samples were isolated and significantly lower (p < 0.01) concentrations of cytochromes P450 and b5 and activities of aniline...
Metz GE, Lorenzón EN, Serena MS, Corva SG, Panei CJ, Díaz S, Cilli EM, Echeverría MG.A peptide-based indirect ELISA was developed to detect antibodies against Equine arteritis virus (EAV). Two peptides for epitope C of protein GP5 and fragment E of protein M were designed, synthesized, purified and used as antigens either alone or combined. Ninety-two serum samples obtained from the 2010 Equine viral arteritis outbreak, analyzed previously by virus neutralization, were evaluated by the ELISA here developed. The best resolution was obtained using peptide GP5. The analysis of the inter- and intraplate variability showed that the assay was robust. The results allow concluding tha...
Higgins AJ, Lees P, Sedgwick AD.An equine model of acute non-immune inflammation has been developed to facilitate studies of the inflammatory process and the actions of novel anti-inflammatory drugs. Five polyester sponge strips soaked in sterile 2% carrageenin solution were placed in subcutaneous pouches prepared under local anaesthesia in the necks of conscious ponies. Serial removal of the strips and harvesting of the exudate enabled studies to be made of the cellular, biochemical and mediator aspects of the localised, acute inflammation, and the heat generated by the lesion was monitored by infra-red thermometry. Maximal...
Alm H, Hinrichs K.The period of protein synthesis necessary for meiotic maturation in horse oocytes initially having compact or expanded cumulus cells was studied. Oocytes incubated in the presence of cycloheximide after 0, 4, 8, 12 or 16 h maturation in vitro (total incubation time 24 h) were matured for 24 h, or were incubated with cycloheximide for 24 h and then matured for 24 h. Incubation with cycloheximide from 0 h was effective in suppressing maturation (no significant increase in maturing oocytes compared with controls fixed directly after removal from the follicle) in both expanded and compact groups a...
Oliva R, Núñez I, Segunda MN, Peralta OA.Equine adult bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) may be induced into the tenogenic lineage after exposure with bone morphogenetic protein-12 (BMP-12). Despite fetal BM-MSCs have showed a greater differentiation potential compared to adults, the tenogenic differentiation capacity of equine fetal BM-MSC have not been reported. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro tenogenic differentiation potential of equine fetal BM-MSCs under the effect of BMP-12. Equine fetal BM-MSCs were exposed to three concentrations of BMP-12 (25, 50 and 100 ng/mL) during a 21-day culture period....
van den Heuvel LP, Veerkamp JH, Monnens LA, Schröder CH.1. Proteoglycans were isolated from human and equine glomeruli or tubules by guanidine extraction and anion exchange chromatography. 2. These proteoglycan preparations contained about equal amounts of heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfates. 3. During the preparation of glomerular or tubular basement membranes the main part of proteoglycans (greater than 50%) was extracted in the salt extract. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan was mainly found in the water and salt extracts of glomeruli and tubules, heparan sulfate proteoglycan in the deoxycholate extracts and the basement membranes. 4. The gl...
BMC research notesNovember 8, 2012
Volume 5 626 doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-5-626
Boudko SP, Ishikawa Y, Lerch TF, Nix J, Chapman MS, Bächinger HP.Hyperelastosis cutis is an inherited autosomal recessive connective tissue disorder. Affected horses are characterized by hyperextensible skin, scarring, and severe lesions along the back. The disorder is caused by a mutation in cyclophilin B. Results: The crystal structures of both wild-type and mutated (Gly6->Arg) horse cyclophilin B are presented. The mutation neither affects the overall fold of the enzyme nor impairs the catalytic site structure. Instead, it locally rearranges the flexible N-terminal end of the polypeptide chain and also makes it more rigid. Conclusions: Interactions of th...
