VIe CONG. INTERN. REPROD. ANIM. INSEM. ARTIF., PARIS, 1968, VOL. II

THE OCCURRENCE OF PHENYLPYRUVIC AC1D
AND OTHER KETO ACIDS IN BOAR SEMeN

C.J.G. van der HOKRST
rndocrine Laboratory, ¢linic of Veterinary
Obstetrics and Gynaecology, State University,
Yalelaan, Utrecht, The Netherlands

It was shown, that boar seminal plasma cetains pyru-
vic acid, @-ketoglutaric acid and «-keto-leu(l).The con-
centration of pyruvic acid decreases rapidly after ejacu-
lation. 1n a few cases unknown keto acids were found, from
which one is indicated as n-keto-B. In six cases phenyl-
pyruvic acid was present in semen from boars with a low
fertility rate, while the concentratioen and the merpho-
logy of the spermatezoa in the semen were within the nor-
mal values(2).

In this paper an investigatien is presented,concerning
the way of formation of phenylpyruvic acid, a-keto-leu
and of o-keto-B in boar semen.

METHODS After deproteinization of the seminal plasma,

the keto acids are bound with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine.
whereafter the formed compound are separated with

thin layer chromatography(i). Finally they are converted
in amino acids, which are identified with electrophoresis
and chromatography.

Spermatozoa, washed with saline solution, and washed
spermatozoa,treated with an Elvehjem Fotter homogenizer-
are incubated beth with seminal plasma as with water
for two hours at 38°C. These incubation experiments
are also carried out with addition of amino acids.

IDENYIFICATION OF THi AMiINU ACIDS Phe and leu,corre-
sponding with the keto acids! phenylpyruvic acid and
a-keto-leu could be detected easily, but the amino acid
nge appeared net to be a known amino acid occurring

in protein hydrelysates. "B" shows similar reactions as
leu; from fig.l it can be concluded, that "B" may be a
higher homolog of leu, for instance a-aminocaprylic acid.

(L) H.J.G. GROUTEN, 1967. Thesis. Utrecht.

(2) This semen will be indicated as "bad" semen.

(3) C.J.G.van der HORST, 1965. Tijdschr.Diergeneesk.,90:
1305-1316w

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