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Biomedical subjects

A D Woolhouse

Publications and source records attributed to A D Woolhouse.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Felinine stability in the presence of selected urine compounds.

The stability of felinine, an amino acid present in feline urine, was investigated. Synthetic felinine was unstable in the urine of a selection of mammals. Felinine was found to stable in feline urine in which urea had been degraded. Synthetic felinine was found to react specifically with urea and did not react with urea analogues such as biuret or thiourea or other nucleophilic compounds such as ammonia which is more nucleophilic or acetamide and water which are less nucleophilic than urea. The reaction of urea and felinine was independent of pH over the range of 3-10. Urea did not react with N-acetyl-felinine suggesting a felinine N-terminal interaction with urea. Mass spectral analysis of the reaction products showed the presence of carbamylated felinine and fragmentation ions derived from carbamyl-felinine. The physiological relevance of felinine carbamylation is yet to be determined.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Use of capillary (zone) electrophoresis for determining felinine and it's application to investigate the stability of felinine.

A rapid capillary electrophoresis method was established to quantify felinine (2-amino-7-hydroxy-5,5-dimethyl-4-thiaheptanoic acid) in cat urine and used to investigate felinine stability. Synthetic felinine was stable in the presence of oxygen while 11% of the natural felinine in urine disappeared after 4 days exposure to air. Both synthetic felinine and the natural felinine (in urine) were stable for up to 3 months when stored at -5 degrees C and 20 degrees C. Thirty percent of the synthetic felinine was lost after 5 hours at 100 degrees C while 95% of the natural felinine disappeared after only 2 hours at the same temperature. The recovery of felinine under certain conditions was greater than 100%. It is possible that acetyl-felinine may be present in the urine and that it is deacetylated during incubation. Overall synthetic felinine was found to be stable but the felinine in cat urine much less so. Other compounds present in the urine may contribute to the decomposition of felinine.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Felinine: a urinary amino acid of Felidae.

Felinine (2-amino-7-hydroxy-5,5-dimethyl-4-thiaheptanoic acid) has been identified in the urine of several members of the Felidae family including the cat (Felis catus). Rates of excretion of 95 mg/day have been recorded for entire male cats with entire female cats excreting around 19 mg/day. These high excretion rates in entire male cats may have a significant effect on the daily sulphur amino acid requirement. The isoamyl moiety of felinine seems to originate from the same isoprenoid pool as used for the synthesis of cholesterol in the cat. The sulphur in the felinine molecule appears to originate from cysteine, although some contradictory evidence exists. The site of synthesis and the method of transportation in the blood remain largely unknown. The biological significance of felinine to the animal is still a matter for speculation, but its function as a precursor to a pheromone seems likely. Recently, an accurate chemical assay for felinine has been developed that will allow investigation of felinine in different tissues and excretions and from a wider range of mammals.

Animals↗