Henry I. Nakada

Studies of glycine oxidation in rat tissues

Abstract Using labeled substrates in vitro the oxidation of glycine α- and β-carbons was observed in rat liver and kidney but not in other organs. Glyoxylate α-carbon and formate were identified as intermediates of the oxidation of the glycine α-carbon. The interconversion of glyoxylate and glycolate occurs readily in liver and is catalyzed by DPN-specific lactic dehydrogenase. Glyoxylate was found to be oxidized by xanthine dehydrogenase to oxalate, and to formate and CO 2 by an as yet uncharacterized enzyme in rat liver. Formate is oxidized readily by a variety of rat tissues, and evidence has been presented to indicate this occurs via a peroxidative activity of catalase.