title: Developmental changes in UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase activity of rat and guinea-pig liver.
abstract: The activity of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase was determined in the liver of rats and guinea-pigs of different ages. The activity of this enzyme in rats was low at birth, increased to a maximum value on day 15, and fell gradually until day 30. Thereafter, it increased up to the 60th day. The activity profile of the enzyme from guinea-pig liver was very similar. However, guinea-pig activity was 2-5 times lower than in rats. Both rats and guinea-pigs displayed similar liver sialic acid contents which increased from birth to 2 months of age. Rats also showed a N-glycolylneuraminic acid content that decreased from birth to 2 months. From these results we can inferred that postnatal UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase activity seems to be correlated with age and the developmental states of rats and guinea-pigs.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gal
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ruano
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Puente
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: García-Pardo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rueda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hueso
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002238:Carbohydrate Epimerases / Q000378:metabolism; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000378:metabolism; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D009438:Neuraminic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D009438:Neuraminic Acids; C032592:N-glycolylneuraminic acid; D002238:Carbohydrate Epimerases; C100033:UDP acetylglucosamine-2-epimerase; C083982:wecB protein, E coli; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid