Physical and Chemical Consequences of Keratin Crosslinking, with Application to the Determination of Crosslink Density

Menefee, Emory

doi:10.1007/978-1-4684-3282-4_19

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 62 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…As the biological material becomes more cross-linked, it is less susceptible to swelling, and is denser and stiffer. Extensive covalent cross-links in keratin, mediated by its cysteine residues, and in collagen, mediated by lysine and hydroxylysine, are well known factors affecting cohesion [45,46]. Recently, noncovalent cross-links mediated by metal coordination have attracted attention as alternative sclerotizing strategies.…”

Section: +mentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine hydroid perisarc: A chitin- and melanin-reinforced composite with DOPA–iron(III) complexes

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

a b s t r a c tMany marine invertebrates utilize biomacromolecules as building blocks to form their load-bearing tissues. These polymeric tissues are appealing for their unusual physical and mechanical properties, including high hardness and stiffness, toughness and low density. Here, a marine hydroid perisarc of Aglaophenia latirostris was investigated to understand how nature designs a stiff, tough and lightweight sheathing structure. Chitin, protein and a melanin-like pigment, were found to represent 10, 17 and 60 wt.% of the perisarc, respectively. Interestingly, similar to the adhesive and coating of marine mussel byssus, a DOPA (3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) containing protein and iron were detected in the perisarc. Resonance Raman microprobe analysis of perisarc indicates the presence of catechol-iron(III) complexes in situ, but it remains to be determined whether the DOPA-iron(III) interaction plays a cohesive role in holding the protein, chitin and melanin networks together.

show abstract

Section: +mentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine hydroid perisarc: A chitin- and melanin-reinforced composite with DOPA–iron(III) complexes

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Hair and feathers are composed of keratins. Keratins contain disulfide bridges formed by the sulfur‐containing amino acid cysteine, which confer additional strength and rigidity through permanent, thermally‐stable crosslinks (Menefee ). This gives hair and feather extraordinary thermal and chemical stability and renders them almost indigestible, inalimental and unpalatable to carnivores (Reynolds & Aebischer ; Jordan ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of dietary feathers on the fecal microbiota in captive Arctic fox: Do dietary hair or feathers play a role in the evolution of carnivorous mammals?

Zhang

Yang

et al. 2014

Integrative Zoology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Hair and feathers are composed of keratin and are indigestible, inalimental and unpalatable for carnivores. However, carnivores often ingest hair and feathers during feeding or when grooming. We hypothesized that ingestion of hair and feathers changes species diversity and relative abundance of bacteria in the gut of carnivores. To test this hypothesis, we added disinfected poultry down feathers to the normal diet of captive Arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus). We then used fluorescently labeled terminal restriction fragments (T-RFs) to examine changes in fecal bacterial diversity and abundance. The results showed that the number of bacterial species increased significantly after feather ingestion, but that total abundance was unchanged. This demonstrated that addition of disinfected feathers to the diet stimulated increased production among less abundant bacteria, resulting in a balancing of relative abundance of different bacterial species, or that some newly-ingested microbial species would colonize the gut because a suitable microhabitat had become available. This implies that the overall production of bacterial metabolites would be made up of a greater range of substances after feather ingestion. On one hand, the host's immune response would be more diverse, increasing the capacity of the immune system to regulate gut microflora. On the other hand, the animal's physiological performance would also be affected. For wild animals, such altered physiological traits would be subjected to natural selection, and, hence, persistent geographic differences in the character of ingested feathers or fur would drive speciation.

show abstract

Hair as an Index of Protein Malnutrition

Friedman

Orraca-Tetteh

1978

Nutritional Improvement of Food and Feed Proteins

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Physical and Chemical Consequences of Keratin Crosslinking, with Application to the Determination of Crosslink Density

Cited by 4 publications

References 62 publications

Marine hydroid perisarc: A chitin- and melanin-reinforced composite with DOPA–iron(III) complexes

Marine hydroid perisarc: A chitin- and melanin-reinforced composite with DOPA–iron(III) complexes

Influence of dietary feathers on the fecal microbiota in captive Arctic fox: Do dietary hair or feathers play a role in the evolution of carnivorous mammals?

Hair as an Index of Protein Malnutrition

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About