ABSTRACT
The activity of enzymes of glycine and alanine synthesis (glutamate-pyruvate aminotransferase, aspartate-beta-decarboxylase, threonine aldolase, serine hydroxymethyltransferase, alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase) is studied in haemolymph, fat body, fibroin and sericine divisions of silk gland of silkworm Bombyx mori at terminal period of larva development. Alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase activity in fibroin division of silk gland (34,6 mu mole of glycine/mg of protein/min-10(-3)), alanine aminotransferase--in sericine division (36,0 mu mole of alanine/mg of protein/min-10(-3)) aspartate aminotransferase 27,3 mu mole of glutamic acid/mg of protein/min-10(-3)) and alanine aminotransferase (35,8 mu mole of alanine/mg of protein/min-10(-3)) on fat body. The ratio of alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase/glutamate-pyruvate aminotransferase activities in posterior division of silk gland is near to glycine/alanine ratio in silk fibroin. The character of the enzymes activity in silkworm tissues correlates with the silk formation rate.
