Abstract
β-METHYLASPARTATE (β-MA) was identified1 as a product of glutamate metabolism in cell-free extracts of Clostridium tetanomorphum. β-MA is a strong antimeta-bolite toward aspartate: it is an inhibitor of pyrimidine biosynthesis from aspartate2 and of urea synthesis from citrulline + aspartate3. In addition, β-MA seems to have certain interesting metabolic activities: it participates in transamination reactions in rat and rabbit liver and brain4 and in Escherichia coli5, and it may also be a precursor in the de novo synthesis of thimine6.
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DE LORENZO, F., ILLIANO, G., MOLEA, G. et al. Effect of β-Methylaspartate on Ornithine Cycle Reactions. Nature 201, 1129 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/2011129a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2011129a0
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