QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dryden, L. P. Articles by Hartman, A. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Dryden, L. P. Articles by Hartman, A. M.

Effect of Vitamin B₁₂ on the Metabolism in the Rat of Volatile Fatty Acids¹

United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Science Research Division, Beltsville, Maryland 20705

The present study was designed to determine whether vitamin B₁₂ was required for the metabolism of odd-carbon fatty acids higher than propionate and of certain branched-chain fatty acids that lead to propionate. The fatty acids were tested by measuring their effect on further depressing growth of vitamin B₁₂-deficient rats fed a 25% protein ration. Acetate and higher evencarbon fatty acids had no effect on such growth. While the 5-, 7- and 9-carbon straight-chain fatty acids depressed growth on the control ration, as did propionate itself, the extent of depression decreased as the carbon chain lengthened, reflecting perhaps a tendency for the higher acids to be partially metabolized by an alternate pathway. The branched-chain acids — isobutyric, 2-methyl butyric and 4-methyl valeric — depressed growth on the control ration but isovaleric acid did not. These results were in accord with what would be expected from the metabolism of these four acids.

Manuscript received 28 September 1970.