Animals amino acid production

An estimation of the amount of amino acid production and the production methods are shown ia Table 11. About 340,000 t/yr of L-glutamic acid, principally as its monosodium salt, are manufactured ia the world, about 85% ia the Asian area. The demand for DL-methionine and L-lysiae as feed supplements varies considerably depending on such factors as the soybean harvest ia the United States and the anchovy catch ia Pern. Because of the actions of D-amiao acid oxidase and i.-amino acid transamiaase ia the animal body (156), the D-form of methionine is as equally nutritive as the L-form, so that DL-methionine which is iaexpensively produced by chemical synthesis is primarily used as a feed supplement. In the United States the methionine hydroxy analogue is partially used ia place of methionine. The consumption of L-lysiae has iacreased ia recent years. The world consumption tripled from 35,000 t ia 1982 to 100,000 t ia 1987 (214). Current world consumption of L-tryptophan and i.-threonine are several tens to hundreds of tons. The demand for L-phenylalanine as the raw material for the synthesis of aspartame has been increasing markedly. 

The amino acid molecules that are immediately available for use in metabolic processes are referred to as the amino acid pool. In animals, amino acids in the pool are derived from the breakdown of both dietary and tissue proteins. Excreted nitrogenous products such as urea and uric acid are output from the pool. Amino acid metabolism is a complex series of reactions in which the amino acid molecules required for the syntheses of proteins and metabolites are continuously being synthesized and degraded. Depending on current metabolic... 

L-Amino acid acylase from kidneys DL-Acylamino acid — L-Amino acid + D-Acyl-amino acid Production of essential amino aids for human and animal nutrition. 

CfiHqNaO . M.p. 277 C. The naturally occurring substance is laevorotatory. Histidine is one of the basic amino-acids occurring in the hydrolysis products of proteins, and particularly of the basic proteins, the protamines and histones. It is an essential constituent of the food of animals. 

M.p. 140°C. An amino-acid occasionally formed in the hydrolysis products of proteins and occurring in the urine of some birds as dibenzoylornithine. Ornithine is a precursor of arginine in plants, animals and bacteria. 

C11H12N2O2. M.p. 289°C. L-Tryptophan is an essential amino-acid, its presence in the food of animals is necessary for proper growth. It is present in small quantities in the hydrolysis products of most proteins, although absent in certain vegetable proteins. 

Legume forages, such as alfalfa or clover, are considered high quaHty, readily available protein sources. Animal sources of supplemental protein include meat and bone meal blood meal, 80% CP fish meal other marine products and hydroly2ed feathermeal, 85—90% CP. Additionally, synthetic amino acids are available commercially. Several sources (3,9,19) provide information about the protein or amino acid composition of feedstuffs. 

Most of the bacteria, yeasts, molds, and higher fungi of interest for SCP production are deficient in methionine and must be supplemented with this amino acid to be suitable for animal feeding or human food appHcations. Also, lysine—arginine ratios should be adjusted in poultry rations in which yeast SCP is used (62). Human feeding studies have shown that only limited quantities of yeast such as Candida utilis can be added to food products without adverse effects on flavor (63). 

Naturally Occurring Compounds. Many derivatives of iadole are found ia plants and animals where they are derived from the amino acid tryptophan. Several of these have important biological function or activity. Serotonin [50-67-9] (12) functions as a neurotransmitter and vasoconstrictor (35). Melatonin [73-31-4] (13) production is controlled daily by the circadian cycle and its physiological level iafluences, and seasonal rhythms ia humans and other species (36). Indole-3-acetic acid [87-51-4] (14) is a plant growth stimulant used ia several horticultural appHcations (37). 

The presence of many nonprotein amino acids has been reported in various living metaboUtes, such as in antibiotics, some other microbial products, and in nonproteinaceous substances of animals and plants (7). Plant amino acids (8) and seleno amino acids (9) have been reviewed. 

Biotransformations are carried out by either whole cells (microbial, plant, or animal) or by isolated enzymes. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages. In general, multistep transformations, such as hydroxylations of steroids, or the synthesis of amino acids, riboflavin, vitamins, and alkaloids that require the presence of several enzymes and cofactors are carried out by whole cells. Simple one- or two-step transformations, on the other hand, are usually carried out by isolated enzymes. Compared to fermentations, enzymatic reactions have a number of advantages including simple instmmentation reduced side reactions, easy control, and product isolation. 

Fatty acids with odd numbers of carbon atoms are rare in mammals, but fairly common in plants and marine organisms. Humans and animals whose diets include these food sources metabolize odd-carbon fatty acids via the /3-oxida-tion pathway. The final product of /3-oxidation in this case is the 3-carbon pro-pionyl-CoA instead of acetyl-CoA. Three specialized enzymes then carry out the reactions that convert propionyl-CoA to succinyl-CoA, a TCA cycle intermediate. (Because propionyl-CoA is a degradation product of methionine, valine, and isoleucine, this sequence of reactions is also important in amino acid catabolism, as we shall see in Chapter 26.) The pathway involves an initial carboxylation at the a-carbon of propionyl-CoA to produce D-methylmalonyl-CoA (Figure 24.19). The reaction is catalyzed by a biotin-dependent enzyme, propionyl-CoA carboxylase. The mechanism involves ATP-driven carboxylation of biotin at Nj, followed by nucleophilic attack by the a-carbanion of propi-onyl-CoA in a stereo-specific manner. 

Table I. Amino Acids Isolated from Plant and Animal Products...

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