Clefts on protein surfaces are avoided by antigen-combining sites of conventional antibodies, in contrast to heavy-chain antibodies (HCAbs) of camelids that seem to be attracted by enzymes' substrate pockets. The explanation for this pronounced preference of HCAbs was investigated. Eight single domain antigen-binding fragments of HCAbs (VHH) with nanomolar affinities for lysozyme were isolated ...

BACKGROUND A survey relative to the use of plants for the cure of animals in Tunisia was conducted in order to make a comparison with the same species (or similar ones) in central and southern Italy. MATERIALS AND METHODS available bibliographical data both for Italy and for Tunisia were consulted. RESULTS Thirty-nine plants, representing 22 families, used in Tunisia in ethnoveterinary medi...

Rescue excavations recovered a skeleton that resurrect the contemporary dramatic history of Austria in the 17th century as troops besieged Vienna in the second Osmanic-Habsburg war. Unique for Central Europe is the evidence of a completely preserved camel skeleton uncovered in a large refuse pit. The male individual of slender stature indicates a few but characteristic pathological changes reve...

The public profile of the alpaca (Vicugna pacos) increased significantly as it became a more common agricultural species around the world and the focus of more intense modern breeding techniques and of genomic studies. The alpaca is 1 of 7 camelids that together occupy some of the world's most arid ecosystems and which have had large beneficial impacts on the human cultures in these areas. Toda...

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), caused by FMD virus (FMDV), is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals. Camelids have a unique immunoglobulin profile, with the smallest functional heavy-chain antibodies (sdAb or VHH) naturally devoid of light chains with antigen-binding capacity. We screened and characterized five sdAbs against FMDV by immunized library from C. bactrianu...

Venta del Moro is a classical locality from the late Miocene (Ventian, MN13) of Cabriel basin Valencia (Spain). This site type nine mammal species. Among them, camelid Paracamelus aguirrei, which was defined by its upper dentition, lower third premolar (p3), and some postcranial remains. genus, only Neogene present in Europe, rapidly expanded throughout Eurasia North America. In this work, auto...

Biochemical and qualitative evaluation of the supernatant of urine from hydrated farmed ostriches (Struthio camelus) indicated that the urine was comparable to that described by other workers. The disparities obtained between the biochemical constituents in the present and previous studies were partly attributed to the state of hydration influenced by climatic factors. Results of the cytologica...

Camel (Camelus dromedarius) whey proteins were detected and compared to bovine whey proteins using size exclusion chromatography columns on HPLC. Camel whey proteins such as serum albumin and a-lactalbumin appear to possess molecular weights similar to the respective bovine whey proteins. Camel whey lacks b-lactoglobulin and consists of large amount of serum albumin, compared to bovine whey. Ca...