Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Med. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.) University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on August 8, 2007) In the 520 where natIn-DOTA⁰ appears nat should be superscripted. Includes bibliographical references.

Objective: The primary aim of this retrospective cohort study was to determine the association between the source of dietary protein intake and the sum of plasma concentration of large neutral amino acids (LNAA) in patients with Phenylketonuria (PKU). A secondary aim of the study was to examine the effect of dietary compliance on plasma concentration of LNAA. Methods: The analysis included combined participant data from two previous studies conducted at the Emory University School of Medicine. Subjects are males (n=34) and females (n=43) with PKU ages 4-50 years. A Student t-test was used to compare total combined plasma LNAA (excluding tryptophan and phenylalanine) by dietary compliance status (alpha=0.05). Correlation statistics were used to determine the association between the ratio of reported intact food protein to medical food protein on plasma levels of LNAA. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the contribution of intact protein to medical food protein ratio and other variables to plasma LNAA. Results: The median ratio of intact protein to medical food protein reported was 0.354 (IQR: 0.188, 0.914). Median percent of PHE intake over the PHE intake recommendation was 31.64 (Interquartile range [IQR]; 7.44, 104.98). Plasma concentration of LNAA did not differ significantly between those with plasma PHE levels within the therapeutic range μmol/L (compliant; 611.7 μmol/L [n=19]) vs levels above the therapeutic range (non-compliant; 595.3 μmol/L [n=47]); p=0.613). There was an inverse marginal correlation between the ratio of intact protein to medical food protein and plasma concentration of LNAA for those who were compliant (r = -0.436, r = 0.1) although the association was not statistically significant (p=0.08). No correlation was found for patients who were non-compliant. Regression analysis revealed that plasma concentration of LNAA was not significantly affected by the ratio of intact protein to medical food protein ratio, age, or gender. Conclusions: Although not statistically significant, a negative trend was observed between plasma LNAA concentration and the intact protein to medical food protein ratio in patients compliant with the PHE prescription. This suggests that the ratio of intact dietary protein to protein coming from medical food, as reported by patient diet records, may promote increased plasma LNAA levels in the effective treatment of PKU. The majority of the sample (74%) were non-compliant with diet based on plasma PHE levels. Future studies are needed to determine the consequences of non-compliance by decreased intake of medical food protein or increased intake of intact protein on plasma LNAA concentration and downstream health effects.

L-Methionine (L-Met) is a new product that supplies the biologically active form of methionine. Therefore, the objective of this study was to elucidate the benefits of dietary L-Met supplementation relative to the industry standard DL-Met. Sixteen gilts with an initial BW 81.2±7.93 kg were individually penned and randomly allotted to one of two equivalent dietary treatments for 37 days in 2 trials (8 pigs/trial): DL-Met (0.050% of diet) or L-Met (0.052% of diet). Body weight and feed intake were measured on days 0, 19, and 37 to calculate performance measures. Pigs were harvested and carcasses assessed on day 38. Liver, loin muscle, and subcutaneous fat were collected for antioxidant assessments. Data were analyzed via Proc Mixed in SAS and significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. There were no differences between dietary treatments in growth performance, carcass characteristics, or antioxidant status (P > 0.05). In conclusion, methionine form did not differentially impact animal growth or antioxidant status.

No description available.

Amino acids constitute the major organic form of transported nitrogen in plants, elements for protein synthesis, and precursors of many plant secondary metabolites, such as lignin, hormones, and flavonoids. Furthermore, amino acid metabolism lies at the crossroad of carbon and nitrogen metabolism. The Arabidopsis glutamine dumper1 (gdu1) mutant secretes glutamine from hydathodes, a phenotype caused by the overexpression of Glutamine Dumper1 (GDU1). GDU1 is a small transmembrane protein presents only in higher plants. The gdu1-1D mutant shows a pleiotropic phenotype: perturbed amino acid metabolism, tolerance to exogenous toxic concentrations of amino acids, elevated amino acid export, and activated stress/defense responses, lesions, and smaller rosettes. The biochemical function of GDU1 remains elusive. To better elucidate the biological processes leading to the complex Gdu1D phenotype, two approaches were conducted: (1) An ethyl methanesulfonate suppressor screening of the Gdu1D phenotype, which led to the isolation of intragenic mutations in GDU1 and mutations in the ubiquitin ligase LOG2 (Loss Of Gdu1D 2). Study of the intragenic mutations in GDU1 helped to characterize its structure-function relationships. Characterization of LOG2 showed that LOG2 interacts with GDU1 and is necessary for the Gdu1D phenotype. (2) The responses of the plant to the dexamethasone-induced expression of GDU1 were studied over time. This experiment identified major signaling pathways contributing to different components of the Gdu1D phenotype and the early events triggered by the perturbation of amino acid homeostasis. Our results showed that GDU1 overexpression first increases amino acid export, which is followed by amino acid imbalance and stress responses. This study sheds light on how amino acid imbalance interacts with various plant signaling pathways and stress responses, and suggests that LOG2 is involved in this process. / Ph. D.

No description available.

Nature has gifted peptides as important modulators in the human body, but these types of molecules often have not been favored when we were looking for therapeutic agents. The poor bioavailability, fast degradation and until recent high manufacturing costs of some bioactive peptides lowered their potential usage in the health industry. Under these circumstances, unnatural amino acids were developed as indispensible tools providing enormous support to peptide science. By incorporating proper unnatural amino acids into a peptide or protein, we now can significantly improve peptide's or protein's half-life, cell permeability, bio-distribution, etc. In addition, their potency and receptor/acceptor selectivity could also be enhanced. Site-specific modifications of peptides and proteins under physiological conditions with the use of unnatural amino acids also have been made easier with the advance of biotechnology. Therefore, my research described in this dissertation contributes to the efforts in the development of novel unnatural amino acids. In particular, I have focused on novel methods in the synthesis of anti beta-functionalized gamma,delta-unsaturated amino acids. These amino acids have special interests in peptide chemistry: they can provide conformational constraints to the peptide 3D structures; the beta-functionalization allows the introduction of pharmaceutically interesting side chain groups; and the terminal double bond which is orthogonal to peptide synthesis provides access to further chemical modifications. Two general methodologies for the synthesis of both racemic and optically active anti beta-functionalized gamma,delta--unsaturated amino acids were developed by using the thio-Claisen rearrangement (TCR) reaction. Excellent diastereoselectivies and enantioselectivities were obtained when C2-symmetric chiral auxiliaries were selected to control the stereochemistry outcome. The mechanism and the scope of the TCR reaction were also studied, showing unique advantages in the preparation of these biological interesting amino acids.Another effort of developing angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor biased peptide ligands is also documented in this dissertation. The AT1 receptor is a 7-transmembrane G-protein coupled receptor, which recent researches have shown could be activated through a beta-arrestins only, but G-protein independent, pathway. We synthesized 12 analogs of Sar1,Ile4,Ile8-AngII (SII), and tested them in biological assays, and obtained valuable information for further "perfect" biased ligands design.

No description available.