Lysine Deficiency in Rats I. Studies with Zein Diets: Four Figures

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Abstract
Zein, even when supplemented to theoretically adequate levels with the essential amino acids it does not contain and fed in an otherwise adequate diet, does not promote optimum growth in young rats. Experiments were undertaken in which zein was further supplemented with essential amino acids. The simultaneous addition of arginine, threonine, and valine resulted in a good, though not maximum, growth response. Similarly, when threonine, valine, and arginine were added together to a proteolytic digest of zein, a fair growth response was obtained. These results appear to support the hypothesis that zein is not adequately digested by the growing rat, and that consequently, even when supplemented with a variety of pure amino acids, it does not support a maximum growth response, since all the amino acids esential for protein synthesis are not made available to the animal at the same time.