X. EFFECTS OF DEFICIENCY 103 



guinea pig, and this is correlated with the observation that the turn()\'er of 

 choHne is relatively slow, owing presumably to the absence of choline oxi- 

 dase in the liver of this species.^"'' Handler found no accumulation of fat in 

 the livers of guinea pigs fed seven different diets that did cause fatty li\'ers 

 in rats, even though guanidoacetic acid was added to the guinea pig diets.'"'* 

 Dul)noff and Borsook have reported the presence of an enzyme in the li\'er 

 and kidney of this animal, as well as in these organs of the rat and hog, 

 that transfers methyl from thetin to homocysteine. ■*°^ The metabolism of 

 choline in the guinea pig may differ only ciuantitatively from that in the 

 rat inasmuch as Dubnoff has noted some methyl lability in guinea pigs 

 following the administration of C^^-methyl -labeled choline.^"'' 



The mouse appears more resistant to choline deficiency than the rat, and 

 it has been used relatively little in studies of transmethylation. The pro- 

 duction of fatty livers was noted in Best's laboratory ,^^ but the develop- 

 ment of renal lesions in weanling mice has been found to occur only if a 

 choline-deficient diet is eaten prior to weaning.*'^ The presence or absence 

 of choline did not affect the rate of disappearance of deuterium from either 

 liver or depot fatty acids. '*''^ 



Some evidence has l)een presented that choline decreases the acute liver 

 destruction that occurs in rhesus monkeys inoculated with yellow fever 

 virus. ''^'' Choline was reciuired for normal lactation in the hamster. '^^^ Trout 

 fed a choline-deficient diet showed renal degeneration and intestinal hemor- 

 rhage.*^- The omission of choline from an otherwise adec^uate synthetic 

 diet resulted in complete growth failure and death in the cockroach, Blalella 

 germanica L.*^^' ^^'^ Betaine was practically as effective as choline in the pre- 

 vention of the deficiency. Choline is stated to be essential for the develop- 

 ment of lar\'ae of Aedes aegypti}^^ 



«^F. Bernheim and M. C. L. Bernheim, Am. J. Physiol. 104, 438 (1933); 121, 55 

 (1938). 



^''s p. Handler, Froc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. 70, 70 (1949). 



"6 J. W. Dubnoff and H. Borsook, /. Biol. Chem. 176, 789 (1948). 



"^ J. W. Dubnoff, Arch. Biochem. 22, 474 (1949). 



"8 E. A. White and L. R. Cerecedo, Proc. Am. Chcm. Soc. 23B, (1946). 



«9 D. Stetten, Jr. and G. F. Grail, J. Biol. Chem. 148, 509 (1943). 



«» A. W. Sellards and W. S. McCann, U. S. Naval Med. Bull. 43, 420 (1944). 



«i J. W. Hamilton and A. G. Hogan, J. Nutrition 27, 213 (1944). 



■•12 B. A. McLaren, K. B. Keller, D. J. O'Donnell, and C. A. Elvehjem, Arch. Bio- 

 chem. 15, 169 (1947). 



"5 J. L. Xoland and C. A. Baumaini, Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. 70, U)S (1949). 



■"' J. L. Xoland, J. II. Lilly, and C. A. Baumann, Ann. Entomol. Soc. Auier. 42, 154 

 (1949). 



■*'^ W. Tragcr, Proc. 29th Ann. Meeting New Jersey Mosquito Exterm. Assoc, p. 46 

 (1942). 



