γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）毛叶茶品质成分分析

以毛叶茶为研究对象,通过真空厌氧处理将其制作成γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）毛叶茶,探求毛叶茶经厌氧处理后的品质成分变化。结果表明：（1）厌氧处理后的毛叶茶,其GABA含量显著提高,达到GABA茶标准。游离氨基酸、黄酮和生物碱含量也显著升高,但茶多酚和水浸出物含量降低。同时,真空处理还能促进儿茶素的转化。简单儿茶素含量呈降低趋势,ECG和CG含量显著提高,EGCG、GCG含量及酯型儿茶素总量却先增加后降低,最终总量与对照样无明显差异。（2）毛叶茶中除含有一般的蛋白质氨基酸外,还含有普通茶树品种所特有的特征氨基酸Thea,以及微量的GABA。游离氨基酸中含量较高的有Thea、Glu、Asp,较低的是Met、Cit、α-ABA、Tau、Gly。Cysthi和EOHNH2是GABA毛叶茶中特有氨基酸。在真空厌氧条件下,GABA毛叶茶的游离氨基酸由于蛋白质发生降解而总量增加。其中P-Set、Thr、Ser、Asn、Pro、Gly、Cit、α-ABA、Val、Cysthi、Ile、Leu、Tyr、Phe、GABA、Trp、Lys、His含量上升,Asp、Glu和仪．AAA含量均降低,而Ala和Arg含量却呈现先增后降的趋势,Thea、Cys、Met等游离氨基酸含量在真空处理后无明显变化。     

富硒板党对低氧耐受小鼠兴奋性氨基酸的影响

目的：探讨富硒板党对小鼠低氧耐受形成中脑组织兴奋性氨基酸（EAA）含量的影响。方法：将小鼠用富硒板党处理后,建立小鼠急性重复低氧耐受模型,观察富硒板党对小鼠低氧耐受形成中的脑组织谷氨酸（Glu）、天冬氨酸（Asp）、γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）和甘氨酸（Gly）的影响。结果：富硒板党对正常小鼠脑组织EAA含量无影响,可使低氧耐受形成中脑组织Glu、Asp含量降低,对GABA、Gly无明显影响。结论：富硒板党能明显降低低氧小鼠脑组织中EAA含量,从而发挥对脑损伤的保护作用。     

野生与豢养长江江豚血清氨基酸含量比较

应用高效液相色谱(HPLC)技术,首次测定了湖北石首长江天鹅州白豚自然保护区野生长江江豚(Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis)和中国科学院水生生物研究所白豚馆人工饲养的长江江豚血清中17种氨基酸的含量.结果表明,除了脯氨酸Pro、蛋氨酸Met和组氨酸His外,人工饲养江豚血清中其余14种氨基酸(天门冬氨酸Asp、谷氨酸Glu、丝氨酸Ser、精氨酸Arg、甘氨酸Gly、苏氨酸Thr、丙氨酸Ala、异亮氨酸Ile、亮氨酸Leu、苯丙氨酸Phe、缬氨酸Val、赖氨酸Lys、酪氨酸Tyr、胱氨酸Cys)的含量显著高于野生长江江豚血清中相应氨基酸的含量.野生江豚和人工饲养江豚的血清氨基酸含量均没有显著的性别差异.野生江豚性成熟个体与未成熟个体之间血清氨基酸含量也没有显著性的差异.在所检测的17种氨基酸中,豢养江豚Glu含量最高,其次为Asp和Lys.野生江豚同样是Glu最高,其次是Lys和Asp.豢养和野生江豚都是Met含量最低.野生和豢养江豚必需氨基酸(EAA)和非必需氨基酸(NEAA)之间的比率分别是0.83和0.92,具有极显著的差异(p <0.01).     

