Abstract
Summary
A method for separating the free amino acids from proteins and other large molecules, and from interfering reduced glutathione has been devised. The strongly acidic exchange resin Amberlite IR-105 (H) has been employed for the adsorption of the free amino acids and ammonium hydroxide for their elution. The ammonia was removed in vacuo. The final purified concentrates were put in 10% isopropyl alcohol and subjected to 2-dimensional filter paper chromatography. The ninhydrin developed amino acid spots were measured by the densitometric method. The major amino acid components present in normal rabbit testes were aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, glycine, lysine, cystine, alanine, and glutamine. There were also present a trace of threonine, methionine, asparagine, and leucine (or isoleucine). In syphilis, during the most virulent stage of infection, there is a significant decrease in the free glutamine content of testes. Reduced glutathione, as determined by the quantitative nitroprusside test on protein free filtrates, was found to be distinctly decreased in syphilitic testes.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.