The B(1) receptor for kinins is selectively stimulated by bradykinin-related fragments lacking the C-terminal arginine, des-arginine(9)-bradykinin (des-Arg(9)-BK), and Lys-des-Arg(9)-BK. The latter peptide is the optimal agonist at the human and rabbit receptor. The B(1) receptor is inducible as a function of inflammatory conditions in the vasculature. We studied the effect of endogenously expr...

The objective of this study was to investigate intestinal nutrient transporter and enzyme mRNA in broilers selected on corn- and soybean-based (line A) or wheat-based (line B) diets. We investigated the peptide transporter PepT1, 10 amino acid transporters (rBAT, b(o,+)AT, ATB(o,+), CAT1, CAT2, LAT1, y(+)LAT1, y(+)LAT2, B(o)AT, and EAAT3), 4 sugar transporters (SGLT1, SGLT5, GLUT5, and GLUT2), ...

This study examines the effects of an enteropathogenic Escherichia coli on microvillar membrane proteins during organ culture of rabbit ileal explants. Explants maintained with enteropathogenic E coli showed brush border effacement affecting approximately 50% of enterocytes, and where enteropathogenic E coli were closely adherent to the enterocyte surface microvilli were apparently being shed a...

Insecticidal crystal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis bind to receptors in the midgut of susceptible insects leading to pore formation and death of the insect. The identity of the receptor is not clearly established. Recently a direct interaction between a cloned and heterologously expressed aminopeptidase (slapn) from Spodoptera litura and the Cry1C protein was demonstrated by immunofluoresc...

A novel enzyme with a specific phenylalanine aminopeptidase activity (ApsC) from Aspergillus niger (CBS 120.49) has been characterized. The derived amino acid sequence is not similar to any previously characterized aminopeptidase sequence but does share similarity with some mammalian acyl-peptide hydrolase sequences. ApsC was found to be most active towards phenylalanine beta-naphthylamide (F-b...

OBJECTIVES Changes in the activity of beta-glucuronidase, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, cathepsin D and L, alanine aminopeptidase and lysosomal acid lipase in lysosomal fractions of the liver and kidneys of mice, which were administered 20 mg/kg b.w. of exogenous melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) for 7 and 14 days were investigated. METHODS The slices of the liver and kidney were homo...

The distribution and aminopeptidase activity of prokaryotes were investigated along a natural continuous salinity gradient in a hypersaline coastal lagoon, the Coorong, South Australia. The abundance of prokaryotes significantly increased from brackish to hypersaline waters and different sub-populations, defined by flow cytometry, were observed along the salinity gradient. While four sub-popula...