Relation between some folate-dependent metabolic pathways and dietary folate content in chicks

Colin C. Whitehead, J. Sarah Rennie
1989 British Journal of Nutrition  
Responses of several folate-metabolizing pathways to dietary folic acid were studied in 2-week-old chicks. Oxidation of a histidine load to carbon dioxide was impaired in folate-deficient chicks. There was a curvilinear relation between oxidation and dietary folate, and maximum oxidation occurred with 2 mg supplemental folk acid/kg. Hepatic activities of glutamic acid formiminotransferase (EC 2.1.2.5) and glycine N-methyltransferase (EC 2 . 1 . 1 .20) were not affected significantly (P > 0.05)
more » ... y dietary folic acid. The activity of dihydrofolate reductase (EC 1.5.1.3) in erythrocytes was elevated in folatedeficient chicks. These studies show that the activities of two folate-dependent pathways can be used as biochemical criteria of folate status in chicks. Dietary folate: Folate-dependent metabolic pathways: Chicken.
doi:10.1079/bjn19890020 pmid:2789983 fatcat:ti4wgiaf7nbhbac3kcgjs5wkhu