Edith J. Conkerton

Reaction of gossypol with free ϵ-amino groups of lysine in proteins

Abstract The number of ϵ-amino groups of lysine in proteins which are free to react with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene is reduced when the proteins are exposed to reaction with gossypol. The reduction in reactive ϵ-amino groups of lysine is increased when the pH of the reaction mixture is increased. A procedure for estimation of the ϵ-amino groups is described.

Peanut proteins as food supplements: A compositional study of selected Virginia and Spanish peanuts

Three peanut cultivars (Virginia, red-skinned, and white-skinned Spanish) were analyzed and compared as potential protein supplements for food uses. The seeds were solvent-extracted in the laboratory to yield defatted flours with 9–10% nitrogen contents. Protein isolates were prepared from the flours by subsequent extraction with dilute salt solutions buffered at pH 7.0. Various parameters were compared, such as total protein contents, soluble proteins, amino acid compositions of flours and protein isolates, free amino acids and free sugars of defatted flours, and certain trace minerals in flours and soluble proteins. The application of these results to the selection of certain types of peanuts for potential uses as protein supplements in food products is discussed.

A new simplified protein hydrolysis apparatus

This invention relates to a new simplified apparatus to hydrolyze proteins either in vacuo or under an atmosphere of nitrogen. More specifically, this invention consists of a sample mixture chamber attached in a seal tight manner to an inert fitting means with a tapered outlet which is connected to a two-way valve with a tapered inlet. The valve has a sealed on-off control device, and a lock connector attached to the outlet to allow an evacuating device to be connected.

Behavior of diglycerides and conjugated fatty acid triglycerides in reverse-phase chromatography

The behavior of conjugated fatty acid triglycerides and diglycerides on reverse-phase chromatography was studied. Trieleostearin is a geometric isomer of trilinolenin. The conjugated double bond arrangement in trieleostearin enhances its hydrophobic interaction with the stationary phase and causes it to be eluted later than trilinolenin. In separation of “critical pairs” of tri- and diglycerides, diglycerides elute later than triglycerides due to the longer fatty acid constituent. Position isomers of 1,2- and 1,3-diglycerides can be separated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

A Computer Program for Identifying Anomalous Peaks in Automated Amino Acid Analyses

Abstract In automated ion-exchange chromatography of amino acids utilizing spectrophotometric measurement., the ratio of the areas under the 40 mμ; and 570 mμ; absorption peak tracings has been shown to be specific for each amino acid. Symmetrical, but impure peaks have ratios deviating from these norms. A simple computer program for the rapid identification of these anomalous peaks has been designed. It is proposed as an addendum to any computer program now in use with amino-acid analyzers.