This report describes the development of a simple, rapid method for the kinetic assay of tryptophan pyrrolase in Drosophila. By means of this method, one can readily make simultaneous measurements of tryptophan pyrrolase activity in as many as 36 samples. INTRODUCTION Tryptophan pyrrolase is essential in Drosophila for the formation of eye pigments. Vermilion eye mutants, for example, have low ...

Until recently, the standard treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was a combination therapy with PEG-IFN-α plus ribavirin. Previous studies have proven that several markers predict the outcome of such therapy, e.g., pretreatment plasma levels of interferon inducible protein IP-10, HCV RNA and IL28B-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). Altered activity of tryptophan m...

The responses of female noninbred mouse urinary bladder ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17) (ODC) and S-adenosylu-methionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50) (SAMD) activities to L-tryptophan feeding and to topical intraurethral administration of L-tryptophan and some of its urinary metabolites were stud ied. Mice fed a diet containing 1% L-tryptophan demonstrated significant increases in vesical ...