Abstract
To obtain information concerning the relationship between intestinal microflora and ammonia production in alimentary canal of chicks, the deaminating activity in mixed cellular suspensions of intestinal microorganisms were examined in vitro under anaerobic conditions.
Of 18 amino acids tested, L-arginine was found to be degradated specifically by cellular suspensions while the others were not. The activity to produce ammonia from L-arginine was higher in cells from the lower levels of alimentary canal (central part of small intestine, cecum and rectum) than those from the upper levels (crop and duodenum). In addition, the activity tend to be increased with age of chicks. The optimum pH for the activity of cells ranged from 6.5 to 7.0 irrespective of the levels of alimentary canal.
Results of the present studies suggest that the production of ammonia in alimentary canal of chicks due, in part, to the degradation of arginine by intestinal microorganisms.
