Intestinal absorption of amino acid derivatives: structural requirements for membrane hydrolysis.

The intestinal absorption of L-lysine-p-nitroanilide, L-alanine-p-nitroanilide, and glycine-p-nitroanilide was studied in perfused rat intestine in the presence of a variety of potential competitive inhibitors. The results indicate that the hydrolysis site(s) show side-chain specificity, and that inhibitors require a free amino group in the alpha-position and must be in the L-configuration to be effective. Glycyl-L-proline, a peptide transport inhibitor, had no effect on the absorption rate.