Isolation and identification of aliphatic short-chain acylcarnitines from beef heart: possible role for carnitine in branched-chain amino acid metabolism.

Abstract

Aliphatic acylcarnitines isolated from a water-soluble fraction of beef heart were characterized by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The following acyl residues derived from the acylcarnitine fraction were unequivocally identified: acetyl, propionyl, isobutyryl, butyryl, .alpha.-methylbutyryl, valeryl, isovaleryl, tiglyl and caproyl. .beta.-Methylcrotonyl and methacrylyl were tentatively identified. This occurrence of considerable quantities of branched-chain acylcarnitines indicates a role for carnitine in branched-chain amino acid metabolism.