Selective metabolism of L-serine by Moniliformis (Acanthocephala) in vitro.

In a series of in vitro experiments, adult male and female Moniliformis dubius were incubated at pH 6.88 and 37 degrees C for 3 h in a 2.5 mM solution of 18 amino acids. Fifteen of these were absorbed slightly from the medium, but L-serine was almost completely absorbed while the concentrations of glycine and alanine in the medium increased during the course of the incubation. By using L-[U-14C]serine, it was found that labelled ethanol and CO2 were the main end-products of metabolism excreted into the medium, with smaller amounts of labelled alanine, lactate and acetate. Small amounts of cystathionine with high specific radioactivity were found in extracts of the worms at the end of incubation, together with other radioactive metabolites including glucose, ethanol, lactate, succinate, malate, serine, glycine and alanine. Ammonia was found to be an excretory product of the amino acid metabolism of M. dubius. Possible metabolic pathways and suggestions for the significance of serine metabolism in this parasite are discussed.