竹节人参总皂苷对脑缺血大鼠兴奋性氨基酸的影响

目的:探讨竹节人参总皂苷对大鼠脑缺血及其再灌注后脑组织兴奋性氨基酸(EAA)含量的影响,以确定竹节人参对抗缺血性脑损伤,防止缺血时EAA升高的主要活性部位。方法:将大鼠用竹节人参总皂苷处理后,建立大鼠脑缺血模型,观察竹节人参总皂苷对大鼠脑组织中的谷氨酸(Glu)、天冬氨酸(Asp)、γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)、甘氨酸(Gly)的影响。结果:竹节人参总皂苷对正常大鼠脑组织EAA含量无影响,可使脑缺血及其再灌注损伤大鼠脑组织Glu、Asp含量降低,对GABA、Gly无明显影响。结论:竹节人参总皂苷可对抗缺血性脑损伤,防止缺血时EAA的升高,从而发挥对脑损伤的保护作用,与竹节人参作用相似,竹节人参总皂苷是竹节人参具有本作用的主要活性部位。     

大肠杆菌glgC基因的定点突变及功能分析

摘要: 利用PCR从Escherichia coli JM109基因组中扩增到全长为1 296 bp的glgC基因编码区, 通过PCR重组方法进行点突变, 获得氨基酸突变的3个突变体, 分别是Pro295Ser(Val121Ala, Met151Ile和Val334Asp)、Gly336 Asp单点突变和Pro295Ser/Gly336Asp(Lys109Arg), 其基因分别命名为295⁺³、336和295/ 336⁺¹。将突变和未突变的基因分别克隆到pET32-a, 构建重组质粒pET-glgC、pET-295⁺³、pET-336和pET-295/ 336+1, 在文中分别简称为a、b、c和d。转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3), 在1 mmol/L IPTG 诱导下表达。SDS- PAGE 电泳分析显示, 在约67 kDa 处有1条明显与预期大小一致的蛋白质, 表明目的基因已得到融合表达。上述转化子的碘染和糖原含量测定结果, 第336位的Gly变成Asp后, 宿主菌的糖原含量提高; Pro295Ser/Gly336Asp(Lys109Arg)的突变导致宿主菌的糖原含量与Gly336Asp突变体相近, 表明在336突变基因的基础上增加Pro295Ser的突变没有进一步加大宿主菌中AGPase酶的反馈抑制效应的降低。已有的结果显示, Pro295Ser可以降低AGPase酶的反馈抑制效应活性, 而实验中295⁺³突变基因转入宿主菌后细胞糖原含量明显降低, 推测这个结果可能是295⁺³中的Val334Asp的突变造成, 而334位的氨基酸可能是AGPase功能域中的一个重要位点。     

LC-MS/MS检测癫痫患者神经递质类氨基酸

目的：建立液相色谱串联质谱同位素内标法检测神经递质类氨基酸并用于癫痫患者临床评价。方法：选用AAA-C18柱色谱柱,以乙腈水（含有0.01%七氟丁酸、0.1%甲酸）为流动相,采用梯度洗脱进行分离,血浆样品用iTRAQ-115衍生化试剂处理后,加入iTRAQ-114衍生化的氨基酸内标并进样,选用3200QTRAP型质谱仪的多重反应监测（MRM）扫描方式进行检测。疾病组与健康组的统计采用t检验和主成份分析。结果：疾病组和健康组氨基酸测定结果显示：Trp、GABA两组间没有显著性差异（P〉0.05）,Arg、Gly、Ser、Tau、Asp、Glu、EtN、两组间有显著性差异（P〈0.05）,通过PCA分析显示,疾病组与健康组之间差异明显,Asp、Glu、Ser等是引起差异的主要氨基酸。结论：试验方法灵敏、专属性强,并初步的用于癫痫患者体内氨基酸评价。     

