Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Formation of Ammonia from Glutamate by Mitochondria

Nature volume 201, pages 1224–1225 (1964)Cite this article

Abstract

AMMONIA is required for the synthesis of carbamyl phosphate and hence of urea; but its origin has remained obscure. It has been generally suggested1, 2 that it could arise from various amino-acids by trans-de-amination through glutamate: amino-acid + α-oxoglutarate → α-keto acid + glutamate glutamate + NAD(P) + H2O → α-oxoglutarate + NH3 + NAD(P)H2

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Braunstein, A. E., Adv. Protein Chem., 3, 1 (1947).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Hird, F. J. R., and Morton, D. J., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 38, 222 (1960).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Krebs, H. A., and Bellamy, D., Biochem. J., 75, 523 (1960).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Borst, P., and Slater, E. C., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 41, 170 (1960).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Borst, P., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 57, 256 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hird, F. J. R., and Morton, D. J., Biochim. Biophys. Acta (in the press).

  7. Papa, S., Saccone, C., Palmieri, F., Francavilla, A. and Quagliariello, E., Boll. Soc. ital. Biol. sper., 39, 617 (1963).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Malathi, P., Seshadri Sastry, P., and Ganguly, J., Nature, 189, 660 (1962).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Brown, R. H., Duda, G. D., Korkes, S., and Handler, P., Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 66, 301 (1957).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Tager, J. M., and Slater, E. C., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 77, 227 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Russell Grimwade School of Biochemistry and School of Agriculture, University of Melbourne, Parkville, N.2, Victoria, Australia

    F. J. R. HIRD & M. A. MARGINSON

Authors
  1. F. J. R. HIRD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. A. MARGINSON
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

HIRD, F., MARGINSON, M. Formation of Ammonia from Glutamate by Mitochondria. Nature 201, 1224–1225 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/2011224a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2011224a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing