Transferrin isoform analysis from dried blood spots and serum samples by gel isoelectric focusing for screening congenital disorders of glycosylation

Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are a growing, heterogeneous group of genetic disorders caused by a defect in the glycoprotein synthesis. The first and still widely used method for routine CDG screening was isoelectric focusing (IEF) of serum transferrin. Dried blood spot (DBS) testing is commonly used in newborn screening procedures to detect inborn errors of metabolism. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the reliability of the IEF method in DBS testing. Dried blood spot testing can help in the postmortem diagnosis of CDG disorders when other material is unavailable. The patterns and concentrations of transferrin isoforms in serum and DBS are comparable, and slight differences do not affect interpretation of results.

The use of molecular-biological research methods to detect the falsification of livestock products

The article provides information on the use of molecular research methods to determine the species belonging to the protein of animal and plant origin, the discovery of genetically modified plants to prevent the falsification of products. Actual problem is the identification and implementation of histological researches and methods of PCR control of meat products, which allow differentiating the constituent components of samples, since all meat products, passing the stage of technological processing, and in the finished form mainly preserve their morphological features. The use of genetic technology for analyzing the quality of food products for humans and animal feeds is conditioned by the need for a sensitive, rapid and accurate method to prevent and detect falsifications. The complexity of determining the species composition of the protein is that the heat-treated forages (meat-bone meal, fishmeal, granulated feed, dry and canned feeds for cats and dogs) contains denatured proteins that have completely lost their specificity. Methods, such as immune diffusion in gel, isoelectric focusing, used for the identification of raw meat, in this case are unsuitable. The use of the RID method does not make it possible to determine the specificity of animal proteins already after a heat treatment at 80 °C. for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, using molecular genetic techniques, in particular PCR, one percent of beef can be detected, which was heat treated at 120 °C for 10 minutes after 30 cycles of amplification and 0.1% after 35 cycles. The introduction of screening and confirmatory methods of PCR detection of counterfeit foodstuffs, feeds and feed materials allows for effective and prompt detection of cases of fraud, preventing the entry into the circulation of poor quality products and feed, reducing the productivity and poisoning of animals and, as a consequence, obtaining safe and high-quality livestock products.