新生、成年和老年小鼠大脑皮层突触小体神经递质氨基酸含量的比较研究

用DANS反应-薄膜层析-萤光方法测定了蔗糖密度梯度超离心制备的不同年龄小鼠大脑皮层突触小体中递质氨基酸的含量。实验结果表明:(1)不同年龄小鼠每克皮层组织中突触小体蛋白质含量不同。新生——5.68、成年——21.37、老年——19.14毫克/克脑组织湿重。(2)递质氨基酸含量以毫微克分子/克脑组织湿重表示时,GABA 含量在发育期升高,到老年期又降低;牛磺酸含量由新生到老年期持续下降;谷氨酸、天冬氨酸含量在发育期升高,到老年期无明显变化。(3)突触小体中“抑制性”递质氨基酸总量与“兴奋性”递质氨基酸总量的比值(GABA Tau Gly/Glu Asp)随年龄增长而明显降低,成年的比值趋近于1。新生——3.39、成年——1.06、老年——0.79。(4)老年小鼠皮层突触小体的蔗糖梯度区带明显分成两层。即除P_2B 层外,出现明显的P_2B' 层,其GABA、谷氨酸、天冬氨酸含量与P_B 层相比,分别降低24.2%(P<0.05)、50.4%(P<0.001)和44%(P<0.001)。     

新生、成年和老年小鼠大脑皮层突触小体神经递质氨基酸含量的比较研究

用DANS反应-薄膜层析-萤光方法测定了蔗糖密度梯度超离心制备的不同年龄小鼠大脑皮层突触小体中递质氨基酸的含量。实验结果表明:(1)不同年龄小鼠每克皮层组织中突触小体蛋白质含量不同。新生——5.68、成年——21.37、老年——19.14毫克/克脑组织湿重。(2)递质氨基酸含量以毫微克分子/克脑组织湿重表示时,GABA含量在发育期升高,到老年期又降低;牛磺酸含量由新生到老年期持续下降;谷氨酸、天冬氨酸含量在发育期升高,到老年期无明显变化。(3)突触小体中“抑制性”递质氨基酸总量与“兴奋性”递质氨基酸总量的比值(GABA Tau Gly/Glu Asp)随年龄增长而明显降低,成年的比值趋近于1。新——3.39、成年——1.06、老年——0.79。(4)老年小鼠皮层突触小体的蔗糖梯度区带明显分成两层。即除P_2B层外,出现明显的P_2B′层,其GABA、谷氨酸、天冬氨酸含量与P_2B层相比,分别降低24.2%(P<0.05)、50.4%(P<0.001)和44%(P<0.001)。     

枯萎病不同抗性黄瓜(Cucumis sativus L.)根系分泌物氨基酸组分与抗病的相关性

以5种对枯萎病不同抗性黄瓜品种为试材,对其根系分泌物氨基酸组分进行测定,并对氨基酸组分与黄瓜品种枯萎病抗病性之间的相关性进行了分析。结果表明：在中抗品种根系分泌中检测到的16种氨基酸：半胱氨酸Cys、苏氨酸Thr、丙氨酸Ala、缬氨酸Val、异亮氨酸Lle、天冬氨酸Asp、亮氨酸Leu、苯丙氨酸Phe、甘氨酸Gly、甲硫氨酸Met、组氨酸His、谷氨酸Glu、酪氨酸Tyr、赖氨酸Lys、丝氨酸Ser和精氨酸Arg。其中的精氨酸在感病品种中没有被检出,组氨酸和精氨酸组分在抗病品种中没有被检出。根系分泌物中总氨基酸含量随品种抗性的增加而降低;精氨酸、丝氨酸和赖氨酸的含量与品种对枯萎病的病情指数呈负相关,其他13种氨基酸组分含量与品种对枯萎病的病情指数呈正相关,其中苯丙氨酸含量与病情指数呈显著正相关。丝氨酸与苯丙氨酸、天冬氨酸、丙氨酸、甘氨酸的比值均与品种对枯萎病的病情指数呈显著负相关,其中Ser／Phe与品种对枯萎病的病情指数呈极显著负相关。     

