Determination of purine and pyrimidine bases in rumen micro-organisms by reversed phase HPLC after hydrolytic digestion under pressure

Han, Y. K.; Landis, J.

doi:1991.4.2.161

Article

Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Utilization

Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 1991;4(2): 161-164.
https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.1991.161 Published online June 1, 1991.

Determination of purine and pyrimidine bases in rumen micro-organisms by reversed phase HPLC after hydrolytic digestion under pressure

Y. K. Han, J. Landis

Abstract

A rapid and accurate method is described for the determination of nucleo-bases in rumen microorganisms. A procedure to satisfactorily hydrolyse the micro-organisms involving reaction with a mixture of readily volatile organic acids (acetic and formic acids) under high pressure, is proposed. And optimal conditions for an analytical procedure with reversed phase HPLC is described. The following nucleobases contents (mmol/kg DM) of rumen micro-organisms were found: Adenine (Ade), 82.62; Guanine (Gua), 61.34; Cytosine (Cyt), 84.61; Thymine (Thy), 35.74; Uracil (Ura), 68.62; Hypoxanthine (Hxn), 13.06; Xanthine (Xn), 8.35. Total purine-N content (g/kg N) of rumen micro-organisms were 99.60. The nucleic acid N content (g/kg N) of microbial isolates were: RNA-N, 109.9; DNA-N, 50.9.

Keywords: Nucleobases; Purine-N; High Pressure Hydrolysis; HPLC