Effect of Glycine and Serine in Synthetic Amino Acid Diets upon Glycine and Serine Metabolism in Chicks

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Abstract
This report is concerned with the study of the effect of varying levels of glycine and serine in chick diets upon the activity of enzymes in glycine and serine metabolism and upon the concentration of amino acids and uric acid in the blood serum. Glycine and serine metabolic enzymes were determined in tissues from 10 groups of broiler type chicks fed different levels of glycine and serine for a 10-day feeding period. D-3-Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.s), phosphoserine phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.3.), and serine hydroxymethyltransferase (EC 2.1.2.1) activities were increased in livers from chicks fed various levels of glycine compared to said enzyme activities of livers from chicks fed diets deficient in glycine and serine. Serine-supplemented diets increased the activities of D-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase and phosphoserine phosphatase in liver tissue of chicks. There were no significant changes in the activity of serine hydroxymethyltransferase. The activity of D-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase, phosphoserine phosphatase and serine hydroxymethyltransferase in kidney tissue were not influenced by glycine and serine supplementation. Serine dehydratase (EC 4.2.1.13), glycerate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.29), and hydroxypyruvate-P:glutamate transaminase activities in liver and kidney tissues were not influenced by glycine and serine dietary supplementation. Supplementation with glycine produced increases in serum glycine and serine, while supplementation with serine produced increases in plasma serine levels, but not affected by glycine or serine supplementation.