几种南海海藻的氨基酸分析

海藻的开发利用很大程度上首先是以了解海藻在人类食物链中的地位为基础的。海藻作为海洋植物在国内外都已引起关注,日本国的一些长寿村几乎都背山面海,长寿人常以海藻食品为主要副食,故其长寿很可能是与长期以海藻为食物有关。本文研究鼠尾藻、马尾藻、羊栖藻、石花菜、海萝等五种海藻的游离氨基酸和总氨基酸的组成和含量分析数据(除鼠尾藻外均已为当地居民食用),结果发现游离氨基酸总量的大小顺序为海萝>石花菜>鼠尾藻>羊栖菜>马尾藻,范围在0.5%—1.2%之间。其氨基酸占总含量一半的前列几种分别为:羊栖菜为Val、Cys、Asp;马尾藻为Cys、Val、Glu;鼠尾藻为Cys、Phe、Ala;石花菜为Phe、Cys、lie;海萝为Glu、Gly、Gys。总氨基酸大小顺序为石花菜>鼠尾藻>马尾藻>海萝>羊栖菜,其范围为1.5—10%之间。海藻各自的氨基酸含量最多的是Asp、Glu、Ala、Val.马尾藻和鼠尾藻都以Glu居首,含量分别为5.6%和6.6%;羊栖菜和石花菜则以Asp居首,含量分别为2.25%和13.7%,且必需氨基酸除色氨酸因水解破坏外,其余七种均有。必需氨基酸(E)与非必需氨基酸(N)之比值游离氨基酸以羊栖菜最大,石花菜次之,海萝最小,而总氨基酸中E/N值大小顺序为海萝>石花菜>马尾藻>鼠尾藻>羊栖菜。     

Severity of experimental traumatic brain injury modulates changes in concentrations of cerebral free amino acids

In this study, concentrations of free amino acids (FAA) and amino group containing compounds (AGCC) following graded diffuse traumatic brain injury (mild TBI, mTBI; severe TBI, sTBI) were evaluated. After 6, 12, 24, 48 and 120 hr aspartate (Asp), glutamate (Glu), asparagine (Asn), serine (Ser), glutamine (Gln), histidine (His), glycine (Gly), threonine (Thr), citrulline (Cit), arginine (Arg), alanine (Ala), taurine (Tau), γ‐aminobutyrate (GABA), tyrosine (Tyr), S‐adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), l ‐cystathionine (l ‐Cystat), valine (Val), methionine (Met), tryptophane (Trp), phenylalanine (Phe), isoleucine (Ile), leucine (Leu), ornithine (Orn), lysine (Lys), plus N‐acetylaspartate (NAA) were determined in whole brain extracts (n = 6 rats at each time for both TBI levels). Sham‐operated animals (n = 6) were used as controls. Results demonstrated that mTBI caused modest, transient changes in NAA, Asp, GABA, Gly, Arg. Following sTBI, animals showed profound, long‐lasting modifications of Glu, Gln, NAA, Asp, GABA, Ser, Gly, Ala, Arg, Citr, Tau, Met, SAH, l ‐Cystat, Tyr and Phe. Increase in Glu and Gln, depletion of NAA and Asp increase, suggested a link between NAA hydrolysis and excitotoxicity after sTBI. Additionally, sTBI rats showed net imbalances of the Glu‐Gln/GABA cycle between neurons and astrocytes, and of the methyl‐cycle (demonstrated by decrease in Met, and increase in SAH and l ‐Cystat), throughout the post‐injury period. Besides evidencing new potential targets for novel pharmacological treatments, these results suggest that the force acting on the brain tissue at the time of the impact is the main determinant of the reactions ignited and involving amino acid metabolism.     

The amino acid sequence of human chorionic gonadotropin. The alpha subunit and beta subunit.

