Physiology of the D-Amino Acids

Abstract

A review which discusses nomenclature; properties of taste and smell; enzymatic hydrolysis of derivatives, with special reference to its implications in separation of enantiomorphs of a racemic mixture; presence in natural products; gastrointestinal absorption; availability for tissue synthesis; possibilities of toxicity; value of excretion studies; mode of deamination; and metabolism of the individual D-amino acids. In this last section the amino acids are discussed with broad reference to the production of glucose and glycogen and/or ketone bodies as a framework into which isotopic and other types of evidence are integrated. The review contains tabulated data on configuration and taste, asymmetric enzymolysis, absorption, utilization for growth or maintenance, and growth response to increasing dietary concns. of the DL-amino acids. The probable courses of metabolism of most of the amino acids are indicated by equations.