Biomaterial Database

Carnitine, acetylcarnitine and the activity of carnitine acyltransferases in seminal plasma and spermatozoa of men, rams and rats. 1979

D E Brooks

The concentration of total carnitine (i.e. carnitine plus acetylcarnitine) was measured in seminal plasma and spermatozoa of men and rams. In ram semen, there was a close correlation between the concentration of spermatozoa and that of total carnitine in the seminal plasma, indicating that the epididymal secretion was the sole source of seminal carnitine. The percentage of total carnitine present as acetylcarnitine was 40% in seminal plasma and 70-80% in spermatozoa. The acetylation state of carnitine in seminal plasma was apparently not influenced by the metabolic activity of spermatozoa in ejaculated ram semen as no change was found in the plasma concentration of carnitine or acetylcarnitine up to 45 min after ejaculation. In spermatozoa, the activity of carnitine acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.7) was approximately equivalent to that of carnitine palmitoyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.21); and the activity of these enzymes was similar in ram and human spermatozoa but greater in rat spermatozoa. It is concluded that there is no correlation between the content of either total carnitine or the carnitine acyltransferases and the respiratory capacity of spermatozoa.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D002331	Carnitine	A constituent of STRIATED MUSCLE and LIVER. It is an amino acid derivative and an essential cofactor for fatty acid metabolism.	Bicarnesine,L-Carnitine,Levocarnitine,Vitamin BT,L Carnitine
D002333	Carnitine Acyltransferases	Acyltransferases in the inner mitochondrial membrane that catalyze the reversible transfer of acyl groups from acyl-CoA to L-carnitine and thereby mediate the transport of activated fatty acids through that membrane. EC 2.3.1.	Acylcarnitine Translocase,Carnitine Translocase,Carnitine-Acetylcarnitine Translocase,Carnitine-Acylcarnitine Translocase,Acyltransferases, Carnitine,Carnitine Acetylcarnitine Translocase,Carnitine Acylcarnitine Translocase,Translocase, Acylcarnitine,Translocase, Carnitine,Translocase, Carnitine-Acetylcarnitine,Translocase, Carnitine-Acylcarnitine
D002334	Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase	An enzyme that catalyzes reversibly the conversion of palmitoyl-CoA to palmitoylcarnitine in the inner mitochondrial membrane. EC 2.3.1.21.	Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase,CPT II,Carnitine Acyltransferase I,Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase I,Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase II,Palmitoylcarnitine Transferase,Palmitylcarnitine Acyltransferase,Acyltransferase I, Carnitine,Acyltransferase, Palmitylcarnitine,Carnitine O Palmitoyltransferase,II, Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase,O-Palmitoyltransferase, Carnitine,Palmitoyltransferase I, Carnitine,Palmitoyltransferase II, Carnitine,Palmitoyltransferase, Carnitine,Transferase, Palmitoylcarnitine
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000108	Acetylcarnitine	An acetic acid ester of CARNITINE that facilitates movement of ACETYL COA into the matrices of mammalian MITOCHONDRIA during the oxidation of FATTY ACIDS.	Acetyl Carnitine,Medosan,Acetyl-L-Carnitine,Acetylcarnitine, (R)-Isomer,Alcar,Branigen,Levocarnitine Acetyl,Acetyl L Carnitine,Carnitine, Acetyl
D000217	Acyltransferases	Enzymes from the transferase class that catalyze the transfer of acyl groups from donor to acceptor, forming either esters or amides. (From Enzyme Nomenclature 1992) EC 2.3.	Acyltransferase
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012661	Semen	The thick, yellowish-white, viscid fluid secretion of male reproductive organs discharged upon ejaculation. In addition to reproductive organ secretions, it contains SPERMATOZOA and their nutrient plasma.	Seminal Plasma,Plasma, Seminal
D012756	Sheep	Any of the ruminant mammals with curved horns in the genus Ovis, family Bovidae. They possess lachrymal grooves and interdigital glands, which are absent in GOATS.	Ovis,Sheep, Dall,Dall Sheep,Ovis dalli