Anaerobic formation of alanine in the metathoracic musculature of Periplaneta americana

Abstract In the isolated metathoracic muscles of Periplaneta americana alanine content increased in anaerobiosis; its increase corresponded to approximately one-quarter of the glycogen consumed. Labelling of glycogen in vivo , by injecting radioactive glucose, resulted in a considerable labelling of alanine as well, therefore no convincing evidence for alanine formation from glycogen was obtained in intact muscle. Homogenates of thoracic muscles also formed alanine anaerobically; by adding radioactive glycogen as substrate all the alanine could be demonstrated to originate from glycogen.