Allele mining in the caprine alpha-lactalbumin (LALBA) gene of native Saudi origin

Alpha-lactalbumin (α-LA) is a distinctive whey protein found in bovine milk and the milk of other mammalian species. Its main function in the lactating mammary glands is involved in lactose biosynthesis, which makes it a potential quantitative trait locus. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the exonic and intronic portions of the caprine α-LA gene (LALBA) in native Saudi breeds (Ardi, Habsi and Harri) in relation to utility traits. Blood samples were collected from 300 animals (100 for each breed). Genomic DNA was extracted and a 268 bp fragment of the LALBA gene comprising exon 3 and its flanking area was amplified. Subsequent digestion with MvaI restriction endonuclease resulted in two different banding patterns: αLA A1/αLA A1 and αLA A1/αLA A2, and two allelic forms, i.e. αLA A1 and αLA A2. Nucleotide sequencing of the designated LALBA amplicons was done and, following successful BLAST analysis, the sequences were submitted to GenBank (NCBI Accession No. KM267632, KM267633, KM267634 and KP940442). SNPs were searched within breeds of Saudi origin and homology was sought among caprine, ovine and bovine species. A C > T transition was identified within the fifth nucleotide of the silent α-LA A2 allele. Phylogenetic analysis on the basis of LALBA nucleotide sequence of Saudi goats indicated similarity with evolutionarily related sheep, while the origin of bovine species and deer was located some distance away

Ameliorative effects of l-carnitine on rats raised on a diet supplemented with lead acetate

Lead intoxication has been a major health hazard in humans. It affects people at all ages. Its toxicity is associated with various organs of the body and affects different metabolic pathways. Based on histological data, l-carnitine reduced the severity of tissue damage produced as a result of exposure of rats to lead acetate. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the underlying mechanism of protection offered by l-carnitine against lead acetate intoxication using male Sprague–Dawley rats.Forty male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups with ten rats in each. The first group (G1) served as the control group and animals received standard diet only. The second group (G2) received lead acetate in their diet. The third group (G3) was the l-carnitine treated group and received the normal standard diet supplemented with l-carnitine. While the fourth group (G4) had a diet supplemented with both lead acetate and l-carnitine. At the end of each experiment, blood (serum and whole blood) were collected from each animal and analyzed for the following parameters: serum testosterone levels, serum nitric oxide and serum malondialdehyde. This is in addition to looking at the enzymatic activities of two important enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and on (glutathione reductase) which are indicative of the antioxidant activities in the whole blood. The results indicated that l-carnitine will counteract the undesirable effects of lead intoxication. It exerted its antioxidant potential by reducing the production of ROS and scavenging free radicals by maintaining and protecting the level of the of antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT and glutathione peroxidase.Conclusion:l-Carnitine may play an important role in reversing the undesirable effects of lead intoxication. Future studies should be conducted to see whether such an effect is applicable in humans exposed to lead poising. Keywords: l-Carnitine, Sprague–Dawley rats, Lead toxicity, Antioxidants, Lead acetat