Abstract
Summary
A soluble enzyme system from human saliva which desulfurates thiourea has been shown to be heat-labile, non-dialyzable and temperature and pH dependent. Thiocyanate and ascorbic acid are necessary co-factors. Propylthiouracil appears to behave like a non-competitive inhibitor. The products of this reaction are protein bound sulfur, thiosulfate or sulfite, and sulfate. Lamb and lion cub saliva desulfurate thiourea, but rattlesnake venom and calf saliva do not. Preliminary studies of saliva from phenylthiocarbamide tasters and non-tasters have shown no differences in desulfuration activity.
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