Abstract
IN the course of an investigation with the aid of paper chromatography of the genetics of amino-acid excretion in man, it was observed that some individuals excreted large quantities of an unknown ninhydrin-positive substance. Upon inquiry concerning the diet of these individuals, it was found that dates had been eaten in all cases. Seven individuals were selected who had not eaten dates for at least a month, and chromatograms of their urine were prepared. In no case was the ‘date spot’ observed. These seven individuals were then fed eight to ten dates in the evening, and the following morning a sample of their urine was collected. Another urine sample was obtained the following morning. In every case the chromatograms of the first urine specimen showed quite clearly the ‘date spot’. The chromatograms of the urine specimens produced on the second day after eating dates showed only a trace of this spot, or failed to show it altogether.
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GARTLER, S., DOBZHANSKY, T. Excretion in Human Urine of an Unknown Amino-acid derived from Dates. Nature 174, 553 (1954). https://doi.org/10.1038/174553a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/174553a0
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