Manso Filho HC, McKeever KH, Gordon ME, Manso HE, Lagakos WS, Wu G, Watford M.Glutamine is concentrated within skeletal muscle, where it has been proposed to play a regulatory role in maintaining protein homeostasis. The work presented here addressed the hypothesis that glutamine would be the most abundant free alpha-AA in plasma and skeletal muscle in the foal during the first year of life. Glycine, however, was the most abundant free alpha-AA in plasma at birth and between 3 and 12 mo of age. The concentration of glutamine, the second most abundant AA at birth, increased through the first 7 d (P < 0.05) and then returned to values similar to those at birth. This re...
Pliszczak-Król A, Gemra M, Kozdrowski R, Zalewski D, Iwaszko A.Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO), also called severe asthma or heaves, is a chronic disease in adult horses caused by aeroallergens from straw or hay. Disturbances in hemostasis (intensified coagulation and depressed fibrinolysis) are considered one of the prominent reasons of inflammatory process, injury and dysfunction of the lungs. The aim of the study was to evaluate chosen parameters of hemostasis in horses with active form of RAO. Ten RAO-horses (group R) and ten healthy horses (group C) were exposed to straw and hay allergen challenge. The prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thro...
Boschwitz JS, Timoney JF.A rapid method for purifying equine C3 which yields milligram quantities of pure C3 is described. Protein from equine plasma was selectively precipitated with polyethylene glycol, and the C3 was purified by anionic and cationic exchange HPLC. The yield from this procedure was 12%. The purified C3 was composed of an alpha chain (118 kD) and a beta chain (68 kD) linked by at least one disulfide bond, and it had an isoelectric point of 4.7. Amino acid analysis indicated a strong conservation of amino acid usage between equine and human C3. The N-terminal sequences of the alpha and beta chains wer...
Kareskoski AM, Palviainen M, Johannisson A, Katila T.For unknown reasons, stallion fertility and sperm longevity during cooled storage of semen vary markedly between individuals. Spermatozoa from individual stallions react differently to the presence, or the removal, of seminal plasma (SP). The aim was to evaluate differences in protein content in stallion seminal plasma with either a positive or a negative effect on sperm chromatin integrity during storage. Stallion semen samples from different ejaculate fractions were stored at 5°C for 24 hr. Sperm survival was assessed after storage using a sperm chromatin structure assay. Protein expressio...
Blanch EW, Morozova-Roche LA, Hecht L, Noppe W, Barron LD.Vibrational Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra of the calcium-binding lysozyme from equine milk in native and nonnative states are measured and compared with those of the homologous proteins hen egg white lysozyme and bovine alpha-lactalbumin. The ROA spectrum of holo equine lysozyme at pH 4.6 and 22 degrees C closely resembles that of hen lysozyme in regions sensitive to backbone and side chain conformations, indicating similarity of the overall secondary and tertiary structures. However, the intensity of a strong positive ROA band at approximately 1340 cm(-1), which is assigned to a hydrat...
Autry JM, Karim CB, Perumbakkam S, Finno CJ, McKenzie EC, Thomas DD, Valberg SJ.Ca regulation in equine muscle is important for horse performance, yet little is known about this species-specific regulation. We reported recently that horse encode unique gene and protein sequences for the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca-transporting ATPase (SERCA) and the regulatory subunit sarcolipin (SLN). Here we quantified gene transcription and protein expression of SERCA and its inhibitory peptides in horse gluteus, as compared to commonly-studied rabbit skeletal muscle. RNA sequencing and protein immunoblotting determined that horse gluteus expresses the gene (SERCA1) as the predomin...
Seide RK, Jacobs RM, Dobblestein TN, Kehoe JM.A novel myeloma paraprotein has been isolated from a horse with a lymphoid tumor. The protein was a euglobulin and consequently was readily isolated from serum in pure form and high yield by simple dilution in distilled water. The purified intact protein had a molecular weight of 150,000 and was composed of heavy and light chains, both of which had blocked amino-termini and were thus not susceptible to amino-terminal sequence analysis. The amino acid compositions of these respective chains corresponded to those of comparable chains from immunoglobulins of other species. Peptide maps of parapro...
