The metabolism of d- and l-lysine in the chicken

The metabolism of d - and l -lysine has been studied in the chicken using both 14C and 15N labels. In contrast to the rat, the chicken actively metabolized d -lysine and l -pipecolate. The data indicate that d -lysine is degraded via conversion to pipecolate, α-aminoadipate, α-ketoadipate, and eventually to CO2. The α-nitrogen atom of d -lysine is the first one removed from the carbon skeleton by this route. l -Lysine is metabolized by two alternate pathways which converge at α-aminoadipate. The major pathway, which results in the retention of the α-nitrogen atom of l -lysine in α-aminoadipate, includes saccharopine as a precursor of α-aminoadipate and is thus identical to l -lysine catabolism in rats. The pathway which is indicated to be the minor one includes l -pipecolate as a precursor of α-aminoadipate and results in the retention of the ϵ-nitrogen atom of l -lysine in α-aminoadipate. Even though saccharopine is indicated to be an intermediate in l -lysine breakdown, a large percentage of an intramuscularly injected dose is excreted unchanged in the urine.