1978 Volume 98 Issue 5 Pages 663-667
The origin of a large amount of glycine in the hydrolyzate of the last feces excreted at the end of larval stage of silkworm was examined. Glycine produced by hydrolysis of the last feces of silkworm increased rapidly for about 8 days, first to 16.1 μmol/10 mg last feces, and then slowly to 19.5 μmol (approx. 65% of the total amino acids) for 20 days. On the other hand, 10 mg of the last feces contained 20.8μmol of uric acid, which produced glycine by hydrolysis under the same conditions as that of the last feces, and approx. 78 and 91% of uric acid was respectively converted into glycine during 8 and 20 days. Consequently, approx. 97% (18.9μmol/10 mg) of glycine in the hydrolyzate of the last feces may have been produced from uric acid, and the remainder (approx. 3%) from other compounds such as protein of mulberry leaves.