Ekfalck A, Appelgren LE, Funkquist B, Jones B, Obel N.The distribution of 35-S-labelled cysteine and methionine in the epidermis of the equine hoof following 2 hours of intra-arterial injection was studied by microautoradiography. Material for autoradiography was obtained by biopsy about 1 hour after termination of the intra-arterial injection and also 10 and 40 days later. In the specimens obtained one hour after the injection of labelled cysteine and methionine, the amount of radioactivity in the matrix and in the most proximal part of the laminar layer was very high. There was a clear difference between the distribution of the two labelled ami...
Maurel MC, Ban E, Bidart JM, Combarnous Y.In the present study we have established an immunochemical mapping of equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG/PMSG) using three monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), namely the antibodies ECG01, E10 and D7, raised against the native hormone. These antibodies do not bind to reduced, alkylated hormone, suggesting that they recognize discontinuous rather than continuous epitopes. We have also assessed the reactivity of mAbs towards human CG, and ovine, porcine, equine and bovine LH and FSH. The antigenic determinant recognized by ECG01 is localized on the alpha-subunit of equine gonadotropins and of human CG ...
Ek N.Selected transferrin phenotypes from 14 horses were investigated by antigen-antibody crossed electrophoresis. Horse sera were subjected to starch gel electrophoresis followed by right angle electrophoresis in agarose gels containing rabbit produced anti-horse transferrin. This technique gave an additional zone in the front as compared with 2 transferrin zones seen after ordinary starch gel electrophoresis. Comparisons of transferrin concentrations in horse sera were performed by an immunodiffusion technique. Values were related to a chosen reference serum. A total of 372 horses (210 Norwegian ...
Fikes KK, Coverdale JA, Leatherwood JL, Campbell JM, Welsh TH, Hartz CJ, Goehring M, Millican AA, Bradbery AN, Wickersham TA.Twenty-seven mature Quarter horses were used in a randomized design to determine the effects of bioactive protein supplementation on gait kinematics and systemic inflammatory markers in a 34-d trial. Treatments consisted of oral doses of 230 g/d of pelleted supplements containing 0 g (CON; = 9), 40 g of bioactive protein (40BP; = 9; LIFELINE, APC, LLC, Ankeny, IA), and 80 g of bioactive protein (80BP; = 9) daily. Horses were fed a commercial concentrate at 0.5% BW (as-fed) and received coastal bermudagrass () hay daily. On day 33, horses consistent in exercise (CON, = 6; 40BP, = 8; 80BP,...
Coyne CP, Hornof WJ, Kelly AB, O'Brien TR, DeNardo SJ.Two methods were analyzed for the rapid extraction of equine fibrinogen from fresh plasma, using ammonium sulfate-sodium phosphate buffer. Fibrinogen from each of these 2 methods was then radiolabeled with 125I (half-life = 60.2 days, gamma = 35 keV), using monochloroiodine reagent. Mean protein-bound activity was 98.5% and mean clottable radioactivity was 94.1%. Radiolabeled fibrinogen administered IV to 15 horses had an overall mean (+/- SD) plasma half-life of 4.95 +/- 0.44 days.
Ruiz Silva BE, Burtnick LD.Gelsolin can be purified from horse blood plasma by treating the plasma sequentially with an anion-exchange medium in the presence and then the absence of free Ca2+. The purified gelsolin migrates as a 90-kilodalton protein on electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. It has an absorption coefficient of 1.4 mL/(mg.cm) and is similar in amino acid composition to other plasma gelsolins. Horse plasma gelsolin has an intrinsic sedimentation coefficient of 4.8S and a Stokes' radius of 3.8 nm. Hydrodynamic calculations suggest it to be a rather globular protei...
Weers JG, Maki AH.Triplet-singlet energy transfer has been studied in the complex formed between auramine O (AO) and horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase with optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectroscopy. The results show that Trp-15 and Tyr residues transfer triplet energy mainly by a trivial process, whereas Trp-314 transfers triplet energy by a Förster process with two observed lifetimes at 77 K of 170 and 50 ms. The different Förster energy-transfer lifetimes are ascribed either to quenching of the two Trp-314 residues of the dimer by a single asymmetrically bound AO or to two distinct conformat...
