Über den papierchromatographischen Nachweis von Homocystein neben verwandten schwefelhaltigen Aminosäuren

Abstract

Homocysteine and cysteine were treated with excess formaldehyde for 24 hours at room temperature. The condensation products were then chromatographed; they were well separated in butanol-formic acid-water (88:10:13) and yielded clearly defined spots (ninhydrin reaction). When not stabilized with formaldehyde both compounds tailed badly. The Rf values of the compounds investigated were (in butanol-formic acid-water): homocysteine-formaldehyde 0.43; cysteine-formaldehyde 0.34; methionine 0.61; methionine 0.61; homocystine 0.19; cystine 0.05. The last three amino acids have the same Rf values in the presence as in the absence of formaldehyde.