Proteins putrefaction

This reduction of protein putrefaction is a great improvement over the early factories in which 60% of the constituents of the corn was lost. At present only 1% to 5% of the total constituents of the com is lost in the processes of manufacture. 

Tryptamine, /3-indolyl ethylamine, the amine corresponding to tryptophane, resembles tyramine, but is less powerful. It has been obtained as a product of protein putrefaction, but has not yet been found free in plants. 

It was only around 1850 that the first amines were discovered by Wurtz [2], who considered them as alkylated (or arylated) derivatives of NH3. Nowadays, it is well known that the amine function is widespread among biologically important compounds, but mostly it is present in polyfunctional molecules such as amino acids, alkaloids, etc. Simple amines are very rare in nature, with the exception of tri-ethylamine and the trimethylammonium ion which come from the putrefaction of proteins. 

It had been known for a long time that benzaldehyde and benzoic acid were formed by the oxidation of animal proteins, and that phenyl-propionic and phenylacetic acids were products of putrefaction (Sal-kowski) phenylalanine was therefore regarded, as suggested by Tie-mann, as the constituent from which these substances arose, but the actual presence of phenylalanine in the proteins was only proved when E. Fischer commenced his investigations upon the proteins. He then found that in some proteins it exceeded in amount that of tyrosine, and that it was in fact the principal aromatic constituent. Those proteins, such as gelatin, in which its presence was demonstrated by Spiro, and which contains no tyrosine, was found to contain phenylalanine as its aromatic constituent. 

The formation of indole by the putrefaction of proteins was observed by Kiihne and by Nencki in 1874, that of skatole by Briefer in 1877, of skatolecarboxylic acid by E. and H. Salkowski in 1880, and of skatole-acetic acid by Nencki in 1889. Nencki regarded these substances as originating from a skatoleaminoacetic add in the protein in a manner similar to that by which phenol, cresol, oxyphenylacetic acid and oxyphenylpropionic acid arose from tyrosine, namely —... 

PTOMAINE. A group of highly toxic substances (derivatives of ethers of polyhydric alcohols) resulting from the putrefaction or metabolic decomposition of animal proteins. Examples that have been isolated and prepared synthetically are cadavenne (1,5-diaminopentane), muscarine (hydrox-yethyltrimethylammonium hydroxide), putrescine (telraethylenediamine), and neurine (trimethylvinyl-ammomum hydroxide). 

Amines, especially those with significant volatility, have unpleasant odors. Some of them smell like ammonia, others smell fishy, while others are indescribably revolting. The alkanediamines of structure H2N(CH2) NH2 are notably wretched and two are aptly called putrescine (n = 4) and cadav-erine (n = 5). As you may guess from the names, these compounds are among the amines produced by bacterial decay of organic animal matter (putrefaction of protein) and are poisonous components (ptomaines) thereof. 

Although hydrogen sulfide production via putrefaction correlated strongly with numbers of proteolytic bacteria (r=0.94,0.86), none was found for protein (r=0.16) or organic carbon (r=034) in Third Sister Lake. The significance of this is not known due to the many associated uncertainties, but it seems reasonable to assume that protein input would result in enhanced hydrogen sulfide production via putrefaction. Results of experiments to test this in laboratory bioreactor studies indicated that protein (egg albumin) added at the rate of approximately 20 ppm d 1 increased the population of putrefying bacteria by 90 percent and the rate of sulfide production via putrefaction by... 

A cadaver is a complex resource that comes with a heavy microbial inoculum in the form of enteric and dermal microbial communities (Clark, Worrell, and Pless 1997 Hill 1995 Noble 1982 Wilson 2005 Yajima et al. 2001). A cadaver also comprises a large amount of water (60%-80%), a relatively high concentration of lipid and protein (Swift, Heal, and Anderson 1979 Tortora and Grabowski 2000) and a narrow C N ratio (Table 2.1). These properties are characteristic of a high-quality resource thus, the breakdown of a cadaver is usually rapid. This breakdown can broadly be described by three processes autolysis, putrefaction, and decay. 

