The dietary-regulated biosynthesis of high-sulphur wool proteins

Abstract

When the diet of sheep is supplemented by the abomasal infusion of S-containing amino acids or casein, a special group of proteins, with a very high content of S (about 8.3%), is incorporated into the high-S proteins of wool. These special proteins cannot be detected in control wool from the same sheep. This is a naturally occurring process, as these special proteins are found in wool from sheep on a high level of nutrition under ordinary conditions of feeding, and in wool of an inherently high S content. This represents a control mechanism in protein synthesis that has not previously been observed, and may be further evidence that the high S proteins of wool are produced by an unusual synthetic route.