Question
As part of an experiment, healthy volunteers undergo a 12-hour fast and then drink a solution containing radiolabeled alanine. Consecutive blood samples are drawn every 15 minutes for the next 3 hours. Initial blood samples detect the radiolabeled alanine, but analysis of later samples shows that the radiotracer is present in blood primarily in the form of glucose. Before alanine can be converted to glucose, its amino group is transferred to which of the following?
| A. |
α-ketoglutarate
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| B. |
L-citrulline
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| C. |
Malate
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| D. |
Citrate
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Show Answer
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Correct Answer � A
Explanation
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Ans. A. α-ketoglutarate
Explanation: In the liver, alanine is transaminated by alanine aminotransferase to pyruvate with the amino group being transferred to a-ketoglutarate to form glutamate. Almost all aminotransferase enzymes use α-ketoglutarate as the amino group acceptor. Thus, amino groups are funneled into glutamate during protein catabolism. Glutamate is further metabolized by the enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase, which liberates free ammonia and regenerates α-ketoglutarate. Ammonia then enters the urea cycle to form urea, the primary disposal form of nitrogen in humans. Urea subsequently enters the blood and is excreted in the urine.
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