Synthesis of Stable Microcapsules from Trematode Eggshell Components

Abstract

The trematode Fasciola hepatica produces a unique protein eggshell or microcapsule the components of which are the subject of the current study. The sell is composed of three major proteins, vpA, vpB, vpB and vpC each of which contains unusual post-translational modifications of tyrosine residues to dihydroxyphenylalanine DOPA); the DOPA residues permit enzymatic crosslinking of the shell proteins to produce a hard quinone tanned microcapsule with unusual properties. The focus of this project is to: (i) characterize the protein components of the microcapsule, (ii) characterize the enzymes involved in the crosslinking process, (iii) define the chemical crosslinks involved in shell maturation, (iv) survey the role of metals in the crosslinking and stability of the shell (v) isolate the genes encoding the structural components in order to mimick aspects of microencapsulation in vitro. (JES)

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 30, 1990
Accession Number
ADA224516

Entities

People

  • Allison R. Ficht
  • Barbara L. Doughty
  • J. H. Waite
  • W. M. Kemp

Organizations

  • Texas A&M University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amino Acids
  • Classification
  • Coding
  • Contracts
  • Genetic Code
  • Microcapsules
  • Notation
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Protein Sequence Analysis
  • Proteins
  • Security
  • Sequence Analysis
  • Structural Components
  • Symbols
  • Trematodes
  • Tyrosine
  • Universities

Fields of Study

  • Chemistry

Readers

  • Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery.
  • Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry