title: Sulfur amino acid metabolism in pregnancy: the impact of methionine in the maternal diet.
abstract: Animal studies show that the balance of methionine relative to other amino acids in the maternal diet is critical, as fetal growth is not only retarded by diets that are deficient but also by those containing excess. Diets with an inappropriate balance of methionine can adversely affect both short-term reproductive function and the long-term physiology of the offspring. The catabolism of unused methionine increases the demand for glycine and may cause a deficiency. High levels of methionine may also perturb intracellular S-adenosyl methionine pools and have an effect on the methylation of DNA and proteins. Excess methionine in the diet may also indirectly influence fetal development through the production of homocysteine or by the perturbation of endocrine functions. The metabolic interactions among dietary methionine, folic acid, and choline mean that other diet components can also change the methionine requirement.
authors.affiliation: The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, Scotland, UK. wdr@rri.sari.ac.uk
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.forename: Fiona A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Maloney
mesh_terms: D000603:Amino Acids, Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002794:Choline / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004032:Diet; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008715:Methionine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D008745:Methylation; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D011247:Pregnancy; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000603:Amino Acids, Sulfur; D011506:Proteins; D006710:Homocysteine; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine; D005492:Folic Acid; D008715:Methionine; D002794:Choline