The amino acid sequences of both the alpha and beta subunits of human chorionic gonadotropin have been determined. The amino acid sequence of the alpha subunit is: Ala - Asp - Val - Gln - Asp - Cys - Pro - Glu - Cys-10 - Thr - Leu - Gln - Asp - Pro - Phe - Ser - Gln-20 - Pro - Gly - Ala - Pro - Ile - Leu - Gln - Cys - Met - Gly-30 - Cys - Cys - Phe - Ser - Arg - Ala - Tyr - Pro - Thr - Pro-40 - Leu - Arg - Ser - Lys - Lys - Thr - Met - Leu - Val - Gln-50 - Lys - Asn - Val - Thr - Ser - Glu - Ser - Thr - Cys - Cys-60 - Val - Ala - Lys - Ser - Thr - Asn - Arg - Val - Thr - Val-70 - Met - Gly - Gly - Phe - Lys - Val - Glu - Asn - His - Thr-80 - Ala - Cys - His - Cys - Ser - Thr - Cys - Tyr - Tyr - His-90 - Lys - Ser. Oligosaccharide side chains are attached at residues 52 and 78. In the preparations studied approximately 10 and 30% of the chains lack the initial 2 and 3 NH2-terminal residues, respectively. This sequence is almost identical with that of human luteinizing hormone (Sairam, M. R., Papkoff, H., and Li, C. H. (1972) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 48, 530-537). The amino acid sequence of the beta subunit is: Ser - Lys - Glu - Pro - Leu - Arg - Pro - Arg - Cys - Arg-10 - Pro - Ile - Asn - Ala - Thr - Leu - Ala - Val - Glu - Lys-20 - Glu - Gly - Cys - Pro - Val - Cys - Ile - Thr - Val - Asn-30 - Thr - Thr - Ile - Cys - Ala - Gly - Tyr - Cys - Pro - Thr-40 - Met - Thr - Arg - Val - Leu - Gln - Gly - Val - Leu - Pro-50 - Ala - Leu - Pro - Gin - Val - Val - Cys - Asn - Tyr - Arg-60 - Asp - Val - Arg - Phe - Glu - Ser - Ile - Arg - Leu - Pro-70 - Gly - Cys - Pro - Arg - Gly - Val - Asn - Pro - Val - Val-80 - Ser - Tyr - Ala - Val - Ala - Leu - Ser - Cys - Gln - Cys-90 - Ala - Leu - Cys - Arg - Arg - Ser - Thr - Thr - Asp - Cys-100 - Gly - Gly - Pro - Lys - Asp - His - Pro - Leu - Thr - Cys-110 - Asp - Asp - Pro - Arg - Phe - Gln - Asp - Ser - Ser - Ser - Ser - Lys - Ala - Pro - Pro - Pro - Ser - Leu - Pro - Ser-130 - Pro - Ser - Arg - Leu - Pro - Gly - Pro - Ser - Asp - Thr-140 - Pro - Ile - Leu - Pro - Gln. Oligosaccharide side chains are found at residues 13, 30, 121, 127, 132, and 138. The proteolytic enzyme, thrombin, which appears to cleave a limited number of arginyl bonds, proved helpful in the determination of the beta sequence.     

Chromatography and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry for the Assessment of Heavy Metal Distribution among Amino Acids Used in Parenteral Nutrition Formulations—Studies with Cadmium and Lead

The distribution of Cd (II) and Pb (II) among amino acids in parenteral nutrition formulations was investigated by coupling ion-chromatography (HPLC/IC) and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The methodology was based on ion-exchange separation and fluorimetric amino acid detection after post-column derivatization. Cd (II) and Pb (II) were assayed in 500-µL fractions of the column effluent. The distribution of Cd (II) and Pb (II) in alanine (Ala), aspartic acid (Asp), glutamic acid (Glu), glycine (Gly), histidine (His), methionine (Met), phenylalanine (Phe), serine (Ser), and threonine (Thr) were analyzed by monitoring changes in the concentration of free amino acids by HPLC/IC. The results indicated that Cd (II) and Pb (II) were distributed according to the following trend: Gly–Cd?>?Gly–Pb?>?Ala–Cd?>?Ala–Pb?>?His–Cd?～?His–Pb?>?Thr–Cd?>?Thr–Pb?>?Phe–Cd?～?Phe–Pb?～?Asp–Cd?～?Asp–Pb?～?Met–Cd?～?Met–Pb?～?Glu–Cd?～?Glu–Pb?>?Ser–Cd?～?Ser–Pb. The effects of amino acid concentration and stability constants of amino acid–metal complexes are discussed.     

