It is shown by means of experiments on intact cells with 14 C‐labelled substrates that the first step in the oxidative metabolism of glutamate in rabbit‐reticulocytes is a transamination with oxaloacetate to form aspartate. The aspartate is metabolized further in such a manner that CO 2 is formed from all C‐atoms. With tracer amounts of glutamate no accumulation of aspartate occurs, in contrast to isolated mitochondria. The mechanism of the utilization of aspartate appears to be a decarboxylation of oxaloacetate to pyruvate, which is the main reaction of oxaloacetate under conditions of loading with glutamate. On account of the minute contribution of the amino group of glutamate to the ammonia formation, which in itself is smaller than expected from the CO 2 formation, an acceptor for the amino group of amino acids is postulated.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Rost et al. (1972) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: