Affiliation:
1. Department of Biochemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver 8, B.C.
Abstract
The metabolism of 2-C14-adenine has been studied in the rat. Following intraperitoneal injection of the labelled material, isotope was found in the adenine and guanine of the visceral nucleic acids. Allantoin was the major radioactive metabolite excreted in the urine, and radioactive adenine and uric acid were also shown to be present. The finding of radioactivity in the urinary urea indicated a significant metabolic conversion of the 2-carbon of adenine to carbon dioxide. This result agreed with the finding of 8.5–9.4% of the injected radioactivity in the respiratory carbon dioxide. Possible mechanisms whereby carbon 2 of adenine may be metabolized to carbon dioxide are discussed.
Publisher
Canadian Science Publishing