Amino Acid Composition of Normal Wools, Wool Fractions, Mohair, Feather, and Feather Fractions

Abstract

Amino acid analyses of normal wools of several breeds and geographical origins are presented as evidence of the normal variation of composition. Some samples were from lots used for detailed comparative studies of fiber properties and processing behavior. A mohair sample was found to be similar to wool in composition. White Leghorn chicken feather keratin differed from wool in yielding larger amounts of serine and proline. Feather had characteristically smaller amounts of cystine and glutamic acid. Heterogeneity of wool and feather keratins was shown by differences in amino acid composition of fractions prepared by treatment with acid, by mechanical separation, or by partial solubilization in aqueous alcohol. Feather differs from wool in having readily separable fractions differing greatly in content of histidine, lysine, and methionine. These fractions also differ appreciably in their content of several other amino acids.

Cell Proliferation and Cortical Cell Production in Relation to Wool Growth

“…Isolation of cortical cells from wool, by enzymic or chemical procedures generally results in some loss of material and chemical modification of the cells (Ward et al 1955;Leveau 1958;Simmonds and Bartulovich 1958;Lundgren 1965). With Hel treatment and suitable reaction conditions, however, these disadvantages can be minimized (Leveau 1956a(Leveau , 1956b, and cortical cell dimensions measured under optimal conditions (Short et al 1965) should enable valid comparisons to be made of variations in cortical cell size.…”

Investigation into Physical and Mechanical Properties of Few Selected Chicken Feathers Commonly Found In Nigeria

“…[3], [4]. Keratin consists of amino acids but largely made up of crytine, lysine, proline and serine [5], [6]. These amino acids tends to cross-link with one another by forming disulphide or hydrogen bonds resulting in fibres that are tough, strong, light weight and with good thermal and acoustic insulating properties [4], [7].…”

Investigation of the structure changes and properties of stretched mohair fibre

“…The cuticle cells or scales surround the cortex, which avoid the damage from the external physical and chemical environment [1,2]. However, the scales of mohair fibres have lower scale frequency and are smoother than that of wool fibres, and they closely cling to the flat shaft with few overlapping [3].…”