Formation of N'-formylkynurenine in proteins from lens and other sources by exposure to sunlight.
The photo-oxidative effect of sunlight on the tryptophan residues of proteins and on free tryptophan is described. Evidence is presented that the indole ring is split to yield N'-formylkynurenine. The possible relation of this photo-oxidative change to changes in the lens proteins of brown cataracts is discussed.
D000818:Animals; D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology; D002417:Cattle; D002845:Chromatography; D003459:Crystallins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004586:Electrophoresis; D005453:Fluorescence; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009113:Muramidase; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012709:Serum Albumin; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013472:Sunlight; D014364:Tryptophan
D003459:Crystallins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D007737:Kynurenine; D014364:Tryptophan; D009113:Muramidase