Desmadril M, Mitraki A, Betton JM, Yon JM.The unfolding-folding transition of phosphoglycerate kinase induced by GuHC1 was studied at equilibrium. Various signals were used to follow the transition: fluorescence emission, difference spectra, circular dichroism and enzymatic activity. The non-coincidence of transition curves obtained from different structural parameters indicate a deviation from a two-state process. The view that structural domains behave as independent "folding units" is critically discussed.
Mendoza FJ, Serrano-Rodriguez JM, Buzon-Cuevas A, Perez-Ecija A.Alternatives to surgical castration are necessary for controlling the sexual behaviour of stallions with breeding potential in training and competition. Flutamide is a potent selective non-steroidal androgen receptor competitive antagonist that has been used in human beings as an anti-androgenic drug. In this study, the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of flutamide and its main active metabolite, 2-hydroflutamide, were determined in seven healthy mature stallions. Single doses of flutamide (1mg/kg intravenously, 1mg/kg orally in fasted horses, 5mg/kg orally in fasted horses and 5mg/kg oral...
Patterson SD, Bell K, Manton VJ.A detailed biochemical characterization of four of the five previously described alleles of the plasma protease inhibitor (Pi) system of Equus przewalskii was performed using both one- and two-dimensional electrophoretic techniques. The proteins have been characterized in terms of isoelectric point, relative molecular mass, inhibitory activity to bovine trypsin and chymotrypsin, immunochemical cross-reactivity, terminal sialic acid content and enzyme:inhibitor complex formation and the oxidation sensitivity of this interaction. Using these functional criteria, only three loci (Spi 1, 2 and 3) ...
Ericson KK, Yang TJ.During our studies of cytostatic cytokines in the mixed leukocyte culture, we found that horse serum in the medium control contained a tumor cell growth-inhibitory factor. The fraction isolated by molecular sieving and ion exchange chromatography inhibited the growth and DNA synthesis of the primary culture and passaged cell line of the canine transmissible venereal sarcoma, murine T (L5178Y) and B (P3-X63-Ag8.653) lymphoid tumor cells, murine mammary tumor cells (RIII), bovine lymphoid tumor cells (BL3), and the nontransformed cell line of baby hamster kidney cells. Nontransformed cell lines ...
BMC research notesNovember 8, 2012
Volume 5 626 doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-5-626
Boudko SP, Ishikawa Y, Lerch TF, Nix J, Chapman MS, Bächinger HP.Hyperelastosis cutis is an inherited autosomal recessive connective tissue disorder. Affected horses are characterized by hyperextensible skin, scarring, and severe lesions along the back. The disorder is caused by a mutation in cyclophilin B. Results: The crystal structures of both wild-type and mutated (Gly6->Arg) horse cyclophilin B are presented. The mutation neither affects the overall fold of the enzyme nor impairs the catalytic site structure. Instead, it locally rearranges the flexible N-terminal end of the polypeptide chain and also makes it more rigid. Conclusions: Interactions of th...
Wu H, Chen S, Liu M, Xu X, Ji X, Gao K, Tian A, Ke Z, Zhang J, Zhao B, Zhang S.B-cell survival depends on signals induced by B-cell activating factor (BAFF) that binds to the BAFF receptor (BAFF-R). Herein, a BAFF-R homolog was identified in a horse (Equus caballus). The horse BAFF-R gene, located on chromosome 28, spans 1444 base pairs and encodes a 183-amino acid protein. The protein is structurally conserved, in which the DxL motif plays an important role in binding to BAFF. Furthermore, the horse BAFF-R extracellular domain was expressed and purified, which specifically bound to His6-sBAFF and had the capability of blocking the function of His6-sBAFF in vitro. Finall...
