On the Synthesis of Taurine from Sulfate by the Chick

Abstract

Summary

Many tissues in the chick are equipped with the enzymes necessary for conversion of sulfate-S³⁵ into taurine. Supplementation of a low sulfur amino acid diet with serine, glycine, ethanolamine, sodium ise-thionate, methionine, or cysteine enhanced sulfate-S³⁵ incorporation into liver taurine. Addition of the sodium salts of thiosulfate, sulfate, or sulfite to the ration increased liver taurine-S³⁵ and bile taurocholate-S³⁵. The optimum level of sodium sulfate supplementation was 0.7% of the diet. Incorporation into taurine of labeled carbons occurred when cys-teine-3-C¹⁴, alanine-C¹⁴-UL, ethanolamine-1-2-C¹⁴, serine-3-C¹⁴, serine-C¹⁴-UL, and sly-cine-1-C¹⁴ were administered.