The degradation of L-lysine in guinea pig liver homogenate: formation of alpha-aminoadipic acid

Abstract

A summary of the little that is known of the metabolism of lysine in animals is as follows: it is indispensable in the diet, its α-amino group does not participate in reversible transamination reaction in vivo (2), neither the L nor D form is attacked by the appropriate amino acid oxidase, certain ε-nitrogen-substituted derivatives can replace lysine in the diet and their α-amino groups are oxidized by amino acid oxidases (3, 4), no α-nitrogen-substituted derivatives yet prepared can substitute for lysine in the diet (4-6).