Relationship between amino acid intake and accretion in a marsupial, Macropus eugenii. I. Total amino acid composition of the milk throughout pouch life.
The total amino acid composition of 57 samples of milk was analyzed by ion exchange resin chromatography after acid hydrolysis of proteins. The concentrations of most of the amino acids in the milk increased in proportion to the increase in milk protein. Sharp increases in the sulfur-containing amino acids, cystine (and/or cysteine) and methionine occurred at around 140-160 days which is about the time of hair follicle development. The remaining amino acids reached a peak concentration by 220 days, by which stage of development the pouch young has fully developed homeothermy. These higher amino acids levels were sustained to day 260, the time of highest milk protein concentration. The amino acids provided in the milk to the suckling pouch young thus show changes in relative amounts which correlate with some of the developmental events occurring during this phase of active growth and maturation.
D000375:Aging; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D005260:Female; D007614:Macropodidae / Q000254:growth & development*; D008394:Marsupialia / Q000254:growth & development*; D008892:Milk / Q000032:analysis*; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000032:analysis
D000596:Amino Acids; D008894:Milk Proteins