The oxidation of lysine and oxalysine by Mytilus edulis: Identification of the products formed in the presence and the absence of catalase.

1. O-(2-Aminoethyl)serine (oxalysine) was shown to be a substrate of the l-amino acid oxidase of the digestive gland of the common mussel, Mytilus edulis. 2. Three atoms of oxygen were consumed per mole of oxalysine oxidized in the presence of catalase; l-lysine under the same conditions consumed only one atom. 3. The products of oxidation of oxalysine in the presence and the absence of catalase were: ethanolamine, N-oxalylethanolamine and 3-morpholone (the oxygen analogue of 2-piperidone). After acid hydrolysis 70% of the oxalysine oxidized was recovered as ethanolamine. 4. In the absence of catalase 2-aminoethoxyacetic acid was also detected. 5. The products identified account quantitatively for the oxalysine oxidized and for the oxygen uptake. 6. N-Oxalylethanolamine and 2-aminoethoxyacetic acid have been synthesized. 7. Treatment of extracts of the digestive gland at pH3.0 completely inactivated the catalase, leaving the l-amino acid oxidase unaffected. 8. The major product of the oxidation of lysine in the absence of catalase was 2-piperidone.