title: Accumulation of free amino acids in growing Xenopus laevis oocytes.
abstract: The sizes of amino acid pools in growing Xenopus laevis oocytes have been measured. The total free amino acid content per oocyte increases nearly 25-fold during oocyte growth. Together, glutamic acid and aspartic acid account for approximately 59-75% of the total amino acid pool in Xenopus oocytes. On the other hand, methionine and cysteine are the least abundant of the amino acids detected, each accounting for less than 0.7% of the total pool in developing oocytes. It is argued that the acid-extractable amino acid pool represents the precursor pool used in protein synthesis.
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D009865:Oocytes / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D005971:Glutamates; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid