Effect of the Addition of Milk Protein Preparations on Selected Quality Parameters and Nutritional Characteristics of Kefir

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of various milk protein powder preparations (MPC-80, WPC-70, sweet whey, non-demineralized or demineralized whey, whey permeate, rennet casein, buttermilk) to selected quality parameters and digestibility of milk proteins in kefir. Kefir samples analyzed in the study were prepared under laboratory conditions with three industrial bacterial starter cultures. They were examined microbiologically (lactobacilli, lactococci, yeast) and for pH, total protein content, hardness, adhesiveness, water-holding capacity (WHC), and protein digestibility (using two in vitro methods along with the determination of the content of available lysine and glycine). The counts of lactococci and lactobacilli were estimated at levels above 7 and 6 log(CFU/mL), respectively. Yeast was not found in the kefir samples. The pH value of the samples was 4.4–5.2. The pH, hardness, adhesiveness, and WHC were dependent on the type of kefir starter culture and the type of milk protein powder added. Each protein preparation added increased the amount of available lysine and glycine. However, when converted for 1 g of kefir protein, the changes in the content of available lysine and glycine were variable and depended on both the milk protein powder and starter culture used.

Influence of Tranexamic Acid on Inflammatory Signaling in Trauma

Plasmin generation in trauma patients has wide-ranging effects, from breakdown of clots to remodeling the extracellular matrix. An evolving recognition of plasmin as a critical effector molecule in various inflammatory signals and pathways has rendered the study of plasmin(ogen) and its regulation by upstream activators and downstream targets and inhibitors key to understanding the inflammatory responses to trauma. Tranexamic acid, a widely available lysine analogue medication on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines, has rapidly become one of the most commonly implemented adjunct treatments for bleeding after traumatic injury in clinical practice. In this article, we review the effects, both anti- and proinflammatory, of tranexamic acid, with a focus on the injured trauma patient.

A functional proteomics platform to reveal the sequence determinants of lysine methyltransferase substrate selectivity

Lysine methylation is a key regulator of histone protein function. Beyond histones, few connections have been made to the enzymes responsible for the deposition of these posttranslational modifications. Here, we debut a high-throughput functional proteomics platform that maps the sequence determinants of lysine methyltransferase (KMT) substrate selectivity without a priori knowledge of a substrate or target proteome. We demonstrate the predictive power of this approach for identifying KMT substrates, generating scaffolds for inhibitor design, and predicting the impact of missense mutations on lysine methylation signaling. By comparing KMT selectivity profiles to available lysine methylome datasets, we reveal a disconnect between preferred KMT substrates and the ability to detect these motifs using standard mass spectrometry pipelines. Collectively, our studies validate the use of this platform for guiding the study of lysine methylation signaling and suggest that substantial gaps exist in proteome-wide curation of lysine methylomes.

Encapsulation of ascorbic acid promotes the reduction of Maillard reaction products in UHT milk

The encapsulation of ascorbic acid can limit the reduction of available lysine and tune the formation of Maillard reaction products (MRPs).