Occurrence of free D-aspartate and aspartate racemase in the blood shell Scapharca broughtonii.
Substantial concentrations of D-aspartate were found in several tissues of Scapharca broughtonii together with approximately equal concentrations of L-aspartate. The foot and mantle extracts also contained an aspartate racemase activity. The formation of L-aspartate from the D-enantiomer by the foot extract was apparently slower than the reverse reaction, and this unbalance seemed to be due to the presence of an enzyme activity which rapidly converted L-aspartate to L-alanine. The possible role of D-aspartate in the anaerobiosis was discussed.
Watanabe
T
T
Department of Chemical Engineering, Ichinoseki National College of Technology, Iwate, Japan.
Shibata
K
K
Kera
Y
Y
Yamada
R
R
D000591:Amino Acid Isomerases / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005880:Gills / Q000737:chemistry; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000032:analysis; D007536:Isomerism; D007700:Kinetics
D001224:Aspartic Acid; C019104:aspartate-alpha-decarboxylase; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase; D000591:Amino Acid Isomerases; C019749:aspartate racemase