OOCYTE AND ZYGOTE KETOALDEHYDE UTILIZATION

Mouse oocytes and zygotes, when solubilised demonstrated that a range of ketoaldehydes could be utilised as substrates. Of the five ketoalde hydes investigated the overall substrate utilisation was hydroxypyruva te > glyoxylate > 2-ketobutyrate > pyruvate > glycolate. The utilisati on of these ketoaldehydes during early development by LD-I may provide a source of new metabolic substrates in addition to the potential con trol of aldehyde toxicity. It is proposed therefore that the LD-1 isoe nzyme is responsible for ketoaldehyde utilisation prior to implantatio n thereby providing a source of alternative metabolic substrates for t he developing embryo.