Ovotransferrin is a glycoprotein well-known for its iron-binding property. Ovotransferrin was reported to have antioxidative properties, but the presence of antioxidant peptides within the protein has not been reported. The purpose of the study was to characterize the antioxidant peptides within ovotransferrin. Ovotransferrin was sonicated and hydrolyzed by thermolysin, and peptides from the hydrolysate were fractionated by ion-exchange fast protein liquid chromatography and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Fourteen peptides derived from ovotransferrin were characterized using LC-MS/MS, and their oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) values were determined using synthetic peptides. Two tetrapeptides (Trp-Asn-Ile-Pro and Gly-Trp-Asn-Ile) showed the highest antioxidant activity. Interestingly, the addition of amino acid residues to either the N or C terminus of the two peptides decreased the antioxidant activity, suggesting that the motif of Trp-Asn-Ile is responsible for the high antioxidant activity.
This experiment was conducted to investigate the dietary effect of garlic powder (GP) and copper (Cu) on laying performances and the cholesterol content and quality characteristics of eggs during storage in laying hens. A total of one hundred and eighty, 50-wk-old, Hy-Line Brown layers were divided into 6 groups with 3 replicates per group (10 layers per replicate) and fed one of six diets containing GP 0%, GP 1%, GP 3%, GP 5%, Cu 200 ppm, or GP 3%-Cu 200 ppm for 5 wks. There were no differences in the laying performances and feed intakes bertween treatments. Eggshell strength, eggshell thickness and yolk color were also not affected by feeding of GP and Cu. With increasing dietary GP, Haugh unit was linearly increased after 2 wk of storage (p<0.05). The levels of serum total cholesterol in hens fed diets containing GP or Cu were lower than that of the control (p<0.05), but high density lipoproteincholesterol was not influenced by dietary GP or Cu. The content of egg yolk cholesterol from hens fed diets containing GP or Cu was significantly decreased from that of the control, except for the GP 1% group. Based on the results of this experiment, the decrease of Haugh unit during storage was alleviated by feeding of GP. The feeding of GP or Cu alone and in combination altered the cholesterol fractions in serum and reduced the content of egg yolk cholesterol in laying hens.
Egg is a well-known rich source of bioactive peptides. In this study, egg protein (egg white and egg yolk proteins) hydrolysates were produced with gastrointestinal enzymes (pepsin and pancreatin) or nongastrointestinal enzymes (thermolysin and alcalase), and fractionated by ultrafiltration and cation exchange chromatography. Angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory and antioxidant activities, amino acid composition and molecular weight distribution were studied, and the physicochemical properties were related with the bioactivities. Our results showed that egg protein hydrolysates produced with non-GI enzymes (thermolysin and alcalase) showed significantly higher ACE inhibitory activity, whereas similar or even lower antioxidative activities, than those of hydrolysates produced with GI enzymes. ACE-inhibitory activity significantly correlated with the amino acid composition, especially the proportion of positively charged amino acid, whereas antioxidant activities correlated with the proportion of low molecular weight peptides under 500 Da. Understanding the relationship between the bioactivities and physicochemical properties of the hydrolysates/fractions is important to facilitate the development technologies for preparing fractions with improved bioactivities.
This study was carried out to investigate the effects of spider-derived protease [Arazyme (AZ)] supplementation on egg production, egg quality, cecal microflora and viscosity of intestinal contents in laying hens at the late production. A total of two hundred, 59-wks-old, Hy-Line Brown layers were divided into four groups, placed into 5 replicates per group (50 birds per group) and fed one of four diets containing 0.05, 0.075 or 0.1% AZ or control for 5 wks. The results showed that egg weight in group fed the diet containing 0.05% AZ was significantly higher than those of other groups (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in egg interior and eggshell qualities among the groups. The serum parameters such as total cholesterol, the levels of GOT and GPT were not influenced by AZ feeding. There were no significant differences in the cecal number of total microbes, Coliforms and lactic acid bacteria among the groups. The viscosity and ammonia concentration of intestinal contents in the groups fed AZ were significantly reduced compared to those of the control (P<0.05). In conclusion, laying hens fed AZ supplemented diet improved egg weight as compared with that of control. In addition, the AZ supplemented diet reduced the viscosity and ammonia concentration of intestinal contents, reflecting a significant feed enzyme effect.
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