β-3-Thienylalanine, an Antiphenylalanine in the Protein-depleted Rat

Abstract

Wt. gain of protein-depleted rats, when placed on a diet containing all essential amino acids in minimal amts. required for good growth, is seriously inhibited, and animals lose wt. when the antiphenylalanine compound beta-3-thienylalanine is added to the diet. Simultaneous addition of excess phenylalanine prevents the anti-growth restoration effect of the antiphenylalanine. The protein-depleted rat is evidently a valuable tool for the study of amino acid antagonists.