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Effects of Zinc Deficiency on Plasma Proteins of Young Japanese Quail¹

U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Division of Nutrition, Bureau of Scientific Research, Food and Drug Administration, Washington, D. C.

One-day-old Japanese quail were fed either a low zinc diet, the same diet supplemented with zinc, or a protein-inadequate diet containing zinc. After 4 weeks small samples of blood were collected from the wing vein of each bird after 7, 24 and 48 hours of fasting. Hematocrits and concentration of total plasma protein were determined; the plasma proteins were resolved by disc electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel. Birds fed the low zinc diet grew slowly and exhibited the characteristic symptoms of zinc deficiency, whereas those receiving zinc grew and developed normally. Birds fed the protein-inadequate diet with zinc grew slowly, but appeared normal otherwise. During fasting, all birds lost weight and the total plasma proteins decreased; these effects were greatest in the zinc-deficient birds. Hematocrits were not affected by experimental treatment. The plasma protein patterns of the zincdeficient birds were normal after 7 hours of fasting. At 24 hours, the patterns of more than one-half of these birds deviated from normal and at 48 hours the patterns of all the zinc-deficient birds were markedly changed. The plasma protein of birds receiving dietary zinc and those fed the low protein diet were normal after 7 and 24 hours of fasting. At 48 hours, minor changes were observed in a small proportion of birds in each of these groups. The data suggest a possible role of zinc in the metabolism of one or more plasma proteins.

Manuscript received 7 December 1964.