Conversely, the connective tissues and cartilage are much more resistant to proteolysis and will survive for a longer period of time, although they too will eventually succumb to the effects of putrefaction. Reticulin, epidermis, and muscle protein will resist breakdown for some time, whereas collagen and keratin may survive for longer periods (Linch and Prahlow 2001). Keratin is an insoluble fibrous protein found in the skin, hair, and nails, and its resistance to attack by most proteolytic enzymes (Gupta and Ramnani 2006) is the reason it is often found intact amongst skeletal remains, particularly in burial environments (Macko et al. 1999). 

Occurrence.—The pale glow which hovers over marshes, and which, under the name of will o the wisps, Jack o lanterns, etc., has been the subject of many legends, has been attributed to traces of phosphine with other gases produced by the decomposition of organic matter. This is rendered probable by the observation that phosphine is produced by the putrefaction of proteins.1... 

Adverse effects of exposing proteins to alkaline conditions are known. As early as 1913, it was shown that severely alkali-treated casein fed to dogs was eliminated unchanged in the feces, that it was not attacked by putrefactive bacteria and that trypsin or pepsin was unable to hydrolyze it (9). Ten Broeck reported that egg albumin treated with 0.5 N. NaOH for 3 weeks at 37° had no immunological properties (10). The nitrogen digestibility values of 0.2 M and 0.5 M NaOH-treated casein (80°C, 1 hr), as determined in rats, was 71 and 47%, respectively, as... 

The synthesis of the cresols may be accomphshed by the general methods for synthesizing phenols, the meta-cresol being also synthesized from thymol (p. 616). The ortho- and />arfl-cresols occur as the sulphuric acid esters in human urine, and in larger amounts in the urine of horses. para-Cresol is a product of the putrefaction of proteins. 

Skatole.—We have mentioned the fact that indole is important physiologically. Associated with indole in this relationship is the heta-mtXhyX homologue of indole known as skatole. Skatole is the substance to which the characteristic odor of fa ces is due. Both of these compounds are present in faeces and are the result of putrefactive decomposition of protein. 

Properties White crystals. Mp 83-84C, bp 209-210C (18 mm Hg). Soluble in water slightly soluble in alcohol. A product of the degradation of histidine, histamine occurs in animal and human body tissues and is liberated by injury to the tissue or whenever a protein is decomposed by putrefactive bacteria. 

In the case of indole, alkaline hydrolysis and putrefaction of proteins result in its formation. This formation in the putrefaction of proteins is presumed to be result of decomposition of tryptophan. The formation of indole from albumin may be stopped by the addition of lactose, while other sugars have varying effects on its production. Indole frequently accompanies pus formation and is found in the human liver, pancreas, brain, and bile. Indole, accompanied by its p-methyl homolog, skatole, is found in the feces of humans and animals and in the contents of the intestines. ... 

Tryptophan was first isolated only at the beginning of this century (411). A number of color reactions of proteins were extensively studied in the latter half of last century and numerous attempts were made to isolate the chromogen responsible. The name tryptophan was given to this chromogen in 1890 by Neumeister (645). The chromogen was soon associated with the substance giving rise to indole on bacterial putrefaction of proteins. The failure of many early attempts to isolate tryptophan was probably due to the fact that it is destroyed on acid hydrolysis. The successful isolation by Hopkins and Cole (411) used enzymic hydrolysis of casein, but the chief reasons for their success were their discovery of mercury salts as... 

Indoles are another type of compoxmd encountered in cruciferous vegetables, indole itself having the chemical formula CgH N (indoles may also be formed from the putrefaction of proteins). Note the presence of bound nitrogen in these and other anti cancer substances. It was commented that the liver was a vital link, with cancer-inhibiting actions occurring there. 

McKinney and Uhing (48) examined the carboxymethylation of a commercial soy protein with sodium chloracetate in an alkaline medium. They found that the treated protein exhibited minimum solubility at a lower pH than did the untreated protein. In addition, the treated protein had increased resistance to reaction with formaldehyde, and, when exposed in the wet state, an increased resistance to putrefaction. These workers speculate as to the course of the reaction but give little evidence of the extent of reaction and reactive sites modified. 

While the fermentative conditions in the silage naturally preserve the protein, still if air gets into the silage either through cracks in the silo or due to the fact that the cut com stalks are not packed closely enough, molds and other fungi attack the acids and destroy them. When the acids are destroyed it is possible for proteolytic bacteria to set up a vigorous putrefaction of the protein and those spots where air has entered the silo are made unfit for cattle food. 

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