可可茶经栽培后化学成分的变化及其与传统茶的比较分析

野生茶树可可茶(Camellia Ptilophylla Chang)由于其芽叶中的嘌呤生物碱主要为可可碱,因而不同于传统茶叶。通过化学筛选,在纯种无性苗建立的可可茶基地上,随机进行单株取样,对可可茶的水浸出物、游离氨基酸、水溶性糖、茶多酚、儿茶素类、花青素、嘌呤生物碱等成分进行了检测。将这些结果与野生可可茶相关成份进行比较,发现可可茶经人工栽培后,含优势可可碱的特点保持不变,游离氨基酸总量和儿茶素类含量得到了明显的提高。进一步与传统茶叶比较后,得出两者之间的最大差异是可可茶含可可碱,不含咖啡碱;传统茶叶含咖啡碱为主,同时伴生相当于0．5～1％咖啡碱量的可可碱。     

Changes in free amino acids in the brain during embryonic development in layer and broiler chickens

Developmental changes in the levels of the excitatory amino acids l-glutamate (Glu) and l-Aspartate (Asp) and inhibitory amino acids glycine (Gly) and γ-amino butyric acid (GABA), as well as taurine and its related amino acids l-methionine (Met), l-cysteine (Cys) and l-serine (Ser) in the brain and pectoralis muscle at various embryonic stages and hatch in broiler and layer type chickens were determined. Brain concentrations of Asp, GABA and taurine were higher than those in the muscle, but the difference in the two types was small. The concentrations of the precursors of taurine including Met, Cys and Ser were lower than that of taurine. In conclusion, the synthesis of some amino acids and their metabolites such as Asp, GABA and taurine in the chick embryo is very high in order to support brain development.     

Analyses of Soluble Protein,Total and Free Amino Acids in Leaves of Different Ecotypes of Phragmites communis Growing in the Hexi Corridor

The difference of total and free amino acids and protein extracted from the leaves of four different reed ecotypes growing in Hexi corridor of Gansu Province were investigated. In all of the different reed ecotypes, the content of Asp, Glu, Gly, Leu and Ala in total amino acids were high, while the contents of Ala, Phe, Met and Thr, Pro in total amino acids varied among different reed ecotypes. Albeit Ala, Glu, Asp, Gly and Ser were the chief composition of free amino acids in leaves of all reed ecotypes, but temarkble difference was found in the content of each free amino acid from different reed ecotypes. The content of free Pro in leaves of salt meadow and salt meadow-sand dune transitional zone reed were 3.5 and 1.6 times respectively as much as in leaves of swamp reed. Swamp reed had 11 soluble proteins whereas other three reed ecotypes show that each has 13 soluble proteins. Three “salt adaptation proteins” (66 kD, 40.3 kD, 16.5 kD) were found in leaves of three reed ecotypes with varying degree of salt stress, however, the contents of 3 “salt adaptation protens” showed a negative correlation with the degree of salt stress. There was a large amount of “special protein” (11.7 kD) in leaves of sand dune reeds. These results suggest that the difference in cytogene expression takes a priority basis of adaptation of reed plants to different habitats, while a closer relationship of reeds tolerance to salt or drought stress with Pro accumulation in cells is seen than with the of accumulation stress adaptation protein.     

