Dynamics of the amino acid and protein metabolism of laying hens after the application of 15N-labelled wheat protein. 8

Over 4 days 12 colostomized laying hens received, together with the ration, 36 g wheat with 14.37 atom-% 15N excess (15N'). The basic amino acids were nearly equally labelled. Three animals each were butchered after 12 h, 36 h, 60 h, and 108 h, resp., after the last 15N' application. Emission spectrometric determination of 15N' in liver and in amino acids was carried out. In addition, atom-% 15N' was determined in free amino acids and peptides. The labelling in the liver 12 h after the last 15N' application amounted to 1.75 atom-% 15N' and decreased after 108 h to 0.81 atom-% 15N'. The average TCA precipitable 15N' quota in the total 15N' amounted to 81.4% and was nearly identical at all four measuring points. The arginine 15N' amount in the liver was twice as high as that of lysine 15N'. In dependence on the period after the last 15N' application the decrease in the labelling of free arginine is considerable in comparison to free lysine. At the first measuring point (12 h) it was 1.69 atom-% 15N' and at the last one (108 h) 0.57 atom-% 15N'. Based on the results of 15N' labelling of peptides in the liver further, more detailed experiments for studies of peptide metabolism in the liver should be carried out. (author)