Summary
The relation of intestinal autofluorescence to tryptophan catabolism in the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been investigated. L-Kynurenine hydroxylase (EC. 1.14.13.9) activity has been detected in normal (wild-type) individuals. Mutants in the gene flu-1 which are characterized by an altered autofluorescence of the intestine cells, i.e., more intense than wild type and bluish purple instead of light blue have also been examined. They show a markedly reduced activity of kynurenine hydroxylase. The finding supports the previously proposed model for altered fluorescence based on chromatographic identification of tryptophan catabolites present.
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Siddiqui, S.S., Babu, P. Kynurenine hydroxylase mutants of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans . Molec. Gen. Genet. 179, 21–24 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00268441
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00268441