In Vivo Studies on the Extracellular, and Veratrine-Releasable, Pools of Endogenous Amino Acids in the Rat Striatum: Effects of Corticostriatal Deafferentation and Kainic Acid Lesion

The effects of corticostriatal deafferentation (decortication) and destruction of intrinsic neurons (intrastriatal kainate injection) on the extracellular concentration, and veratrine-releasable pools, of endogenous amino acids in the rat striatum were examined using the in vivo brain dialysis technique. Intracellular amino acid content was also determined. Decortication reduced selectively intra- and extracellular levels of glutamate (Glu) and aspartate (Asp). Extracellular changes were more pronounced than those in tissue content. gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), taurine (Tau), and phosphoethanolamine (PEA) levels were not affected, whereas nonneuroactive amino acids were increased at 1 week but not at 1 month post-lesion. The intracellular pool of Glu and Asp was also reduced in kainate-lesioned striata. However, extracellular levels of these compounds were not affected significantly by this treatment. The tissue content of all other amino acids was decreased, the most prominent change being in the concentration of GABA. Extracellular GABA concentration was also reduced dramatically, whereas the concentrations of noneuroactive amino acids were increased to varying degrees. These data suggest that transmitter pools of neuroactive amino acids are an important supply for their extracellular pools. Lesion-induced alterations in nonneuroactive amino acids are discussed with regard to the loss of metabolic pools, glial reactivity, and changes in blood-brain barrier transport. Veratrine induced a massive release of neuroactive amino acids such as Glu, Asp, GABA, and Tau into the extracellular fluid, and a delayed increase in PEA. Extracellular levels of neuroactive amino acids were raised slightly. Decortication reduced, selectively, the amounts of Glu and Asp released by veratrine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Polymers produced by heating an amino acid mixture in sea water enriched with transition elements

A mixture of eighteen protein amino acids was heated in sea water medium enriched with transition metal ions. Small granules were obtained as precipitates. Both dialyzable polymers and undialyzable polymers were obtained from the supernatant. Dialyzable polymers yielded mainly Glu, Asp, Ser, and Thr on hydrolysis; undialyzable polymers (C, 29.45; H, 3.87; N, 4.87; and ash, 31.5 wt%) yielded Thr, Asp, Glu, Gly, Leu, Ser, Lys, Pro, His, Phe, and a few unidentified ninhydrin positive peaks after acid hydrolysis. Five wt% of the undialyzable polymers consist of acid-hydrolyzable protein amino acids.     

Amino acid neurotransmitter alterations in three sublines of Rb mice differing by their susceptibility to audiogenic seizures

The levels of inhibitory amino acids (Tau, Gly), or excitatory amino acids (Glu, Asp) and Gln, precursor of GABA, have been determined, under resting conditions, in 17 brain areas of 3 sublines of inbred Rb mice displaying different responses to an acoustic stimulus. Rb1 mice were clonictonic seizure-prone, Rb2 mice were clonic seizure-prone and Rb3 mice were seizure resistant. Profile of distribution in the brain of each one of these amino acids differed. Maximum to minimum level ratio was higher for Tau (3.8) than for Glu or Asp or Gln (2). The level of Gly was similar in 13 out of the 17 areas examined. Multiple inter-subline differences were recorded for each amino acid. These differences have been analyzed considering the seizure susceptibility or severity of the three Rb sublines. Common lower levels (approximately –20%: Rb1/Rb3, Rb2/Rb3) of Gln in Temporal Cortex may be implicated in seizure susceptibility. Seirure severity (Rb1/Rb2) seems to correlate, in some areas, with additional lower amounts of GABA already reported and, to a lower extent, of Asp (–19% in striatum, inferior colliculus and cerebellum), of Tau and Gly; a tendency for a rise in Gln content was observed in certain others (10–20% in olfactory bulb, thalamus, hypothalamus, substantia nigra, and frontal, temporal and occipital cortex). The data and correlations recorded provide guidelines for further investigations for synaptosomal and metabolic alterations in the three sublines of the same strain of Rb mice.Abbreviations used GABA 4-aminobutyrate - Tau taurine - Gly glycine - Asp aspartate - Glu glutamate - Gln glutamine - GEPR genetically epilepsy-prone rat - OB olfactory bulbs - OT olfactory tubercles - Sr striatum - Se septum - Hy hypothalamus - Hi hippocampus - Th thalamus - A amygdala - SC superior colliculus - IC interior colliculus - SN substantia nigra - FCx frontal cortex - TCx temporal cortex - OCx occipital cortex - C cerebellum - P pons - Ra raphe